There are some historical fencing groups that will do partner work with sharps, up to and including (highly-controlled) freeplay. But even in this case safety is a paramount concern, requiring years of experience and the willingness to place absolute trust in your sparring partner.
Some folks feel that sharps work is absolutely required to develop a comprehensive understanding of the weapons and systems, in part because the weapon mechanics are incredibly different when they are sharp (binds actually bind!) and in part because, even under controlled conditions, staring down a sharp blade just changes the environment in fundamental ways. Guy Windsor has said that the first time he faced off with someone for sharps work with rapiers, he instinctively recoiled from his partner’s weapon and ended up in Capo Ferro’s rapier guard, and suddenly the guard made a lot more sense.
Even the old German academies that were proud of the scars seem to have generally protected the eyes. This is certainly some internet swordbro who just assumed his wicked collection granted him the ability to keep everyone safe though his magical swordbro skills.
Do they still celebrate the scar? I was aware the style of dueling was still active but thought they were taking more measures to protect the cheeks. Your lovely image of the mask there though does not seem like they are taking as many steps as I thought.
The image might be someone wearing an old mask from their fraternity’s collection, for all I know. They are very secretive towards outsiders, so it is hard to tell whether they actually still use that style. Masks that I have seen the one time I stayed in a fraternity house (long story) certainly are more completely enveloping, but those might just be training masks.
The few images of modern academic duels do show such masks in use, but again, who knows whether they allowed the documentarian who took this picture to see the real thing. But either way your point still stands that they take precautions against injury.
ETA: nope, according to this article they do still fight for scars, and the first image I showed is the style of mask they use in duels.
Thanks! The second image (first image in your second post I should say) is the one I was familiar with. My saber coach and SCA fight instructor had trained in all sorts of venues and had fun gear from around the world. He demonstrated a bit of the schlager style but talked like they’d moved well away from the intent to wound for pride. As @catsidhe observed though, there are surely folks who still think anything other than risk of death is for cowards. This teacher seems like he’d fit right in with such a crew. I wonder if he discouraged his chemistry students from wearing safety gear as well.
It’s toxic masculinity, old school style. They’re not proving they’re good fencers, they’re proving they’re not afraid of duelling and of pain. And that they’re members of the elite club.
I have to laugh. Back in 1976, when I was in high school, we had a physics teacher “root 2500” years-old, as he put it, encourage his students to bring pocket knives to the very last class of the year as he did every year. School administrators had no problem with this. Lots of guys already carried pockets knives every day.
This was done so he could pass-on the time-honored game of mumbley-peg to another generation. We all went outside and played the game with our knives. Today, most schools would totally freak at even the idea.
This is 100% my kids’ adopted “uncle”. Three of us had to talk him out of buying a BB gun for our 6 year old for Christmas. A Red Ryder, no less!
On a sword-related note, my oldest son was just Gomez in his HS production of the Adams family. Basically, Wednesday is in love with a kid from a normie family and they’re all going to try to have a nice, normal family dinner and get to know them.
At one point Wednesday says they are from Ohio. Gomez is carrying a fencing foil and at the mention of Ohio, he swings it back and forth while yelling, “A swing state!”. His timing was impeccable and got a laugh every night, but I was absolutely terrified he was going to stab out Wednesday’s eye swinging that thing around.
Yes they do celebrate their scars, and yes they do wear the ridiculous “protection”. I lived right next to one. From my bedroom, I could see their ‘Paukraum’.
Toxic masculinity doesn’t even begin to describe this anachronistic, revisionist bunch. They actually had a mobile ‘Papst’ made of metal, with two handles to hold tight to while vomiting. Which, for some of their gatherings, they placed less than three meters away from my window, in their garden.
Before I moved next to them, I never ever called the police to visit my neighbours when they had loud parties or suchlike. After a while, I had the local police station on speed dial. And once, I called the police and an ambulance because someone was bleeding all over the place after a training session they held.
They sent the ambulance away.
My guess, this teacher isn’t part of any of those groups or communities. They just bought some sharp swords because swords are cool, and maybe fucks around cutting things in their backyard.
