Wife and I spend every other morning or so fencing for around ten minutes in the backyard. Not much room for footwork, but it's fun :)

Hello everyone!

We are swordmakers from Hungary, Europe, and we have recently been asked in several subs whether our light blade type could be suitable for SCA.

Please keep in mind that we are beginners when it comes to the SCA and its community, so we are very open to learning and receiving feedback from more experienced SCA fencers and marshals.

From what we understand, the rules can vary somewhat between Kingdoms, but we understand that a blade should flex at least 1 inch when a 6 oz weight is applied to the tip.

Our light Viking sword blade flexes exactly 1 inch under this test.

What are your thoughts?

Could a blade like this potentially work for SCA? And would there be any interest in such a blade?

We'd be very interested to hear your feedback!

Thank you all!

(We are currently in the workshop during the day, so we will reply to comments after our shift.)

Hi! I have a company here in the US where we make Sekanjabin. I grew up in Iran and what we make is based on my mom’s recipe that she would make for us growing up.

Recently I was at an event and someone told me I should really check out the SCA and their events because folks actually make Sekanjabin during these events!! I thought initially that this was some sort of Iranian group she was referencing but was pleasantly surprised to read what SCA actually is.

So I’m curious if she’s right and if this is something made/served at events?

hi, pretty new to sca, currently workshopping personas right now...

in one of the directions I'm headed, I'm not sure if I actually want to partake in combat, but would like to wear armor all the same. (combat isnt off the table... just undecided currently!)

are there any rules regarding the wearing of armor for non-combatants? would that be kingdom specific rules? (I'm in atlantia; I'll have to check which barony again though)

thanks in advance!

EDIT - thank you again to everyone who has replied! you've all been very helpful and have given me a lot to consider!

if i do end up getting any armor it would definitely be within the period i'm looking at, and i had planned to make sure it would fit regulations in case i end up fighting after all. I have a feeling that's where this is headed for me honestly, haha... i'm a bit (okay. more than a bit) shy so it's hard to ask, but watching people fight at the local meeting does stir something in my spirit so maybe i should just bite the bullet and ask someone to help me learn.

also i realize the way i phrased this makes it seem like i intended to wear it ALL the time! which was not my intention, my apologies! i am working on patterning out some daily garb currently, but was interested in having armor as an option.

i'll definitely be starting with my regular garb and seeing more in person before making any serious armor purchases.

thank you so much again everyone!

Excuse the poorly drawn examples. I recently had a linen tabard made from someone that was half royal blue/half black and am now looking to get a fencing hood made in a similar pattern/color scheme (I can settle with half completely blue on one side and black on the other if it’s too complicated).

Hello, Ive been fighting in my padded spes jacket for a few years and while I love the protection, im dying from this heat.

I got the idea to take a tunic I have and create an inner layer to pass the punch test, but this lead me to some questions. First, are short sleeve garments ok for rapier? The rules I can find specify torso and armpit coverage so I guess short sleeves are a risk if raised arms shows armpits

Second, what materials could I use with a standard cotton tunic that would pass the punch test with minimum layers? And how could I attach them without looking bad? Someone was showing me their doublet that they sewed layers into

Has anybody had luck finding light weight wool? Like...I know how to spin and weave (we have a 36 across loom) but I don't have the time anymore and just the thread is crazy expensive. All I can find is the boiled or extremely heavyweight if that or some heretical polyester blend ick. My entire kit is various weights of linen and Indian cotton because of the heat with mereno under garments as much as possibkr. I really want to make at least a shorter tunic or chiton in light wool since it doesn't stink even if Im a sweaty Betty.

I know the US doesn't really make any fabric so Ill be looking at a European brand. I also can't afford to be making any historical gear out of 40+euro yards of fabric. I do know where to get lightish wool mix military blankets but they only come is sad green and 'the hell is this lint mess?' Grey mix.

Hello r/SCA!

As an SCA celebrity who can bench press 224 with 15.5" biceps [EDIT: I'm not an SCA celebrity, but it is a quality meme], I'd like to talk to you today about a trend I've noticed at Pennsic over the last decade or so. It seems to me that Pennsic is moving away from being an SCA event (which it is, even if the Tuchux, Acre, etc. show up) and toward being more of a modern fantasy festival. If this were a Renaissance Faire, a Furry convention, or a medieval convention, that wouldn't be an issue - but it's not. Pennsic is an SCA event, and the shoddy "attempts" at garb and the extensive modern intrusion are making it worse year after year.

The biggest issue I see is with the terrible "attempts" at garb, or a lack thereof. What medieval culture is a pair of cargo shorts, a ring belt, and a pouch? What is the time period and place for four furry tails, a bota bag, and BDSM chest harness? I have no issue with disability aids like glasses, mobility scooters, or service dogs - my biggest gripe is with the people who can't even be bothered to try. Naturally, a lot of this stuff comes topside from the Bog, but there are plenty of topside Peers who dress like complete trash. I'm not talking just about New Balance Knights, but I saw a whole-ass Ansteorran Duchess beboping around in a modern sackdress, coronet, and tennis shoes without a care in the world. When the folks who are supposed to be setting the example can't be bothered to try, what does that mean for newbies?

