EquipStandardsRapierCombat

EQUIPMENT STANDARDS FOR RAPIER COMBAT., ARMOR, WEAPONS, CLOAKS & BUCKLERS

I. ARMOR STANDARDS:

The following establishes the minimum armor and its minimum acceptable standards required to participate as a combatant in SCA Rapier Combat Activities within this Kingdom. All required protection will be constructed so as to stay in place and provide the required coverage to the area which it is designed to protect during combat. (See accompanying drawings in the glossary of Section 8 of this Handbook to note the areas of required coverage.) No piece of armor or protection that prevents the wearer from properly judging the validity of blows is allowed upon the field. There will be no exposed skin on any combatant. The minimum protection for any area of the body will be resistant material. Stronger protection is required as outlined below for the noted areas. The following guidelines govern the construction and wear of armor

A. Face/Head: The face and sides of the head will be covered by a fencing mask or the equivalent type of rigid material. The fencing mask, or equivalent protection, must be fastened securely so as not to come off during combat. The mask or equivalent protection, must cover the head as far back as the ears. The remainder of the head will be covered with impenetrable material (see definitions). All masks must pass the 12 kilo punch test. An alternative test when a punch tester is not available is pressing the mask firmly with your thumb. If the mask bends significantly, the mask falls.

B. Neck: The entire neck will be covered by impenetrable material. It is strongly recommended that the neck protection be part of the head protection (i.e. a hood). There should be at least 3 inches overlap between any separate pieces of the head, neck, and torso protection, resulting in no exposed skin in the neck area.

C. Torso: The torso will be covered by impenetrable material. This includes the chest, back, abdomen, and sides up to and including the armpits.

D. Groin:

1. Male Combatants must wear rigid groin protection. When an athletic cup is worn the holes must covered by impenetrable rigid material.

2. Female Combatants are advised to wear impenetrable or padded groin. protection.

E. Arms/Hands: The arms will be covered by resistant material (see definitions). Large, billowing sleeves are not recommended for safety and blow calling reasons. The hands will be covered by leather gloves with cuffs that overlap any sleeve openings by at least three inches (3").

F. Legs/Feet: The legs will be covered by resistant material. The feet will be covered by closed-toe shoes or boots. There must be no exposed skin at the ankles or lower legs regardless of the combatant's stance.

G. Other: Any additional protection such as breast cups, high-topped leather boots, etc., may be worn as long as such items do not impair the combatants ability to property judge the validity of blows. Women should wear resistant material and appropriate foot protection under skirts when fighting.

II. WEAPONS STANDARDS.

A. Rapier Blades:

1. A single No. 5 French foil is the baseline rapier. The No. 5 foil and the epee are the standard weapon blades used in SCA Rapier Combat and will hereinafter be referred to as rapiers or rapier blades. Any other type of blades are non-standard, including, but not limited to:

a. Fiberglass blades

b. Practice electric blades

c. Musketeer blades

2. The tips covering the ends of the rapier blades will be a minimum of three-eighths of an inch (3/8") in diameter, composed of plastic or rubber and will be securely glued or taped in place.

3. Metal rapier blades will have only one gradual curve. Any blade with cracks, kinks, or multiple curves will not be allowed upon the field.

4. Saber blades will not be allowed onto the field.

B. Padded Daggers:

1. Rattan is the base material for the construction of padded daggers. Such rattan will have a minimum diameter of one inch (1"). Substitute materials, approved by the Sovereign, in consultation with the Earl Marshal/Kingdom Rapier Marshal, may be used as well. Currently approved substitute materials include the following:

a. PVC pipe. Minimum of one half inch (1 1/2") inside diameter. (The ends of such PVC pipe must be capped with proper PVC pipe caps.

b. Resilient Foam

c. Plastic golf tubes

2. Padded daggers will not exceed twenty inches (20") in overall length or exceed 1 & 1/2 pounds in total weight.

3. Thrusting tips on padded daggers:

a. Will be constructed entirely with approved materials which include:

1) Tape. All tape must be plastic, rubber, or cloth and may contain non-metallic reinforcing fibers.

2) Any resilient padding material. This includes all kinds of resilient rubber, foam, etc.

3) Other non-brittle, non-splintering natural or man-made materials such as leather, woven fibers, plastics and other materials approved by the Sovereign and/or the Kingdom Earl Marshal/Rapier Marshal. Note that metal may never be used in the construction of any thrusting tip but may be used in the construction of quillions, pommel weights, and hand guards, so long as the finished construction meets the standards for such items as shown below.

b. The thrusting tip must be securely attached to the weapon.

c. It must not be constructed so as to permit exposure of, or contact with, the base material of the weapon by folding over when used.

d. It will be a minimum of 2 inches in diameter.

e. It will provide a minimum of 1 & 1/2 inches of progressive resistance.

