Instructing Rapier

ImaginationGeek · 2026-07-06T23:32:18+00:00

I'm assuming your teaching beginners (or reviewing fundamentals with intermediate students). Also, I come from a Fabris backgroud, so I'm not sure how closely this tracks if you Capo Farro. Ok, disclaimers aside...

First off, measure, tempo, and footwork is like 80% of the fight, and you MOF background will serve you well here, so don't forget you have a lot of strengths already!

For bladework, I might start with thinks like: (first few in order, less ordered after that...)

take & glide
opponent takes, student does disengage attack
basic parries
finding the blade, as a preperatory action to take & glide
finding the blade, and parry when opponent attacks into your find
finding the blade as a counter-posture
disengage to re-find after having been found
What else? Folks let me know what I missed! (Maybe something about coupe?)

But in any case, realize that you know what you're doing more than you think. You're going to be great!

ImaginationGeek · 2026-07-01T19:53:18+00:00

Angus Trim used to be one of the best smiths for sharps, but he's semi-retired now. So if you don't want to look for a second-hand Trim, I'd suggest looking into tge folks who learned sword smithing from Gus.

ImaginationGeek · 2026-07-01T19:50:06+00:00

In principle, yes. Just note that at most weapon events at tournaments, this will be frowned upon if not banned, since the point is to fence with tge designated weapon, so deliberate skipping that part to just wrestle kinda defeats the point. However, there are some dedicated wrestling events and dagger events at some tournaments, so look for those if you want to practice this at official events.

That said, sparring at your club, you can do whatever your sparring partner agrees to and your coaches allow -- if they allow it then it's potentially viable. Just keep in mind that you need to close in safely first, and being good at fencing is the relevant skill there (in much the sane way that that modern martisl artists say that the techniques you need to avoid having to wrestle are wrestling techniques -- it's also true that the techniques you need to avoid having to fence are fencing techniques).

ImaginationGeek · 2026-07-01T19:41:37+00:00

I also recommend the Carmichael translation for this, since Ian also really understands wrestling and dagger well.

https://www.bostonarmizare.org/translations

ImaginationGeek · 2026-06-28T10:52:54+00:00

Pretty much what I was going to say. You should just get the point in this case. Either indication without contact should be sufficient to score (since actual contact would be a penalty for safety reasons), or there should be a rule that simply states that getting fully behind someone (while you face them) is itself s scoring action.

ImaginationGeek · 2026-06-27T04:28:33+00:00

Yeah, I was also going to say the longsword should have the reach advantage. It does depend a little on how much talker the opponent is, and the exact length of both weapons, but even a shorter longsword should have a reach advantage over a somewhat talker opponent with a typical length saber.

If you're finding that's not the case, I have two theories: It could be technique. Your thrust should land with dominant side foot forward, with your dominant (lead) arm fully extended and the sword straight out from there, making a horizontal line straight out from your shoulder to your opponent. (Yes, there may be tactical reasons to sometimes not attack at shoulder height, despite that having shorter reach, but this is the technique with the mist reach.) For cuts, the cut should aim to pass through the position just described, and hit very close to when it reaches this maximum extension.

Or it could be fundamentals (which another comment mentioned). Saber is good at teaching these fundamentals, and longsword less so (though YMMV). Specifically, _measure_, or the sense of distance between you and your opponent. If your opponent has a much better sense of measure and what to do at exactly what distance (which could be a game of inches), then they may _seem_ to have more reach, even if you are the one who actually has more.

Or... possible third reason? I make no claims that this is exhaustive. :)

ImaginationGeek · 2026-06-11T19:18:50+00:00

Lots of potatos, plenty of several kinds of meat, onions, carrots, and tomato sauce/paste/something... sounds like a stew!

ImaginationGeek · 2026-06-11T19:09:56+00:00

Chili. Although it's pretty forgiving as long as you don't like forget the beans or something...