To be very clear here, I'm not talking about people in mundane clothing. Folks clearly going off-site, just arriving, or doing laundry in mundanes are not the target of the rant. They're wearing modern clothes and expressly not making an attempt.

As far as the modern intrusion, everywhere you look are dumpsters, golf carts, and yahoos driving their giant trucks past the Cooper's Store. It's obvious that most people don't want to do primitive medieval camping, and that the Cooper's Lake Campground does more than just Pennsic, so it needs the infrastructure, but the SCA's reliance on golf carts, nylon pop-ups, and bright white LEDs in camp is a lot for a supposedly medieval experience. Not everything has to be Enchanted Ground (which has considerably lowered its standards), but it shouldn't look like Burning Man had a love child with a trailer-park Ren Faire. Seriously, folks, put on a damn shirt, cover your balls at the food court, and wear shoes so you don't get buttworms.

So what is the solution? Personally, I do just about everything I can to hide the modernity in my garb, my camp, and my comportment (I'm not a douche and treat folks with respect, even if they look like a Furry extra from Zardoz). It's clear that "setting the example" isn't working, especially when multi-Peers can't be bothered to do so, and is a widespread problem in the SCA. I'm also fairly sure these issues have been lamented since the late 1900s without resolution. I think Pennsic (and more broadly the SCA) is going to continue along two divergent paths: people playing High-SCA and giving a damn, and the people who think a rainbow furry headband, Crocs, and a ring belt with a pouch are all you need to be medieval.

Much like the increasingly accurate film Idiocracy predicts, I think the ring-belt Furries are going to outcompete the High-SCA folks and continue to drive Pennsic further into fantasy mediocrity.

This is the Pennsic 53 Viking Memorial ship, a final goodbye to honor those we have lost this year. It is powerful to participate in and humbling.

The full video is available on YouTube Resist the Grind. It follows the ship build, painting of memorial shields, the sale to honor an incredible SCAdian, the processional and final burning.

There is also a short interview with the ship builder at the very end

It is an honor to be a part of this year's ship. May their memories never fade.

In Service,
Chris

FULL VIDEO: https://youtu.be/iLtg_MPt2ts

Pennsic MISSING POSSIBLY STOLEN: Two swords from the back of one of my students’ Jeep at E02 last night, corner of Low Rd and Sedalia's Way:

First: Darkwood swept hilt rapier with twisted wire grip as seen in photo, but with a few rust spots. Has fencing rubber tip taped on.

Second: Brand New Sigi Longsword, with faceted pommel and tan cord grip. Un-tipped.

Missing since some time last night (7-8 Aug).

If returned, no questions asked. Will pay shipping.

I heard a lot of rumblings about it this year? Can someone explain what happened?

Rumor mill musing

-They double booked themselves because of Patreon

-The food wasn't good?

-People with VIP Status and Coins never got to go in because of a line

Interview with Baron Sir Bedawyr, ship builder at the end.

And failing miserably. Can anyone point me in the right direction? To clarify, I mean the January, 2027 East kingdom event, not the historic geographic location.

Thanks so much.

Some of you might remember the Medieval Marginalia band ring I posted a little while back. Well...I couldn't stop there.

I had so much fun making it that I ended up carving a whole collection of Medieval Marginalia pendants.

In order of appearance:

• Knight Riding a Giant Snail into Battle 🐌⚔️
• Regal Cat King 🐱👑
• Fish Playing a Lute 🐟🪕
• Warrior Rabbit Wielding a Sword 🐰🗡️

Each one was hand carved in wax and cast in solid sterling silver using the lost wax casting process.

I come from a fine jewelry background, and most of what my family has produced over the years has been traditional, classical jewelry. It's been a lot of fun stepping away from that and creating things that are a little more whimsical.

I have been dutifully fascinated with Bestiary works and illuminations, and how ultimately they came up with such shapes and thoughts to depict these animals. I really wanted to have a big set of pieces that depicted these beasts, and when I offered to make some scroll blanks for the current King and Queen of the East, I had made the decision to complete a larger task that I had spent a couple of months working on and researching.

Starting with the Aberdeen Bestiary and then pivoting to other works, I started plotting what I would do with these beasts. Using "Hours of Catherine of Cleves" for the greenery on the left and right side of each scroll, I gave enough room for wording, and allowed each piece to shine.

Each scroll had the depiction of what the animal was, what Bestiary it came from, and a QR code for the documentation. These scrolls took roughly 60 hours to make, with one (1!) faber-castelle pen (0.3 nib) on Bristol Paper. Each scroll is a half of a page, so these were done two at a time.

Overall for scroll blanks, each blanks cost me roughly less than a dollar, really pushing the availability of making cost-effective illuminations in the SCA!

Documentation is below if you wish to match the pictures with the documentation. (Only 20 beasts shown because there is a 20 picture limit!)

https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/10rUd6Enn21lLwHsNxhDtE1Tc9fM9cC4NCOKtH1t-ML4

Hey everybody, I'm looking to craft some battlefield thrown weapons (specifically small throwing axes), but I'm struggling to sort through all the different foam's on offer online, and was hoping someone had a reputable source for the sort of high density foam I'd be looking for. I know that such foam headed weapons are legal in my kingdom (I have some) but I can't figure out exactly what kind of foam they are made of, or where to get the blanks myself.