Smallsword Symposium
Smallsword Symposium caters to all aspects of smallsword fencing, including related arts such as the spadroon, the duelling foil, German Thrust-Fencing and occasional forays into smallsword versus other weapons such as sabres and backswords.
Smallsword Symposium deals with both the mainstream and more esoteric aspects of smallsword fencing, including smallsword-and-poignard fencing.
Which, apparently, is a thing.
The event is popular for its social side as well as the technical component. Evenings are often spent discussing wound mechanics or the niceties of moustache waxing. Instructors are varied, with two classes running simultaneously most of the time. Occasionally this means a difficult choice between two equally interesting sessions, but it does mean that there is likely to be something of interest in any given slot.
Sessions range from the extremely technical (my own 'yes, I meant to do that' class was one of those) to fun and at times quite silly. Some instructors teach from a single manual or treatise, others are influenced by several. This creates the possibility for a new perspective which can lead to re-evaluation of what you know (or a smug feeling that you were right all along).
Smallsword Symposium has a different feeling to many other events, probably because of its relatively narrow focus. This is a polite way of saying that smallsword fencers tend to be a bit wierd and getting a bunch of them together in one place can result in an explosion of strangeness which has to be preceived to be believed.
Smallsword Symposium deals with both the mainstream and more esoteric aspects of smallsword fencing, including smallsword-and-poignard fencing.
Which, apparently, is a thing.
The event is popular for its social side as well as the technical component. Evenings are often spent discussing wound mechanics or the niceties of moustache waxing. Instructors are varied, with two classes running simultaneously most of the time. Occasionally this means a difficult choice between two equally interesting sessions, but it does mean that there is likely to be something of interest in any given slot.
Sessions range from the extremely technical (my own 'yes, I meant to do that' class was one of those) to fun and at times quite silly. Some instructors teach from a single manual or treatise, others are influenced by several. This creates the possibility for a new perspective which can lead to re-evaluation of what you know (or a smug feeling that you were right all along).
Smallsword Symposium has a different feeling to many other events, probably because of its relatively narrow focus. This is a polite way of saying that smallsword fencers tend to be a bit wierd and getting a bunch of them together in one place can result in an explosion of strangeness which has to be preceived to be believed.
The event runs in Edinburgh every October, hosted by Black Boar Swordsmanship School. Friday night is a meet-and-greet, with seminars all day Saturday and Sunday. The main social gathering is on Saturday night and on Sunday there is a sort of survivors party for those still able to function,
This must have been taken very early or very late (my money is on the former; Dave Rudd can still stand upright... ish) in the evening. I recall a much more crowded pub than that.
Evening pleasantries have at times taken place in the Old Town, but more often in the New Town which requires less walking on cobbles after a long day of fencing.
Evening pleasantries have at times taken place in the Old Town, but more often in the New Town which requires less walking on cobbles after a long day of fencing.
As a bonus, those of us able to stay an extra day were able to visit Glasgow's museum resource collection, which contains items not on display in the city's museums. We encountered a number of real gems - not of them swords - including a four-barelled flintlock shotgun, a Le Mat grapeshot revolver and swords varying from the exquisite to the.... not exquisite. 'Well, it goes downwards quite well' was the best we could say about one particular example.
Ian Macintyre looks a little sceptical about this one.
Or maybe Craig was just waving it about a bit too enthusiastically.
The collection is unusual in that visitors can handle the exhibits (under supervision). Since some of it has not yet been properly catalogued this meant we got our white cotton gloved hands on a number of items that we'd surely not have been allowed to touch if the staff knew how valuable they were...
Or maybe Craig was just waving it about a bit too enthusiastically.
The collection is unusual in that visitors can handle the exhibits (under supervision). Since some of it has not yet been properly catalogued this meant we got our white cotton gloved hands on a number of items that we'd surely not have been allowed to touch if the staff knew how valuable they were...
We took part in the first Bloodless Duelling tournament for just over a century.
I
t is suprisingly intimidating to look down the barrel of a weapon, even a 'bloodless' one.
'Bloodless' is not the same as 'painless',it turns out.
Bloodless Duelling is essentially pistol duelling using compressed-air weapons.
The rules for whether to fight with pistol or sword were more complex than most people might believe, but a gentleman could always profess he had no knowledge of swordsmanship (which was a bit of a social embarrassement) in which case pistols were the default option.
Pistol duelling was often held to be safer than fighting with swords, since a pistol ball could go anywhere and a sword was almost certain to go... somewhere.
My first tournament since quitting competition forever, definitely (the second time) resulted in a silver medal and comments on my unsusual technique.
At the time I decided not to mention that I couldn't straighten my right arm due to ligament damage from an over-zealous arm bar. That's a disadvantage in a sword fight...!
