SCA Rattan Replacement Test

[jeanpauldesens]

If it's polypropylene, it's about $4 per foot at McMaster Carr.

[lionshield1]

Just to avoide confusion... This is POLYPROPALINE it is ...NOT Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyurethane.

Patrick, Caid

[SirCorby]

You are correct! I misread the thread. Amos confirms it is polypropylene from McMaster-Carr.

[bdebdmm]

It feels a lot like a mass weapon/mace, not crisp like rattan. At three times the cost, I want to see how long it lasts. Untaped, it dinged up immediately and there has been a report that it failed in another test. We will see. For me, at 3x the price, it better be a lot more durable than rattan. I'm bringing a basket hilt to practice tomorrow to test it out.

[SirCorby]

I did a torture test on a concrete filled steel tetherball pole. It showed no wear or bending. Amos had to hit one against the edge of a steel I beam repeatedly to get it to break.

Where are you getting perfectly straight perfectly round nice dense rattan sword blanks for $#?

[bdebdmm]

let's see if youtube will take the comment this time...

yeah i'm pretty impressed with Amos's torture test. I believe the duct tape and strapping tape will significantly reduce the dinging that was going on, just like it does with rattan.

I'm bringing a basket to practice tonight so we can start testing it out for real.

[JSussman149]

One of the problems with the previous plastic swords was that while they were fine against armored targets, their higher surface hardness made them cause more damage when they hit unarmored targets. Is this true for this material?

[SirCorby]

Didn't seem sporting to try hitting him hard on something unarmored. I'll post more once I've got a basket on it and have used it in a fight.

And hey Richard! How the hell are you!!!

[justus1199]

Or were you asking about the Squire? I think the going price is about $3.59 per pound depending on marbling.

[SirCorby]

Not $20 a month?

[justus1199]

@Colin: Galls has 36" UHMW batons for about $30.00 if I remember correctly. Not bad for a sword that would last for years and years. I talked about this in the AA years ago but nobody seemed interested. Maybe it's time has come. Shrug.

As a semi flexible (unlike say, an oak baton) material that if it ever did break (unlikley) would simply snap with no sharp fibers, and has a weight and feel almost identical to rattan, the only question I have is why are we NOT using them?

[sircoling]

Tradition probably. If one sword has the potential to last for years that would be a game changer. Also, with all swords weighing the same per inch of reach it would remove a major variable from the sport. I hope it takes off. As soon as they are allowed for test in kingdom I'd like to get a url where one can be purchased.

[sircoling]

What is the projected unit cost?

[SirCorby]

Amos told me the piece I was using was $9 from McMaster-Carr.

[justus1199]

I didn't understand the metaphysics of that blow.

[SirCorby]

It is speaking. It says: "I YAM WHAT I YAM."