Skroing

[fbhjr]

When blue_micha were doing our dusack fight this afternoon, we had an event.
My sword was coming down toward her, her sword was coming across to stop mine.
My sword made a “skroing” sound and her sword kept going past over my head.
By the time my brain had processed enough information to get to “skroing” is a bad sound, I was wondering where the rest of my sword went.


The good news is that it didn’t go far. It was late in the day. There were only two patrons watching the show, father and son. The father had just turned to leave the son there to watch when the top half of my blade broke off and went straight towards the only patron watching.
But, it didn’t even reach the rope of the ring, much less go over it.

On inspection, it was a clean break.


There did seem to be a void and matching protrusion on the other side of the break. So, I suspect there was a metal flaw there that in the 3 years we’ve used those sword never took a hit before today.

Now, the problem.
What happened: The sword broke. The blade flew about 3 feet, hit the ground and stopped.
What I fear will be told happened: The sword shattered and pieces went spinning into the audience. There was more blood then in a Tarantino movie!* The bounce castle got hit, collapsed and half a dozen children suffocated!

You may say I’m being paranoid, but at this same faire 4 years ago, I did a disarm to my opponent. The faire organizer got a phone call from someone claiming the sword almost hit him in the audience. The same man called me to tell me that too (he didn’t know I was the one who did it, only “someone in your troupe who is very unsafe”) and ask if he could join us as what we did looked really cool.
I reviewed the video tape of the fight. The sword landed about 2 feet from my fight partner and a good 10 feet from the rope blocking off the folks watching the show. He was either invisibly on the wrong side of the rope, or gets spooked very easily. (I didn’t take him on as a member.)

I did make a point of tracking down the faire organizer to tell him what happened in case he gets any calls. I don’t think he will. The guy and his son weren’t the folks from 4 years ago. The other people watching were all on faire staff, including their official photographer who did not catch the break on video. (Sad.)
But, did see where it went.

This sort of thing always worries me. Not because I really think anything bad will happen because of today. But, of the “what will happen next time” sort of thing.
I know that’s why we carry all of that insurance. We’ve never had to use it. I hope we never will.
But, days like this are days I feel that insurance premium is money well spent.

When we had done the same fight, with the same swords, that morning I missed the block in question and our swords did not connect. (It was muddy. My spacing was off as I stuck in place when I started. Sadly, my boots may have taken irreparable damage from this.) Maybe it was for the best I missed it when there were lots of folks watching...

I do also want to point out that I do not feel blue_micha or I were doing anything wrong when it happened. This is just one of those things. Sometimes the blades crack. It happens.
We do that fight fast, so they are moving right along. This does put stress on the steel. This time, they got hit where there was a flaw. No way to know that, no way to prevent that, no way to stop that.
The sword gave good use for several years. There was no reason to think that would happen.
I'm just very glad nothing worse happened.

*Sadly, I can’t claim this as my own. One of our troupe member’s husbands came up with it. But, I liked it and told him I’d steal it. So, there it is.

Comments

[saeble.livejournal.com]

dirk time ! :)

[fbhjr.livejournal.com]

We had already done the dagger part of the show...

[saeble.livejournal.com]

lemme re-phrase that

dirk fabrication time ! :)

most dirks started out as broken sword tips, being ground and drilled for scales or wire bound to make a pommel.

[fbhjr.livejournal.com]

It was a curved saber blade, but it would probably work. There wasn't that much curve at the end.

[morgan-lafaye.livejournal.com]

Damn, what are the odds that it lasted this long without any one of us hitting that one flawed spot? I'm glad no one was hurt. We at least know where to find them again, even if we can't replaced it right now.

[palusbuteo.livejournal.com]

wow, well I'm glad it wasn't as dramatic as all of that Tarantino mumbo-jumbo.

and glad noone was hurt - thank goodness for casting.

Ironically, that may have been one of the swords Minyon had been showing while doing his "sword care 101" talk...

Acceptable Risk.

[gilden.livejournal.com]

Too bad that freaked you out, a bit.
As a first-hand observer, I can say with confidence that:

Phoenix Swords is a Very Very PROFESSIONAL at SAFETY MINDED organization!

I believe you would pass the "Prudent Man" argument.

Still, some patrons still don't get the concept:
"Real-People, Real-Swords, Real-Dangerous!"

IMHO
If folks buy a ticket to the Fair, where jousting, swords, etc. are part of the entertainment, they are accepting the risk when they make the purchase. Its too bad that the mindless, baby-stroller wheeling, people will always be a concern.

Also too bad that Mass, Conn, RI...etc. are not "acceptable risk" states.

No fireworks for YOU!

And Darwin Wept.

Re: Acceptable Risk.

[fbhjr.livejournal.com]

We are safe. We are insured, we have a very well supplied medical kit, we've handled problems before without too much trouble.
This is more of a "I hate when that happens" then running around screaming.
But, it is still freaky.