Sword Play

Okay, I'll admit it. I got bitten by the Renaissance bug BAD.

Ever since I came back, I've been inspired by the fun and enthusiasm of the "Rennies" - apparently the correct term for hard core Renaissance Faire attendees (is that like the term 'Trekkies?') We'll definitely be attending any other local events when they happen.

There'll be no surprise about the aspect of Renaissance Faires I liked the best.


Well, second best, after the bustiers. It was the sword fighting.

Attending a Renn Faire gives everybody the chance to carry around a sword. It's part of the outfit. It's part of the lifestyle. It's part of the over compensation in some people's cases.

But at a Faire, the only people who whip them out (the swords I mean) are the trained and trusted members of the Faire staff. Because even if your mighty blades are 'safety' blunted, you can still give somebody a near fatal crack on the skull with one (and the pointy bits are more than capable of making shish-kebab out of anybody.)

Sword fighting is kept very sensibly behind the safety curtains. You'll see it on stage. You'll see it in skits. What you won't see are regular Rennies slapping each other silly with three feet long lengths of steel. But that's what makes it so exciting.

As soon as I saw some of the Renn Faire players dueling to the death, I was inspired to learn the art of stage combat and do some swashbuckling myself. But what is involved in a project like that?

Well, there are actually more stringent rules in place about becoming a stage combateer than there are rules about gun ownership (in many states, at least.) To get up on stage and thrill the masses with your daring exploits, it's necessary to pass certification by the Society of American Fight Directors. Their examiners will test candidates and only on successfully proving your skills can you earn one of the coveted SAFD certificates which enables you to legitimately start slinging your steel about.

There are eight techniques in stage combat. Rapier and Dagger, Single Sword, Broadsword, Broadsword and Shield, Small Sword, Knife, Quarterstaff and Unarmed.

To pass certification in any of these weapons, you'll need to undergo thirty hours of training by an SAFD certified instructor. Then, by preparation of a brief staged combat, you'll be tested in each weapon by an instructor.

It's a pretty major commitment - but there are certainly opportunities for those who attain those certificates. Hollywood movies still seem to involve plenty of fight scenes!

You can find out about the SAFD here.

You can learn about SAFD training in New York here.

So once you're on the road to becoming a master swordsman, what about your weapon?

I've collected swords for years - I have several at home I picked up in junk and antique shops when I was living in Plymouth. Would those be suitable for staged combat?

The answer is 'maybe.' Vague, aren't I?

The truth is, not all swords are the same - especially not these days. It's possible to buy fake samurai swords for £20 down at the Blackbush market, but that doesn't mean they're any good.
Most decorative swords are made out of stainless steel. Some are even sharpened, so they look like deadly weapons. However, stainless steel simply isn't up to the rigors of stage combat. The first time a SS blade meets another, most likely they'll both shatter.

Stage combat swords are made out of high carbon steel, with much more flexibility in the steel than regular stainless. It's these swords that can handle the abuse and that explains why high carbon weapons are worth so much more than stainless display pieces.

Stage combat swords are easy to get. They're available by mail order from several online companies. One company, Stage Steel, even design swords especially for stage combat.

They do tend to be more expensive than stainless steel replicas, but that price is worth paying. Buy a display sword and start dueling with your buddy and at best, both your swords will shatter. At worse, they'll shatter and the shards will pierce something soft and fleshy.