Re: dead "plastic" horses

[Logan & Arielle <sirlogan@mail.clt.bellsouth.net>]

Poster: Logan & Arielle <sirlogan@mail.clt.bellsouth.net>

>         Two comments.  First, this is the falicy of making the Best the enemy
> of the Good.  Even if you are correct that using rattan is 'wrong', that
> is not a reason to compound it by doing other things 'wrong' that you
> could do right.

The only point that was being made was that if one finds strapping tape, duct
tape, stainless steel, aluminum, etc. to be acceptable materials for construction
of armor and/or weapons, then there is little room left to argue plastic is not
acceptable.  The only thing that is not "really" acceptable is the visual impact
of blatantly modern objects.

>
>
>         Second, unlike plastic, at least rattan (with the husk on, as most
> people I know used it) weighs in the same range as sword steel.

I'm not sure that I see your point here.  There are many types and styles of
armor that weighed in the same "range" as plastic.  Hell, those in the Middle
Ages that wore no armor had a weight "advantage" over those that (today) wear
plastic.

>
>
>         Personally, someone using shaved rattan with an aluminum basket hilt
> and plastic armor because it is felt that that is what it takes to be
> 'competative' these days makes me glad I don't fight any longer...
>
> Kwellend-Njal

The only thing that someone "needs" to be competitive is the will, desire and
enjoyment of competing.  I am sorry to hear that you don't have the desire to
fight anymore.  However, the argument that wearing more beneficial equipment, in
order to enjoy the "sport" part of SCA fighting more, somehow cheapens it or is
wrong gets me.  I just don't understand why someone would advocate, for their own
personal preference,  the use of equipment that detracts from someone else's
enjoyment of what they do.  I understand that each person gets their own thing
from any aspect of the SCA, and, that we have some "rules" that we must follow in
order to behave like a civilized organization.  However, if I decide that I want
to be a good fighter, and I think that shaving a little of the husk of my rattan
"sword", and putting an aluminum hilt on it in order to speed it up a bit, will
help me achieve what I desire, what rule have I broken??  If I decide to wear
plastic body armor, under my tabard, because I like the weight/feel of it and it
does protect the soft spots (floating ribs, sternum, etc.) I ask you again, which
rule?

None, I think, is the answer.  This whole silliness about plastic armor would
never happen if those that wear the stuff decided to wear no body armor (except
the kidney protection).  Nobody would care.  Nobody would whine that those
fighters aren't playing fair because they have an unfair advantage over people
with heavy metal armor.  If that really is the case should we be more in line
with horse/car racing?  Should those fighters that weigh 160 lbs. have to strap
on a 45lb. backpack so that they are burdened with the same weight I have to
carry on the field??

Finally, I agree with those that would like it if everyone took the field and
made an attempt to "look" better.
Small things like covering their decaying/plastic/rusted/aluminum/plain ugly/et
al armor would help.  Cleaning some of the tape marks off their helms.  Wearing
nicer looking footwear.  Donning more black and red (well that's just me
talking).  Flying more banners.  Walking out on the field looking like a large
pickle bucket certainly is an easily fixable situation.  Just encourage that
fighter to talk to a friend of yours that sews, and, help them get hooked up with
a tabard.  Or, why not help them make some other type or armor (if it really does
mean that much to you).  Meanwhile, I will continue to follow the rules, wear my
plastic armor, shave my swords, hone my fighting skills, have fun, and continue
to indulge in my weekly competitions with my friends.

Duke Logan
Not really looking to open this whole thing up again, just needing to voice my
opinion

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