HEMA Equipment, Experiences, and Opinions
A few months ago, my club put in an order with Superior Fencing to build up our loaner gear. I decided to order the training hoodie for myself as a light jacket for synthetic sparring. The product far exceeded my expectations and contains features that they do not advertise on the website for reasons that… Continue reading SF Training Hoodie, a hidden gem for low cost HEMA jackets?
English longsword is a separate branch to the more established Italian and German traditions. The source material is very limited so there are far more holes that need to be filled with speculation than the aforementioned traditions. The goal of this document is to provide a helpful key for students of the German or Italian… Continue reading English Longsword for German / Italian Longsword HEMA Students
At my club, we practice a mixture of Fiore and Liechtenauer traditions with a slight emphasis on Liechtenauer. As I progressed through the program and achieved my apprentice rank, I needed to pick a treatise for independent study in order to move to the rank of scholar. I decided to go with Joachim Meyer’s 1570… Continue reading Joachim Meyer, Getting the Point
Found this item while browsing Etsy and decided to try it out. Indoor trainers are great for practicing when space is limited or getting in some drills while traveling. This particular trainer is a sidesword, but you could use it for just about any one handed sword given the adjustable weights. The design is simple,… Continue reading Weighted Indoor Sidesword Trainer
For those looking for low cost HEMA steel swords, the VB products made by Viktor Berbekucz present a tempting option. The prices are generally low and availability is good, two qualities that are hard to find in HEMA equipment. I have a number of their products and some trends have presented themselves that I wanted… Continue reading Pros and Cons of VB Swords, Viktor Berbekucz
Over the past year, I have been working my way through Joachim Meyer’s system. While I started with the longsword, I have been finding new insights in his other weapon systems. I always like to try and use training tools that approximate the source material, so I ordered a Meyer Rapier from Kvetun Armoury. https://kvetun-armoury.com/side-sword/meyers-rapier.html. … Continue reading Kvetun Armoury Meyer Rapier Review
Other than a decidedly HEMA-themed band name, what is the “scheitelhau effect”? This is a term we have been using in our club to describe instances where techniques are dependent on reaction to threat and/or fear of injury that would come from fighting with sharp swords. The phrase comes from our experience with scheitelhau, the… Continue reading The Scheitelhau Effect
My club has been using the 37 inch Hanwei practical rapier for years. I have read reviews on other sites that state the sword is too floppy or dangerous due to either breakage or the nail head. I personally own one of these swords and have been on the giving and receiving end of full… Continue reading Hanwei Practical Rapier 37 Inch Review
HEMA is not for the faint of heart. We are practicing an art where we try to hit one another with steel bars at full speed while following the advice of people that died hundreds of years ago. Effective safety gear not only extends our ability to practice the art, it also allows our practice… Continue reading My Protective Equipment for HEMA
Smallswords are intriguing as a system, but I have not been a fan of most of the lower-cost training swords on the market because they tend to use epee blades. I understand that epee blades are a light, safe, and economical way to produce a smallsword, but I don’t like the look of them. They… Continue reading Impressions of the Castille Complete Economy Small Sword
