Saber Fencing at Joinville-le-Pont, 1900-1914

The military fencing academy of Joinville-le-Pont was the most influential institution shaping French fencing in the late 19th- and early 20th century. On the streets, grounds, and in the fencing hall, officer candidates trained in personal combatives such as la boxe française, savage, lutte (wrestling), as well as imports such as English boxing and Jiu…

Terrain v. Planche: A brief history of late 19th-century fencing spaces

The original French word for fencing strip, planche (lit., plank or board), encapsulates the nature of the original strip and points at its inherent limitations, which required adaptation of the footwork by the fencers. The planche was initially conceived as an outdoors device: It could easily be placed on sand, gravel, or grass, and provide instant even ground……

Sword and Shield Treatises

In studying the idea of the use of sword and shield in the medieval period there is an issue as there is a large gap in knowledge. Studying the sword and shield in the Renaissance period is not so much of an issue as when the shield left the battlefield it found a place in…

Regency (and late 18th century) mitts

Read the original post on Recreating History. A while ago I made a pair of regency mitts. They were intended for an event last spring which I didn’t manage to attend as I went to Florence with my Chamber Music Orchestra instead. The mitts were the only thing of the ensemble that I managed to get…

Rare Indian Khasi Sword tested on Hog

Thrand tests a rare Indian Khasi sword from Medieval Shoppe Australia in the Style of the History channel program Forged in Fire He does the famous kill test from the program with the two handed Khasi sword or two handed Naga Dao. Khasi Sword https://medievalshoppe.com.au/khasi-sword-india/ Weight: 1.71 kg Overall length: 137 cm Blade length: 74…

Review: The GFFG Berbekucz Club Sword

“Now, when starting up the Gothenburg Free Fencers Guild […], we wanted to have a club sword that was as close as possible to historical originals, both in shape and characteristics, and which would fit well with the sources we study; primarily the treatises of Joachim Meyer.” Continue reading Review: The GFFG Berbekucz Club Sword on…

Maxime Chouinard

Maxime Chouinard of Kingston Irish Fighting Arts: French sources deserve to be better known

My focus is really on 18th-19th and early 20th century HEMA. What I would call “Industrial martial arts” and the remaining vernacular traditions which survived in that period. When I started HEMA, I tried to do as much as I could. Longsword, rapier, sabre, wrestling, staff, stick etc. I still think it is very useful…