I’ve been reading some historical fiction and they spar regularly with sharps.
I was wondering if anyone knows whether or not this was a thing? It seems dangerous and scary, but i guess if you’re actually fighting in wars it might be less so.
I’ve been reading some historical fiction set in the 1300’s in Europe, and the characters routinely spar with sharp swords. The reasoning given is when they’re on the march they only have their one set of equipment, and they also mention that training swords are just as expensive as a real sword so they couldn’t afford it.
It’s also spouted as “not real training” and “blunt swords are for babies” in many fantasy/sword swinging fiction books, but i know as a practitioner of HEMA that training with blunt swords wasn’t looked down upon (most illustrated manuals show people training with federschwerts).
I was wondering if anyone could tell me if training with sharp swords was a routine practice at all? Or a common occurrence? I understand that it can be done with relative safety by two skilled swordsmen, but it just seems insanely dangerous and scary.
Thanks!