Pug, I suggest modifications to two of the points below:<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Mon, Oct 15, 2012 at 7:34 AM, Pug Bainter <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:pug@pug.net" target="_blank">pug@pug.net</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div link="blue" vlink="purple" lang="EN-US"><div><p class="MsoNormal">Good Morning,</p></div></div></blockquote><div>[snip] <br>
</div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div link="blue" vlink="purple" lang="EN-US"><div><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u><u></u></p><p><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Pros:</p>
<p style="margin-left:1.0in"><u></u><span style="font-family:"Courier New""><span>o<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><u></u>The blades are statistically non-existent comparing the possibly 10s of bouts to the 1000s of bouts per year.</p>
</div></div></blockquote><div>statistically non-existent IN TOURNAMENT. <br> </div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div link="blue" vlink="purple" lang="EN-US">
<div><p style="margin-left:1.0in"><u></u><u></u></p><p style="margin-left:1.0in"><u></u><span style="font-family:"Courier New""><span>o<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><u></u>Heavy blades are more historically accurate than light blades.<u></u><u></u></p>
<p style="margin-left:1.0in"><u></u><span style="font-family:"Courier New""><span>o<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><u></u>A significant majority of the SCA kingdoms as well as most inter-kingdom wars have gone to heavy blades only.<u></u><u></u></p>
<p style="margin-left:1.0in"><u></u><span style="font-family:"Courier New""><span>o<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><u></u>The enforcement of the regulations around the lighter blades is lax at best creating a risk point.</p>
</div></div></blockquote><div><br>I am unclear on how something that is statistically insignificant can create a risk point. <br> <br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div link="blue" vlink="purple" lang="EN-US"><div><p style="margin-left:1.0in"><u></u><u></u></p><p style="margin-left:1.5in"><u></u><span style="font-family:Wingdings"><span>§<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><u></u>Combatants being authorized without having shown to be safe.</p>
</div></div></blockquote><div>A very bad practice that should be stopped at once. The KRM has issued words to that effect and I am sure more will follow. This was always a violation of SCA rules.<br> </div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div link="blue" vlink="purple" lang="EN-US"><div><p style="margin-left:1.5in"><u></u><u></u></p><p style="margin-left:1.5in"><u></u><span style="font-family:Wingdings"><span>§<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><u></u>Marshals being authorized without knowing how to inspect the equipment.</p>
</div></div></blockquote><div>This is an interesting point. IMO, this is only a problem if a marshal unfamiliar with epee inspects them or marshals a bout where they are used. We need to keep in mind that marshaling is always voluntary; no one is required to marshal a bout they are not comfortable marshaling for ANY reason. They SHOULD NOT marshal any bout nor inspect any weapon where they do not feel qualified to enforce safety. It is reasonable to expect them to make a reasonable effort to find a replacement marshal who can.<br>
<br>We cannot expect every new marshal to be an expert on every weapon and technique allowed in the rules. They should, a t a minimum, be able to maintain safety in most situations and in dealing with typical hazards. They should bow out or work with a more experienced marshal when dealing with rare situations that are beyond their experience. If they find themselves over their heads during a bout they should call HOLD and bring in a more experienced marshal.<br>
<br>Of course, the policy on this is up to the KRM and EM but this is my take on it. I feel it is unrealistic to expect every marshal to be expert in every possible weapon and technique. Nor does the fencer have any unalienable right to use every weapon and technique in every tourney. If a marshal familiar with epee and willing to inspect and mashal, cannot be found on the day of the tournament, you cannot use the epee. If we cannot make it safe that day, we are obligated to say no. <br>
</div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div link="blue" vlink="purple" lang="EN-US"><div><p style="margin-left:1.5in"><u></u><u></u></p><p style="margin-left:1.0in">
<u></u><span style="font-family:"Courier New""><span>o<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><u></u>Light blades break more frequently than heavy blades elevating the risk due to lax enforcement.</p>
</div></div></blockquote><div>But heavy blades lose and punch through tips more frequently, and when they do the resulting bare tip has the same or greater penetration potential as a flat broken foil or epee. Further, a broken blade is shorter so a blow that would normally result in a reasonable hit should not even reach the target with a blade missing even 2 inches. When a tip is lost no length is lost so that untipped blade remains full length. So an argument can be made for the heavy blades being more dangerous. But the truth is, there is not a meaningful difference.<br>
<br>In fact, there have not been enough injuries with either to make a reasonable conclusion as to their relative safety. On the contrary, what our decades of experience with many thousands of bouts fought do tell us is that both weapons have proven to be safe for our purposes. Safety has been, is, and will remain a bogus argument for banning or keeping either of these weapons.<br>
</div></div><br>Christian Doré<br><br><br><br><br><br>