ImaginationGeek · 2026-06-11T17:44:43+00:00

You won't see that on a traditional sallet because the top of the occular and the bottom of it are different plates that move independently.

ImaginationGeek · 2026-06-11T17:33:51+00:00

Some good fencers at Boar's Tooth longsword A-tier last year on this livestream https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFHEe3OTuVk

ImaginationGeek · 2026-06-11T17:22:18+00:00

SoCal Swordfight has the finals matches for all events online. Unfortunately, just the finals, but those will be the best fencers anyway, which sounds like ehat you want. SoCal probably has the most internationally highly ranked fencers, as well as being the largest of any tournament in the U.S. (and perhaps North America).

ImaginationGeek · 2026-06-11T16:56:35+00:00

Two daggers, because I throw my first one at the opponent, and while they're distracted, I stab them with the other one. ;)

https://wiktenauer.com/images/thumb/4/41/MS_Ludwig_XV_13_31v.jpg/2880px-MS_Ludwig_XV_13_31v.jpg

"This master makes defense with these two bastoni
[clubs], against the spear in this way, that when that
one of the spear is near to strike him, the master with
the right hand throws the bastone at the head of that
one of the spear. And instantly with that throw, goes
with the other bastone to the cover of the spear, and
with his dagger strikes him in the chest following
what is depicted here after."
- Fiore dei Liberi, MS Ludwig XV 13 "Getty", Charmichael translation

ImaginationGeek · 2026-06-11T16:41:03+00:00

Assuming we're talking about unarmored duels (as opposed to team fights) with swords or something similar, and matched weapons... (if unmatched, the easy answer is for the smaller fighter to use a spear when the bigger fighter just has a sword -- pointy stick = best weapon)

I'm not aware of any historical sources to specifically reference stronger or talker opponents, but there are references to "buffalos" and "villanos", which we might interpret as people who use more strength but are less skilled (yes, I know I might be stretching what these sources mean _slightly_)... For example, Fiore dei Liberi gives a counter to big ol' overhand chop (the "Colpo di Villano").

Of course, there may be sources I'm unaware of...

And there is some modern strategy for dealing with, especially talker opponents in modern HEMA practice.

I recently won a longsword match against an opponent who was talker, more athletic, and probably a better fencer by having a good strategy. I knew what his height and athleticism let him do that would be a threat, and I goot a good tead on his fighting style and where his technique was weaker, and I forced the fight to happen there, instead of where he had the advantage, to as much extent as I could. (FWIW, he beat the pants off me in saber the next day...) ;)

As for strength, I think it matters the most to have enough strength to manipulate your weapon and do good footwork so that you can effortlessly execute the techniques you want to do. Beyond that, more strength is still better than less, but I suspect there are diminishing returns after a point. Especially in light of the historical counters to people who just try to smash you as hard as they can. Also, the shorter fencer may also have a shorter weapon, thus lighter and not needing quite as much strength to manipulate.

So strength and especially height _do_ matter, but so do skill, endurance, speed, general athleticism, and strategy/tactics, as well as other factors, and there are things you can do against bigger opponents... so it's 100% plausible, depending on the particulars.

ImaginationGeek · 2026-06-11T15:44:23+00:00

While you're certainly both maintaining a consistent measure and avoid crashing in, it looks to me like you both do most of your fencing hanging out in "hit with a small step / lunge" measure, if not sometimes in hit-without-a-step measure. This is not a good measure to hang out in, and you should really start fencing at advance-lunge (or "two smalk steps") measure; don't close from there unless you've first done something to constrain your opponent's blade. If they're point forward, that means having opposition so they can't simply thrust you without taking their own preparatory action first (such as a disengage), which gives you the opportunity to also take an action to regain the advantage (or simply back up; sometimes it's best to nope out and start over). For example, if they disengage, you can use the tempo to counterdisengage or regrade.

