Absolutely, we have the same scenario with military sabre/broadsword. The historical training tool for them was the singlestick, which is okay, but we also want tools that more accurately represent the real deal, especially when none of us will never use the real deal in anger.

@@AcademyofHistoricalFencing ~800g gymnasium sabres? Fairly safe and loads of fun. broadswords/pallasches etc. are a different beast I think. Also I think maybe this is why they invented the wooden-leather thingies :) If you want to simulate the fight with full-weight sharps I think you need to accept there will be a compromise on hilt shape, blade shape and obviously heavy protective gear, so the training context changes compared to the historical period.

800g sabres are the exact equivelent to this training dussack and are exactly what I was talking about. Historically speaking the singlestick was the primary tool for sabre/broadsword in most periods, with steel trainers coming in very late. So the singlestick is the eqivelent to the wood or leather dussack trainer. In the sabre world we now have an extensive steel sword range which replicate the original swords. There is no doubt the wood/leather dussacks and singlesticks were used because they were cheap, easy to make and relatively safe with the little safety gear available. You certainly do need to compromise on the design for a full weight training sword to make it useable in sparring. The Easton Kvetun sabre is a perfect example of this. It fits a red dragon glove and perfectly replicates the handling of original fighting swords of the Victorian era, but it looks quite different to them as the design required glove space as well as safe and durable edges and point.

This is the way.

Someone has to do it.

It's a mystery, huh?

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Pro gauntlet is already on the lighter side of gloves. I don't see any glove that is protective enough for single hand steels that goes under 350g. Red Dragon certainly won't do it.

PG is 600g a glove, it is one of the heaviest on the market, up there with the first gen Koning and the heavier mittens. RD works well for steel swords that have a fair amount of protection but not so much as a complete basket. Such as more complex sideswords, bowl hilts, cutlasses, and of course things like a dussack. Sparring glove five finger is also under 350g and so is the new Thokk Weapon Master which has already begun delivery, all built for this kind of job.

@@AcademyofHistoricalFencing Wow really?! PG's website states that it's only 300g!

Nope, we did a thorough test and review on PG 1,3 less than a year ago and they are nothing like that. Between everyone I know who had weighed different pairs so far they come in between just over 500g and 600g. On my very accurate scale used for weighing antiques I think they were around 510 or 520 or so. It was one of the noticeable downsides we found when reviewing, they are very close to Spes mittens in weight, which are of course big, bulky and heavy. Sparring glove 5 finger special with standard cuff that runs most of the length of the forearm is 330g. HFA mittens are around 380, our Zoltan prototypes are just under 400. I don't have a weight on Thokk yet but I wore a production pair in the summer for a little while and I'd say they were likely in the 300s.

@@AcademyofHistoricalFencing Thanks for the thorough info! If the PG could really go into the sub 400g range then it'd be my dream glove. Being 500-600g it's too heavy for me. By the way, which glove do you recommend for sideswords? I'm using a TWC leather glove that weighs 350g for the Victorian bowl guard sabre, but I don't think it's enough for sidesword which my fingers can get hit a lot.

I'd love to see a video on that as well.

They arrived, and I wouldn’t modify them, they aren’t heavy to me at all. Well….the pommel could be a little heavier.

I wouldn't like to say on Italian sabres nor duelling type sabres as we stick with British military sources for sabre and related weapons. For early 19thc the Black Fencer 1796 infantry, either synthetic or steel, ir an excellent choice. For Victorian era the Kvetun Easton is the best.

Bench grinder and/or angle grinder. I used both for different parts. Hardened steel is tough but a powertool will soon take material away, same with a belt sander. Yes you must stop it getting hot, so you just dip it in water or hose it down with water often, around every 10 seconds or so.

See the link below, that is one of the main pages, if you use similar search strings with some of the Norwegian museum pages you will find even more, and they will often provide additonal info if you contact them. digitaltmuseum.no/search/?q=Tessak&aq=owner%3F%3A%22NF%22&o=0&n=224

@@AcademyofHistoricalFencing Thank you!

You have to consider what it is. They are intended as an easily carried army sidearm, they were the infantry sabre of their day. Rapiers used for the same purpose were typixally shorter than most rapiers used today, more like a lot of sideswords, sometimes as short as dussacks, but where they were longer than dussacks they would be cumbersome to wear and less useful in any close in fighting. Shorts swords have been very popular for military sidearms in many eras for their ease of wear/carry and usefulness in close in fighting.

@@AcademyofHistoricalFencing I've fenced against significantly longer weapons a couple times in the past in a hema setting and the experience had always been somewhat frustrating. Not being able to threaten the opponent while they're in range to attack you effectively breaks fencing mechanics in a lot of situations. I wonder how things might change in a battlefield scenario. Sadly there aren't many opportunities to replicate group fighting mechanics due to the limited number of willing participants available in our local hema groups.

Do you think that if one is intent on using a weapon that is shorter than most opponents, they must make up for its length with increased speed to get in (and then back out) of range with quicker movements than their opponents? And if one's weapon is shorter, is it better to have a thrusting or slicing weapon?

Black Fencer steel and synthetic range, 1796 infantry and 1803 models. Both have blades very similar to many antique dussacks. They are excellent training swords that we use regularly for sabre and fill in perfectly for dussack.