Ren fair accessories question (sword)

[Dale Seago]

Them swords at Ren Faires get "Peace Tied" anyway and seem to constantly get in the way of fellow fair goers - particularly in the shops where they often sweep products off the shelves. Just don't see a reason to wear any sword to the Faire. You'll probably be a lot more comfortable, and at ease, and unworried about accidental events without it. Nothin' personal...just sayin'.....

That's a good point too. If you're portraying a notional Hielan' man, one thing you'd certainly have whether you had a sword or not would be a fighting dirk. It would get peace-tied too, but at least wouldn't be getting in the way of things.

[Zardoz]

Them swords at Ren Faires get "Peace Tied" anyway and seem to constantly get in the way of fellow fair goers - particularly in the shops where they often sweep products off the shelves. Just don't see a reason to wear any sword to the Faire. You'll probably be a lot more comfortable, and at ease, and unworried about accidental events without it. Nothin' personal...just sayin'.....

I'm pretty much of the same mind. Over the years I've carried a sword or two, but stuff like them getting in the way and just the weight of carrying them around TRF's 50 acre site all day made me sort of 'streamline' what I carried over time till it was just a scramaseax that nobody noticed anyway. Once I got past the idea that I just needed a big blade because it was faire I manage with a sgian in the sock.


I still have a flask, mug, and favor holder on my belt, plus a sporran full of the usual stuff and a camera. The only time I've bought any big iron to faire in the last couple years was when asked to do so for wedding sword arches etc, and then I threw it back in the car when we finished.

[Guinach]

... I haven't had any luck finding any art or other references to their [rapiers] being worn with a kilt per say, but that's what I'm intending for my Highland dye merchant kit. The idea being that since travel in the south and on into England would be part of his life, then the rapier would be considered fashionable. Of course I'm going more or less for a 1590's to 1620 look. The dye merchant thing is just an excuse to wear lots of rich colors. ....

Might consider a schiavona for the 1590 to 1620 period.

http://www.kultofathena.com/images/DT5173_3_l.jpg


Just a thought.
Konn

[Sir Didymous]

I have actually considered it, but that is my wife's favorite style of renaissance broad sword and thus I would have to fight it away from her.
Then again My squire recently furnished be with some leg bones from a buck he got this season and I was going to use them for knife handles. I was considering using the blade from a sword-hilted dagger whose hilt had one fight too many to craft a dudgeon dagger. It will have a 12 inch blade. That with a buckler might be just the ticket.

[Woodsheal]

I picked up this sword for my RenFaire get-up:

http://www.kultofathena.com/product....piral+Claymore

A much more manageable length than the typical "claymore", and really not too bad for a dirt cheap blade. Have to do something about the hideous scabbard, though....

[Sir Didymous]

I picked up this sword for my RenFaire get-up:

http://www.kultofathena.com/product....piral+Claymore

A much more manageable length than the typical "claymore", and really not too bad for a dirt cheap blade. Have to do something about the hideous scabbard, though....

I already own that one, but I didn't think it would be the sword for my kit. As per the scabbard, I have a back hanger baldric that I paid about two and a half times the price of the sword for. It was worth it since I can use it for all of my two handers. My biggest problem with this sword is that since I'm 6 ft. 2 In. the sword looks a bit smallish. I got mine here http://budk.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=159623& and was considering this item http://budk.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=159522& , though I think it's a bit later period than what I'm looking for.

[Dale Seago]

. . .and was considering this item http://budk.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=159522& , though I think it's a bit later period than what I'm looking for.

That specific basket is later, yes; but basket-hilt broadswords per se became popular in Scotland at about the same time as the belted plaid or great kilt. Specific to your period, you might want a "ribbon" basket (flat strips rather than bars). like this:

[Woodsheal]

That's a sweet ribbon-hilt! Here's a pic of another early basket-hilt from the "renfaire" period:



The only folks reproducing anything close to that is Armour Class, with their "Early Basket Hilt":

http://www.armourclass.co.uk/Data/Pa...Century_14.htm