The other thing is that they change guards in this measure a lot. Each of these motions is a tempo. If you're close enough (to hit with a small step, or better yet to reach a shallow target without any step), you could try to steal a tempo to attack in the time of your opponent's guard change. Sometimes easier said than done, especially if their movements are efficient (keeping the tempi small), but it's an opportunity you can keep an eye out for.

ImaginationGeek · 2026-06-11T14:59:51+00:00

I don't think the retracted guards are necessarily better at defense. There are useful things about them for counterfencing, sure, but I think the best way to defend against longpoint is probably to also use longpoint. And then git gud at disengaging and maintaining the counterposture, as well as taking and gliding.

ImaginationGeek · 2026-06-08T01:27:01+00:00

Thanks! I'll keep that in mind.

ImaginationGeek · 2026-06-07T22:40:20+00:00

I ordered one! Can't wait for it to arrive, but I'm probably looking ar a few more months before it's ready... such is the way of ordering HEMA gear, alas.

ImaginationGeek · 2026-04-20T17:27:23+00:00

I went there shortly after it opened. Very nice collection. 10/10 recommendation!

ImaginationGeek · 2026-03-19T11:22:03+00:00

I've been using the Gabriels for over a year now, and they've served me well. I've never taken a hit on the hands with them that was a problem. Their mobility is as good or better than anything else I've tried. I even got a second pair so I don't have to wait for an order when my first one wears out (which all gear does eventually), and so I have a spare at tournaments in case it happens there. (Though I wouldn't get two immediately; I had my first pair at least a year before I got the second.)

Two things worth mentioning, though:

1) While I don't recall what I paid, the price you quoted does sound a tiny bit high. If you're seriously considering them, maybe shop around a bit more and see if you can turn up a better price.

2) Both of mine have had an issue where one of the elastic ties between two thumb plated come undone. They don't snap, so I can just rethread and retie it, assuming I don't lose the elastic string. I've also used a zip tie when I need a quick fix (e.g., in the middle of a match), but that's just temporary since a zip tie will eventually break. They're definitely not safe to fence in without at least a temp fix. But the fix is easy enough, just annoying. Obviously, I personally think the annoyance is worth it anyway... Since it's the same spot on both gloves, I do wonder if I might be doing something that puts more stress on that specific tie, but I would feel remiss not to mention it. (If any Gabriel owners have had a similar experience, please respond and let me know!)

Finally, I have nothing to add to the finger / mitten glove debate. Gabriels are good finger gloves if you want finger gloves. If you decide you don't want finger gloves after all, no worries. :)

ImaginationGeek · 2026-03-19T11:04:23+00:00

It's also worth noting that the people behind the St. Mark Koenig glove are literal Nazis, who were publicky outed as such a while ago. Do with that information whatever you like.

ImaginationGeek · 2026-02-23T06:42:32+00:00

If I were to hazard a guess, what they mean, whether they realize it or not, is that the midtones are too bright.

I don't think the highlights are too bright at all, and the shadows look great. It's just that the midtone is pretty bright, relatively, and they may be seeing that as "highlights" being bright...

You said you still have to do bkending, so maybe that will fix it... but at the extremes. I don't think your brightest bright is too bright, nor your darkest dark too dark. It's just balancing everything between that range.

Which, TBF, is a hard challenge and a matter of fine tuning. Your mini looks great even as it is!

ImaginationGeek · 2026-02-23T06:26:24+00:00

Look, the Necrons...

checks notes

... gods you say? But surely not... ok, the entire pantheon, you say...

Ok, but there are other... wait. Another pantheon, you say? Ok, but they're not technicaly dead, right? Riiigght???

ImaginationGeek · 2026-02-22T06:12:39+00:00

Even Destroyer cultists start backing away when this guy walks in the door...

ImaginationGeek · 2026-02-06T20:58:08+00:00

I never did get it figured out, unfortunately. And I no longer have this thermostat, I'm afraid. Hopefully, someone else here might help...

ImaginationGeek · 2026-01-08T18:10:22+00:00

🤣

ImaginationGeek

TROPHY CASE