Molded from high-impact polymer plastic, this practice European Single-Handed sword is made for rigorous and safer sparring.
Designed by practitioners of the Historical European Martial Arts community, this sparring sword is designed to be flexible at its wide, blunted tip to make thrusting technique safer than with standard wooden wasters. It is the last one-third of the blade to the tip that is designed to flex. The crossguard quillons have spherical tips, allowing for the practice of hilt hits. This sparring sword weighs two-thirds as much as a real sword of its type. Handle flex is kept to a minimum by a sturdy high-tensile steel rod within the grip. The grip is covered with a rubber-like thermoplastic to absorb impact and give friction for a good grip. The sword can be disassembled by unscrewing the pommel, which is fastened to the integrated steel rod with an integrated brass pommel nut. Disassembly makes it easy to transport the sparring sword, customize it with a variety of interchangeable parts, or to replace the blade.
For HEMA, this product has been classified as either appropriate for all skill levels or appropriate for those with Advanced Skills. Michael Turner, instructor at Tuathair Academy of Swordsmanship, assisted us in categorizing these items for the different skill levels of HEMA participants. These categorizations are meant as guidelines. Please refer to tournament rules for specific competition requirements. For this purpose, we do not include swords that may be used in cutting competitions in the HEMA category.
Not just for training, this sparring sword is a good option for theatrical combat as well.
Orion –
Great! The only problem I have ever had with any Rawlings Synthetics was that the edges of the blade were unfinished and needed filed down as to not cause scratches on the skin. Using a file or a blade to get rid of the excess plastic. It is a very easy fix, and the sword is amazing.
Simon D. –
Solid Entry Level Sword The modular construction is possibly the best feature of this sword, as it means you can customize it in dozens of ways if you can’t afford five different sparring swords. As far as the sword itself, the handling is nice, and the sword is easy to maneuver. It isn’t as durable as a purple heart or blackfencer, but it isn’t fragile, and holds up well when you spar against other rawlings. The grip feels good in the hands, and it’s long enough to accommodate for a glove. I like the flexibility, but my sword is new, and is still being “broken in”, so it might become too flexible in the future, however I can’t comment on this myself. Overall, the rawlings synthetic arming sword offers solid value, and the potential for customization gives this tool great versatility.