Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Karl Helweg on February 8, 2013 at 5:04pm

I am currently teaching fencing classes.  When I wore newer gear I was rated in epee, sabre, and foil.  I own a scoring machine since epee is sort of pointless without it (incidental pun.)  I keep my SCA rapier authorization current but I do not like the local rules.  I get along well with some of the SCA rapier types and a few used to be very serious fencers. 

I still have several sets of kendo gear but my old knees just do not work well enough to practice anymore.  Since we are on the west coast I keep holing that we will have a teacher wander into town who can still stand up.

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Permalink Reply by Karl Helweg on February 8, 2013 at 6:28pm

BTW - http://community.artofmanliness.com/forum/topics/fencing-anyone?id=...  Is an earlier version of the fencing thread. 

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Permalink Reply by Sam I. on February 11, 2013 at 2:17pm

   The SCA does have a lot of great people in it, and they're almost always characters.  Are you referring to the kneeling rules? Those always made me laugh a little.

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Permalink Reply by Hampton Kennedy on February 8, 2013 at 6:47pm

Fenced for about 7 years, rated in Foil, and went to the junior olympics and nationals a few times. Great sport.

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Permalink Reply by Buffalo Bill on February 8, 2013 at 7:35pm

I fenced for years, mostly Epee and Foil although I dabbled in Sabre.  I think I had worked up to a C ranking in the USFA before I had to dedicate my time to other pursuits.  Fencing is certainly one of my favorite sports.

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Permalink Reply by Karl Helweg on February 11, 2013 at 12:46pm

You all might also like: http://www.fencing.net/forums/forum.php 

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Permalink Reply by Sam I. on February 11, 2013 at 2:02pm

  I had a feeling a few of our number would be swordsmen.  Fencing carries with it a really great sense of honor, especially without electric scoring gear.  I started out with modern fencing in college and loved it. I had experience with all three weapons, starting with the foil and then leaning heavily on sabre.  We had really only started getting an epee group together when our club folded.  Since college I've dabbled occasionally with SCA rapier, but that aside, I'm too geographically isolated to pursue it any further. I hope it's in my future to take it back up. I love the "pris du fer".

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Permalink Reply by Karl Helweg on February 11, 2013 at 2:54pm

Have you considered starting a local fencing club?  http://www.usfencing.org/   One of the other coaches has managed to start clubs in Cordova and Haines, Alaska.  I had to just split the club into a downtown and valley class here since I am in the "big city" of almost 31K on the road system.  There are a lot of folks who want to learn to fence. 

There are a lot of good fencing suppliers out there like TCA, Blade, Physical Chess, Americans, etc...  but Blue Gauntlet has been especially good for forming clubs to deal with.  http://www.blue-gauntlet.com/ 

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Permalink Reply by Sam I. on February 12, 2013 at 9:45am

   I have actually put some thought into trying to get something started up here. I commute about 45 minutes to a town of 3500ish for work, where there might be enough people to start something up. My hometown has less than 200 residents.

   I have pretty decent ground knowledge of fencing, and I've learned alot by practicing Hutton over the last few years. I'm not sure how to present myself as a teacher, where I'm far from a fencing master.  Perhaps advertise for more of an SCAesque club, something more informal?

    On the subject of gear though, all of my old equipment was from physical chess or Zen Warrior Armory, I was happy with everything I bought from them.

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Permalink Reply by Brown Fox on February 11, 2013 at 5:16pm

I've been fencing for about five years now. I began when I found out I could take a free course in foil fencing as a perk for being an adjunct at the local community college. At the grand-old-age of 51, I held my own against a bunch of nineteen-year-olds. Before the course was over, one of my son's friends introduced me to a local club. I've been with them ever since, and have assisted the coach in teaching saber. I've dabbled in epee, and dared to coreograph a sword fight for a play. I've fenced SCA rules once, at a pirate living history event, as seen in the photo. I'm the guy in the royal blue waistcoat. Yesterday, I contacted the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival about learning more stage combat techniques.

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Permalink Reply by Sam I. on February 12, 2013 at 9:18am

   That looks like a swashbuckling good time!  I've had my butt kicked by my 60 year old sabre coach many a time. It's hard to beat practice. We have a huge pirate festival in Eastport Maine every year, I wonder if our SCA shire will ever join in with them. Nice to meet ya!

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Permalink Reply by Brown Fox on February 12, 2013 at 4:18pm

Hmm, the news of this festival doesn't make it to my lattitudes. Details, please. My pirate crew may be interested.

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