Inspecting Flails

From the Book of War

• 1.4.5. Flails must conform to the following:
  • 1.4.5.1. The striking surface must haves a minimum circumference of fifteen (15) inches measured on separate axes.
  • 1.4.5.2. The maximum chain/hinge length is six (6) inches.
  • 1.4.5.3. The maximum overall length is forty (40) inches.
  • 1.4.5.4. The hinged part of the flail must be padded with foam to keep the chain from easily entangling a Weapon or body part. No more than 1 ½ inches of chain may be exposed.
  • 1.4.5.5. Only one hinge per flail is allowed.

How to check Flails (Class 1) weapons

• 1. Measure and weigh the weapon. If it does not conform to the rules listed above, the weapon fails. See Weighing Weapons.
• 2. Feel along the striking surface, checking for soft parts of the foam, called a sweet spot. Feel for breaks, rips, or core.
• 4. Feel along the haft padding to make sure you cannot feel core. Pay special attention to the tip. DO NOT DIG YOUR THUMB INTO THE FLAT OR HAFT PADDING LOOKING FOR CORE!
• 5. Check the pommel to make sure that you cannot feel core. Bounce the pommel off a hard surface, such as a table, and listen for a hard sound. If it bounces back, it is safe.
• 6. Check for Flex. See Checking Weapon Flex.
• 7. Measure the circumferance of the flail head.
• 8. Slide all the pieces of foam covering the flail hinge, that are often called Dingleberries, to the head or shaft of the flail and measure the exposed chain of the flail.
• 9. Swing the weapon. For flails, you can hit yourself on the back with a medium strike by swinging over your shoulder. If the weapon feels hard, test it against another weapon checker's back.
• 10. It is important to make sure the flail has a good feel to it. Some flails are extremely soft in the head, and because of this are incapable of landing a shot on an armored body. Some groups recomend as a final test to hit someone who is wearing leather armor with a regular shot to see if they can feel the flail through armor.