You don't really get tired at all during a cutting tournament like this, so that's a non issue. Generally the factors to consider: - Probability of failure/messing up the mat/cutting off too much - Height of the mat (different cuts are easier at different heights) - Cutting the same angle multiple times in a row uses less mat than cross cuts

Very late response but if you're still wondering blade width also makes a big difference. While the albion principe has a strong distal taper it is very much a sword specialized for cutting because of the super wide blade. Typically thrusting swords are like needles like estocs.

I'm nobody important, but I have the Sticklestad. Mine is very well made, and even after Skallagrim-like abusive 'testing' it's holding together just fine. Nothing has loosened, nor have I managed to damage the blade yet, other than scratches.

rookieroo24 awesome, thanks.

lamxung5000 currently, yes, but other events are starting to look at starting out s single hand cutting events as well in the future

And is it only western style long swords that are allowed? I'm genuinely curious so sorry if I'm sounding silly

As sharp as possible I would imagine. Although people will disagree with me and come shouting about technique (as if technique isn't important). What's just as important is a hella sharp sword.

Проблема в том, что тут первый участник - это единственный, кто умеет бить с акцентированием удара, но по нему видно, что он пытается делать также как и японские мечники, которые стараются нанести один резкий удар. Европейское оружие позволяет вращением набрать огромную инерцию, которая позволила бы разрубать эти циновки как бумагу. Но никто почему-то не пытается вращать меч, чтобы сделать по настоящему сильный удар, все замирают в одной позе, а потом просто резко дёргают меч а сторону. Я сам занимался историческим боем, даже на заточенное оружие у нас пробивало щиты, толщиной по 12 миллиметров клееной фанеры, из-за того, что мечу боец придавал разгон.

Yes, absolutely. Being able to perform under pressure is always a factor in anything competitive :)

Yeah, I mean everyone could say its easy and all that but it really isnt, I mean I dont do HEMA personally I do viking re-enactment or starting to, but even I can say its really hard to line up a cut with your sword or axe an actually get a good cut unless you've trained.

Harbor Freight Belt sander and trizact belts going to the leather at the end.

The Principe isn't a magic sword. I have, and have also seen others completely fail cuts with it on many occasions. It's definitely an extremely high performer but to say that there isn't skill involved when using it isn't accurate either. There are many other Angus Trim swords that cut just as well as it.

They do not. The theory is that if you are going to fail your cut you have two options: Knock the mat over, or have your sword stuck in the mat. All knocking the stand over means is that you have good power and structure but bad edge alignment. So it isn't really any worse than just failing and not knocking over the stand, just logistically more difficult to deal with.

Blood and Iron HEMA So if I understand correctly, the idea is that a cut failure due to bad edge alignment and a cut failure due to bad power and structure are both judged as less-than-perfect cuts, but one will result in throwing the mat off of the spike while the other will result in an incomplete cut, so penalizing a respike would be unfair. Is that correct?

That's correct, though the number of re-spikes is limited to 2 so as to not let the tournament potentially drag on forever. Also for events like the semaphore cutting at the start we can't run in there and fix targets for obvious reasons.

The impact would be much higher, but as a cut it isn't that effective. A sword cut is different than attacking with a blunt weapon. With a sword you try to minimize the energy transferred to the target. So if the target is heavier you can club it harder, but if someone was going to to that they could probably use a club that costs a fraction of the price of a finely honed steel weapon. :)

Aye clubs are fun to learn. However most people swing a club like haymakers. They use the weight of the weapon to do damage when the damage should be from the entire body. Just like a proper punch. Top that off with the fact you must swing it fast enough to cut air. Really fun stuff.

Yes alot of the worse cuts may still hurt or even kill, but the idea is to discern the people who can cut from those who can cut well. So you make it harder by using lighter targets that are less forgiving. A good cut with proper edge alignment will go straight through with almost no energy to displace the two pieces being cut apart, and on a person will cut much deeper and be more damaging. After all a sword does much more damage by penetration and slicing than it can do by impact. You slap someone with the flat of the blade and it hurts like a bitch, you cut them properly and they lose a limb, or their torso.

But that way they will nuke the entire Con!

Troll spotted.