RECOMMENDED TRAINING WEAPONS Version 1 (Jan 2017)
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ACADEMY OF HISTORICAL FENCING RECOMMENDED TRAINING WEAPONS Version 1 (Jan 2017) When you join the AHF, spare weapons will be made available to get you started. However, you make an effort to purchase your own within the first eight weeks. The below list might seem bewildering, but it is largely to give people a wide range of options. The most common and important and common swords in the club are the Black Fencer synthetic Sabre & Longsword. Having a single handed and a two-handed sword will allow you a wide range of training options. The club makes an order to Black Fencer 2-3 times a year. You can either wait for these orders, or order direct yourself. You will save a little by buying through the club, but get them faster by ordering direct. If you have any questions, feel free to ask in session or on the club membership page. LONGSWORD Blackfencer – Longsword Light All black fencer longsword models are good, but the Light model is ideally proportioned and cheap. Price - £65-85 depending on model. www.blackfencer.com Peter Regenyei Peter makes the most reliable, consistent and affordable steel longswords. All feder models are good, but our preference is for the short model. Price - £180-220 http://www.regenyei.com ARMING SWORD Black Fencer Arming Sword An excellent training sword that is as close to steel as you will get without paying for steel. Price – about £60 http://www.blackfencer.com/ Peter Regenyei – One handed training tool Robust but agile arming swords that also flex well on the thrust. An overall very good and affordable sword. Price - £160-180. Ships in about 4-5 months, available immediately through resellers. www.regenyei.com Often in stock with this excellent reseller – www.faitsdarmes.com SABRE Blackfencer Curved Sabre. The most common training sword in the AHF. It is cheap and an excellent representation of military sabre. Cost – 65 euros. www.blackfencer.com Swordsmithy Excellent sabres of any design you want, from a curve stirrup hilt shown, or lighter curved bowl hilt as is more Victorian in style. Cost – 260-300 euros. Five-month delivery time. Search Facebook for Swordsmithy, he does all business there. MEYER RAPIER/SIDESWORD Blackfencer Sidesword An excellent training sword with a wide range of uses. www.blackfencer.com Peter Regenyei – Sidesword For Italian School I or III A very well built and good training sword. Waiting times are about 4-5 months. Cost - around £200. www.regenyei.com Darkwood Armoury – Spanish Destreza Training Sword A purpose built HEMA sword that works well as a sidesword and is usually in stock or available in a few weeks. Import duties will increase the cost though as made in the USA. Price – £270 RAPIER Peter Regenyei Rapier I-IV A very well built and good training sword. Waiting times are about 4-5 months, but they are often available in stock from resellers. Cost - around 250 euros. www.regenyei.com The best reseller – www.faitsdarmes.com Darkwood Armoury Excellent training swords from the USA. Usually ships within a few weeks, but import duties make them a little more expensive than Regenyei. But you will get them faster and blades are threaded for easy replacement. Cost - 325 dollars. Model shown is the best deal, economy model with ring hilt. www.darkwoodarmory.com Danelli Armouries Excellent swords made in the UK. All rapier models are good. Sadly, he has stopped production of economy models. Now only taking custom orders with a two- year waiting list. Cost - £300-400 www.danelliarmouries.com Castille Armoury US based company that makes reliable training swords that ship quickly. Their economy cup hilt is a good model for someone who wants a very light rapier, and quick delivery time. Import duties will add onto the cost. Price – around £250 www.castillearmory.com Swordsmithy Beautiful rapiers that both handle well, and look more like original swords than most others. 4-5 month wait. Price – Around £300. Search Facebook for Swordsmithy, he does all business there. Hanwei Practical 43” Rapier Available in stock from many sellers in the UK. The blades are a little whippy, and pommels a little too light (can be upgraded with a Darkwood or similar), but they are very reliable and strong swords of good size. £170 Blackfencer Sidesword Although not a rapier in the sense of what is shown above, this model will work perfectly well for rapier instruction. www.blackfencer.com DUSSACK/MESSER Blackfencer Storta Same blade as the messer below. Great for dussack work, but these have very rigid blades, and extra care must be taken with thrust work. www.blackfencer.com Blackfencer Messer See storta above. www.blackfencer.com OFFHAND DAGGER Black Fencer Dagger A good size and weight. It is perfect to use with all synthetic swords as well as Steel rapiers. About £40 Cold Steel Parrying Dagger Trainer A lot lighter than the Blackfencer model, making it not so well suited to going against some heavier blades. It is a very cheap and readily available dagger to use with rapiers though. Around £15. For steel daggers, see Darkwood, Swordsmithy or Danelli. There are also a number of other Czech smiths that make suitable models, ask for more details. BUCKLER There are a lot of metal bucklers for sale online. Just be sure that you don’t get one made from steel thicker than 1.6mm, as it will be too heavy. You want 1.4-1.6 thickness, (18-16 gauge) Cold Steel Medieval Buckler Synthetic buckler that is excellent for use with all synthetic swords. It can used with steel swords, but will just take additional edge wear. Cost - £37 www.coldsteel-uk.com Southern swords - 12” plain steel buckler A little heavier than the cold steel, but still within a historical range. Cheap, sturdy and readily available. £36.50. www.southernswords.co.uk Medieval Arms – Medieval Steel Buckler A little wider than the above too, but thinner metal. Same weight as the Southern swords model. Be aware that shipping is more expensive than the rest. £35 www.medieval-arms.co.uk SHIELD (ROTELLA) Outfit4events – Iron Round Shield The only off the shelf renaissance steel round shield that we recommend. It is of a perfect size and weight with good straps/grips. Perfect for use with all synthetic and steel swords. (Shipping is around £20) Price – about £70 www.outfit4events.com .