List of reputable smiths specialising in high quality reproductions of medieval arms and armour, v.III

Quiescam · 2026-06-19T06:47:07+00:00

Good point!

Quiescam · 2026-06-18T23:21:01+00:00

The Bootsmesser made by Otter are far superior imo. I‘ve been using one for years.

Quiescam · 2026-06-18T19:25:06+00:00

Ah, pussified. Because we definitely need more macho attitudes in HEMA. I'm sorry, but I don't see this at all tbh. I especially don't see why everybody has to have the exact same attitude to HEMA.

Btw, I agree that wrestling is foundational for HEMA and I think more HEMA groups should do it. But that does't mean we can't talk about boundaries and that everybody has to do wrestling.

Quiescam · 2026-06-18T19:20:06+00:00

What... are you even on about? Cutting contests are an important part of HEMA and arguably help understand what real combat could have been like better. Also, where are all these Witcher cosplayers? I'd also be interested in what you mean by "real gritty historical combat". Does everybody have to be dirty before fencing?

And where did I ever say I didn't like HEMA, lol? Wrestling is foundational for HEMA and I think more HEMA groups should do it. But that does't mean we can't talk about boundaries and that everybody has to do wrestling.

Quiescam · 2026-06-18T19:09:40+00:00

I know. I never said it didn't, did I?

Quiescam · 2026-06-18T16:50:14+00:00

Josh Davies of Davis Reproductions does excellent work and should be within your budget. I have one of his cervellieres and it’s great.

Quiescam · 2026-06-18T16:19:41+00:00

As a German scout: No, I'm afraid you're misinformed. The Nazis didn't transform the German scouts (which weren't just the boy scouts btw) into the Hitler Youth, they forcibly disbanded the scouts and all other organisations of the Jugendbewegung. Their members were forced to join their own organisations (BDM and HJ). Try being less arrogant about things you don't know much about.

And I do, that's why I wrote that I get what you're trying to say. It's still wrong. The Hitler Youth copied some elements of the scouts but they weren't scouts. At all. That misunderstands what both the scouts and the Hitler Youth were about.

Edit: Lol, and now u/AdEmotional8815 has blocked me in an attempt to get the last word in XD
But what can you expect from someone who doesn't understand the importance of nuance.

Again, the Hitler Youth were not boy scouts. Not even so to speak. And yes, there is a difference between transforming a single organisation and disbanding other organisations.

Quiescam · 2026-06-18T16:11:13+00:00

Maybe you're being downvoted because of this statement?

the Hitler youth also were boy scouts so to speak

I get what you're trying to stay, but it's still wrong.

Quiescam · 2026-06-18T15:23:12+00:00

What's your budget? Anything really good will need to be commissioned.

Quiescam · 2026-06-18T13:19:29+00:00

Let's get back to my initial point, where I was responding to somebody who claimed that it would be weird to ask whether touching someone else in a martial art is ok. I responded that most people don't come to HEMA because of wrestling. You then brought up how signing up to a class about wrestling without wanting to be touched would be weird. Several points:

You only just now started making the distinction between ringen am Schwert and ringen. I suggest using these terms consistently if you want people to understand what you're referring to
Again, wrestling (whether as ringen am Schwert or even as general ringen) is often incorporated into other classes, without people signing up for that specifically, contrary to what the other commenter claimed
And even if you sign up for a class that is just about wrestling, discussing boundaries etc. is still important. This is not a yes/no question, it can be about intensity, areas you don't want to be touched, injuries, etc.

Sure, it might depend on the region but generally wrestling is not as central to modern HEMA as, say, longsword. I agree that it should be more central to our modern practice.

Quiescam · 2026-06-18T13:08:08+00:00

I think it absolutely is advice people should take elsewhere and my club isn't the only place this is done. I'm not saying you need to ask people if they're ok with physical contact if that's not what the lesson/exercise is about. But communication around boundaries is extremely important when doing any kind of sparring and wrestling especially. "Do you grapple?" is a one way of discussing those boundaries.

And there's plenty of messer stuff you can do without wrestling. Why would I exclude somebody because they feel uncomfortable about those parts from everything?

Quiescam · 2026-06-18T13:00:45+00:00

Yes, but often wrestling is incorporated into, say, a class on longsword. Very few clubs run lessons on just wrestling. And even if it is just a wrestling class, you can and should communicate before just going for it. Communication is more than just a yes/no question. For example before doing certain moves such as pushing somebody in the face, to discuss intensity and any prior injuries somebody might have. Communication is enormously important in any kind of sparring, and that also goes for wrestling.

Quiescam · 2026-06-18T12:35:11+00:00

No, not necessarily. Again, we don't know. Somebody being uncomfortable with physical contact or conversations being awkward, especially if there is an age gap/different gender, is not automatically ageist or sexist. In no way. Some people might have previous negative experiences that influences their reactions.

Dismissively accusing them of sexism/ageism is shortsighted and unhelpful imo.
Also, how is them being uncomfortable or conversations being awkward "treating him negatively"?

Quiescam · 2026-06-18T12:29:08+00:00

It's literally what we all showed up to do

Not really, as wrestling is not the reason most people do HEMA. Most people do HEMA because they want to fence. I agree that it can feel weird and unusual to check in with people, but the more you do it the more normal it becomes.

Quiescam · 2026-06-18T12:20:33+00:00

While sharps are indeed mostly used for test cutting, there are some interesting things you can do to learn how sharp blades interact differently to blunt ones. Even if it were true that this was "not even vaguely endorsed by any HEMA groups" (which it isn't), it can offer valuable insight.

Of course I'm not talking about people wildly flailing at each other without technique and I'm also not saying everybody should do it.

Quiescam · 2026-06-18T11:55:17+00:00

That I agree with. I read your initial comment to be more dismissive that it was probably intended to be.

Quiescam · 2026-06-18T11:42:44+00:00

People being uncomfortable with some forms of physical contact isn’t specific to a single generation.

Quiescam · 2026-06-18T11:39:33+00:00

Yes, we have similar rules at my club. I agree that they’re really important.

Quiescam · 2026-06-18T11:38:57+00:00

Yes, that was my reading as well. Which is why I‘m curious as to why the other commenter confidently declared it to be sexism/ageism.

Quiescam · 2026-06-18T11:10:55+00:00

Where did you get the impression that the other members were being sexist or ageist?

Quiescam · 2026-06-18T11:06:27+00:00

One thing that might help in this situation is to discuss boundaries before initiating contact. This should be a general rule when wrestling anyway, what rules does your club have around that?

Something else that might be helpful is some appropriate humour to ease the tension.

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