First piece of advice: BUY NOTHING till you’ve done a great deal of homework. Second piece of advice: Consult those around you with more experience — preferably your teammates. OK, so you’ve begun your research, found a group to practice with, and now you’re looking into getting some real armor of your own to fight…
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Christmas Season ALREADY? Here’s an Early Gift for You.
The modern world seems to start the Christmas season much too early and also end it much too early. In the middle ages, Christmas season began…. Christmas morning, and went on till Twelfth Night, on January 6th. It was a time of feasting and merriment! Today, we see shops putting out Christmas items as early…
Yes, I want to Joust. Seriously!
They say it is easier to teach a great rider how to fight than to teach a great fighter how to ride. Yes, I am fully aware I am going about learning to joust backwards and very late in life. As a child I met horses, but lost all my contacts in that area well…
The Perils of New Armor
This essay is primarily focused on later period, European, full plate armor. In my case, late 15th century. As some of you know, I am the happy owner of a new suit of armor. I had Arma Moskovia make me a reproduction of this composite suit in the Metropolitan Museum in NYC. I know it…
Who’s Who in European Swordfighting Groups and Styles Today
Who’s Who and What’s What. A rough list of terms to know.
This Weekend: The Vermont Renaissance Faire!
It’s been a long plague but there are signs of hope! One of these is the return of the Renaissance Faires! I was SUPER bummed my home Faire, the New Hampshire Renaissance Faire was cancelled err… went virtual… for the second year in a row. But this weekend – TOMORROW and Sunday, in fact, the…
Managing Heat While Wearing an Oven
“Is that armor hot?” Hotter than you might imagine. Here’s how we cope with it.
Love Hurts 6
I’M GOING TO FIGHT TOMORROW!! That’s right. Tomorrow, 13 February, 2021, I’ve got a duel set up with a good friend, Joshua Veliz. We’re planning to do a fun, quick sword and buckler fight. I am totally psyched. Josh is probably stronger than me, but we both have cardio shortcomings, so this should be a…
New Shoes!
I got new shoes. I’ve got a new favorite for 15th century pointy turnshoes. Here’s my review.
Winter Settles In…
It is mid December, and we are nearing the end of 2020, and maybe even this pandemic. Here in New England, we are being regaled with a fairly significant snow storm and it is beautiful. With the snow, the event season, already almost dead from an abundance of safety, is driven further into our memories….