C. Flexible Daggers
(also called "flexi-daggers"):

1. Flexible daggers are a standard weapon. This is in addition to the current rattan and plunger daggers. The theatrical daggers supplied by France Lames are the only flexible daggers approved at this time.

2. Flexible daggers will not exceed 25 inches in overall length nor exceed 1 & 1/2 pounds in total weight.

3. Flexible dagger blades will have only one gradual curve. Any flexible dagger blade with cracks, or multiple curves will not be allowed upon the field.

4. Flexible dagger tips will be a minimum of 3/8 inch in diameter and will be securely glued or taped in place.

D. Guards and Grips:

1. A guard is required on all offensive weapons. Epee bells are recommended for rapiers but foil or saber bells may be used. Any bell openings large enough to admit a rapier blade's tip will be covered with impenetrable material. Ring daggers will be allowed if the ring is covered by impenetrable material securely fastened to the ring itself.

E. Quillions on rapiers and daggers:

a. Quillions will be no greater than 12 inches across. The ends of all quillions will be blunted and rounded and will have a minimum of a 1/4 inch diameter. No padding is required on quillons.

b. Quillions must not be designed to trap or break blades.

3. Pistol grips will NOT be allowed on any weapon.

F. Improvised and Non-Standard Weapons:
Must have the approval of the Sovereign and/or Kingdom Earl/Rapier Marshal on a case-by-case basis.

1. Improvised weapons are those weapons such as mugs, bottles, chairs, etc.

a. Improvised weapons are not recommended for use in any standard List.

b. All improvised weapons will be constructed entirely with approved materials. Approved materials are those which are listed under Part II, section B, #3 "Thrusting tips on padded daggers". Note that metal may never be used in the construction of any improvised weapon.

c. Improvised weapons will not be constructed so as to flail or entangle. Nor will they be so large or heavy as to be hazardous when used.

d. Improvised weapons may not be hurled, shot or otherwise made airborne unless approved for such use. Such weapons may only be used within the context of an SCA Rapier Combat Activity that is allowing missile combat.

2. Non-standard weapons include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:

a. Mock wheel-locks or other similar devices that represent firearms of the period. Real weapons (chemically charged projectile weapons) of this kind may never, under any circumstances, be brought onto the field during combat.

b. Rapiers whose blade is one other than the standard No. 5 French foil blade or the epee (fiberglass, practice electric or musketeer blades).

c. Any improvised weapon.

d. Any weapon that may be deemed non-standard in the judgment of the Sovereign and/or Kingdom Earl/Rapier Marshal by nature of its construction or method of intended use.

3. Use of Non-Standard Weapons:

a. Each and every individual wishing to use a non-standard weapon must have the approval of the Sovereign and/or the Kingdom Earl/Rapier Marshal.

b. If you wish to use a non-standard weapon you must inform both your opponent and the Marshals before the bout and gain their approval. Your opponent can request to inspect the weapon and have its characteristics explained by the user. If both fighters agree to the use of the weapon but the marshal(s) do not, the combatants may appeal to the senior marshal on site.

c. You, as a fighter, may, at any time and tournament or fighter practice refuse to face a non-standard weapon and have your opponent rearm with another acceptable weapon. (You may not refuse to fight the baseline weapon (#5 foil) in a List. Such a refusal would result in for&eiture of the bout.) When possible, the Combatants should discuss and agree upon which weapons they will use before taking the Field for Combat.

d. Using a non-standard weapon in a Single Combat bout without informing the opponent and Marshals is forbidden and can, at the discretion of the Sovereign, result in the bout being re-fought if the opponent chooses to protest.

III. CLOAK AND BUCKLER STANDARDS.

A. Bucklers:

1. will be made of lightweight materials. One quarter inch (1/4") plywood is recommended.

2. must have any and all wooden edges covered or taped to prevent splintering.

3. will not exceed eighteen inches (18") in any dimension.

4. will not be designed to trap or break blades.

5. must meet requirements defined in the WEAPONS STANDARDS section.

B. Cloaks:

1. may not be weighted with metal weights or chains.

2. may be weighted with flexible hem weights such as rolled cloth, rope, etc.

3. may have any size, weight and shape (left to the discretion of the combatant using it) so long as the cloak is recognizable as such and is obviously not a whip or flail.