NK - Light Weapons Question (getting LONG!)

[Miriam Cook]

Ld. Konstantin,
I answer your post as a member of the light
weapons community of Northkeep.  I do realize
that there have been a few unfortunate accidents
involving fencing combat some resulting in
death.  But we do not know the circumstances
around those incedents.  What I do know is the
amount of precaution that we in the rapier
community take.  Our armour is punch tested, our
masks are examined often, and we do have
marshalls on the field watching for things
deemed "unsafe."  You mentioned a couple of
incedents where light fighter stabbed themselved
at an unauthorized backyard fighter practice,
but (I have no referneces to back this up) I am
rather certian that there have been many more
injuries due to heavy fighting than in the light
arena. I personally know one lord in this
Kingdom who had to get pins in his wrist less
than a year ago from a blow that he took during
a heavy fight at an authorized SCA fighter
practice.  And I am quite sure that there was no
talk (even by him!) of giving up heavy combat in
the SCA.  
Also, comming from someone who played mundane
sports all of my life, soccer, softball,
volleyball, the frequency of injury in both
light and heavy SCA combat is VERY low.  Yes,
the risk is there, but we the fighters know that
it is there and accept the consequences if they
ever do come.  
You stated that it is only a matter of time
before death or serious injury occurs in SCA
rapier combat... I STRONGLY disagree with you,
My Lord.  Like I mentioned before, we are very
contientious about safety in the rapier
community as is the heavy community, and I do
not think that the risk of injury is at any
level higher.  

Sorry if I offended anyone...
In Service, 
Zahava batHannah of House RavenOak

---merle at webzone.net wrote:
>
> Recently I became concerned about a number of
schlager breakages.
> I have asked around and found out that those
blades were defective
> and have been banned. I've also held
discussions with others about
> deaths in fencing vs. the potential for death
or serious injury
> with rapier combat in the SCA.
> 
> So far no deaths have been caused by broken
blades in SCA rapier
> combat. I believe that it is only a matter of
time before a death
> or serious injury happens. There have been
deaths in Olympic style
> fencing in this century but have been very,
very few. (Sorry, I
> don't have the vital stats on this). My
fencing instructor at OSU
> witnessed a person being stabbed in the thigh
with a broken foil.
> 
> Everyone I have asked so far agrees with me
when I ask "Do you
> think that rapier combat in the SCA would be
terminated if their
> was ever a death caused by a broken blade?"
The answer was yes.
> And they also agree that if a death is ever
caused by heavy weapons
> fighting that it would not be the end of heavy
weapons combat in
> the SCA.
> 
> If that were to happen I can see one of two
things happen.
> The SCA would split into a medieval group and
a renaissance group,
> because I do not believe that the rapier
community would simply
> hang up their baldrics and play heavy. The
other alternative
> would be to create new standards for armor and
weapons to continue
> with rapier combat. I have heard of accidental
deaths in Civil War
> reenactment but I have only hearsay on those.
> 
> I realize their are a lot of legal issues that
would be raised 
> (not to mention the bad press) involved here.
I know the rapier
> community is fairly conscientous about their
safety but I don't
> know how prepared they are or the SCA at large
is for a death
> or serious injury in light weapons. I have
heard of two SCAers
> unintentionally stabbing each other in the leg
on their own time
> playing with real rapiers in a park.
> 
> Opinions? Discussion? Do you agree with me? Is
the SCA prepared
> legally for such an incident?
> 
> Ld. Konstantin Drozd
> 

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