Yeah, the deals do look good. Main thing for me was how pleasant these guys were. Well, and good quality. They had two challenges to meet at the fair, either of which would win you a bow. One was to pull a 175# bow to a 24" draw. I was 12" short. The other was to hit a small spot on a targ...

Yes, I think I did. Pity we were so rushed.

But delighted to see you expanding your skills!

So, you're making rings, are you? *rolls eyes* Yeah, THAT'S going to end well... Seriously Eric, the ring and scabbard look awesome. Keep it up! As everyone else has said, your work just keeps improving. I remember a jeweler melting bronze with propane, and having the mods mounted in a centrifuge, t...

Hey, people, Stumbled across these guys at the Pittsburgh Ren Fest. They both produce "You finish" bows, as well as finished ones. If you don't want to, or don't know how to build your own bows from the beginning, these are a way for you to customize bows that are shaped and tillered. All ...

For some variety, I'll throw out Meyer, who has a section on Pike, as well as David Lindholm's book, "Fighting with the Quarterstaff". Many of the techniques are very similar. Staff, spear, or other pole weapon, all very similar. Lindholm covers Swetnam, Meyer, Silver and others.

Okay, just to throw out some confusion here... Sure, there's not evidence that we've seen for test cutting in medieval Europe. Doesn't mean we shouldn't do it. But also, we should not just go for cutting through the test target, with complete disregard for good technique. For variety, try cutting th...

I'm happy to have missed the Pirates period, as well as the newest Victorian and steampunk wave. The LOTR stuff might have been fun though, all things considered. Robin Hood now...hmm is Museum Replicas carrying that line? If so, yeah, expect to see some. I was doing heavy combat, combat archery, et...

Last year was a lot of fun. Interesting mix of weapons. This year the focus is on knives and unarmed. Should be a lot of fun. Looking forward to Saturday. First class will be on Meyer's dagger. I'll be very interested to see how the teacher interprets it, compared to what we've been doing here in da...

I could handle the "elves" and "fairies" and what not, although they did seem to eventually vanish from Pennsic. It was the "vampires" that were a real pain. Psuedo Victorian garb, and yes the combat boots, what not... Essentialy, they viewed Pennsic as just another con...

Argh, no! I was maimed! Maimed, I tell you! Got a vicious hang nail... Er, okay, I'm making that up, too. No, Eric and I were able to work through a few basics, but were really limited by time. Yeah, we used wood wasters and worked very slow. And Eric, don't forget the footwork drills. They're unbel...

I was first involved in the SCA back in the mid '70's. It was kind of different then, not quite as much emphasis on authenticity, a lot less enthusiastic bureaucracy, and a feel more along the lines of "making this up as we go along". My home was the Barony of South Downs, centered in Atla...

Besides review of the basics, such as footwork, wards, strikes, etc., for single practice one of the best exercises is just flourishing, running through a series of all of these until tired. Hmm, if a tree of suitable size is available, hanging small objects from the limbs to serve as targets. Tenni...

Fantastic. Good to hear that. I picked up my waster and coupld of modified shinai tonight and I'll bring them along. We need to figure when and where to meet. I'll PM you with contact details.

Ah, well I'll be passing through on I-40 on Thursday, late, and either Saturday or Sunday, in the morning, along with my girlfriend. If you'd like, I could stop by for a bit of training. But that would depend on your back and your schedule. Let me know if you think you'll be up for it, and I'll pack...

LOL No, all things considered, don't complain about work. Trust me, it beats the alternative. Yeah, I did catch the bit about thieves. Man, that really sucks. And I do hope your back recovers soon. Anyway, reason I was asking is that I'll be making a trip through the area (sort of) this weekend. But...