Re: Suspension of Certain Combat Arrows

[Shawn Riggin <sriggi1@gl.umbc.edu>]

Poster: Shawn Riggin <sriggi1@gl.umbc.edu>

On Wed, 11 Nov 1998, Donald Wagner wrote:

> 
> Poster: Donald Wagner <polearmed@att.net>
> 
> The arrow bounced straight back without turning and entered the grill
> nock first, about two inches below the eye.
> 
> Os, I know you're not trying to be an a**hole.  Stephan is simply trying
> to determine if this is something that we can expect from the blunts.  I
> haven't seen bounce backs from markland blunts but the Baldr blunts seem
> to store more energy, especially when used on a fiberglass shaft.  

This is physics.  The Baldars on fiberglass shafts are heavier than
baldars on a wooden shaft, so therefore when they hit the target, more
force is exerted in both directions, both to the target-from the arrow and
from the target-to the arrow.

<snippets cut> 
> It is my assumption that an appropriate divot cut out of the direct
> front of the Baldr blunts would force the arrow to bounce another
> direction instead of straight back.  If the arrow bounces off an
> immovable object and bounces any other direction but straight back, the
> aerodynamics of the fletches will force it to turn blunt first rather
> than retraces its path into someone's visor.

The thing is this- Baldar's (99.9% of the time) _don't_ bounce straight
back, but rather spin and/or turn.  Also, how do you put a certain
blunt-modifying cut into a rule that has to be enforced?  Will the KAM
have to inspect each arrow before use to insure that the cut is
appropriate and sound, and not too small or too large?  Me thinks not.
Also, I would imagine that it would cause serious problems with the blunt
itself (ie, ripping, tearing, destruction, etc.)  Compromising the molded
head is a bad idea...
 
> Now I'm not trying to be an a**hole either, but.........
> Give Stephan real and useful feedback.  We all understand that great
> investment for the blunts has been extended and we empathize with those
> caught in this so midstream(I bought a bag for our archer corp to use
> myself).  Continued bitching, moaning, and general whining because "it's
> only one incident" is elementary behavior and serves no intrinsic
> purpose but to bring attention to the fact that you'd rather take a
> chance in putting someone's eye out than to wait a little and discuss
> the results, or be involved in the testing process yourself.

The "only one incident" arguement isn't the fact that we don't care about
other's saftey.  Lord knows, that's the most important thing to us... if
people get hurt, we don't get to play. (case in point seen with this
situation)  The argument is this-What testing can be done now that hasn't
been done either by previous Atlantian Archery Marshals, Archery
Marshals of other Kindoms, or Society Archery Marshals?  And how do you
replicate melee situations?

> Stephan's actions prove that we are a mature organization whose interest
> in martial combat is only matched by our concern for the safety of its
> participants.  
> Falcone

No offense, but this is sugar-coating.  Yes we are concerned about this.
Actually, to be honest, the Archers are just as/if not more concerned than
many of the heavies.  We are all concerned about saftey... if we weren't
then there wouldn't be an authorization procedure.  If we weren't then
there wouldn't be minimum armor requirements.  If we weren't then there
wouldn't be weapon specifications... there wouldn't be marshals...there 
wouldn't be rules.  But unfortunately, one bad incident outweighs hours
and hours of testing.  I don't feel that pulling a particular style of
arrow out of use because of 1 isolated incident is "mature", but rather
reactionary.

Just because someone got hit-by-a-pitch in a baseball game doesn't mean
that the umpire decides you can't play with a baseball until he does
further testing to see if a baseball is safe.  If that were the case, the
national pastime would be powerwalking with steel-toed shoes.

Remember-Everyone who steps onto a field of combat signs a waiver.  If you
think its too dangerous to fight in a melee with combat archers, don't
fight, or wear whatever saftey equipment you feel necessary.  Minimum
armor requirements are just that-Minimum.

Morgan, who fights both Heavy and CA

____________________________________________________________________________
Mundanely:   Shawn M. Riggin                 
In The SCA:  Morgan Wainwright                         "Quarterly argent
             Man-at-Arms to Lord Kaloc von Zwechel      and sable, a wheel
             Canton of Spiaggia Levantina               counterchanged."
             Kingdom of Atlantia                   



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