Revision as of 21:42, 4 June 2014

At major events and practices, the hosts will conduct a weapons check to ensure that weapons are safe and adhere to the Book of War. No weapon, shield, or piece of armor should be taken to the field without passing through weapons check. Most weapons check will have a head Marshal who has the final say on whether a weapon passes or fails. Failed equipment will usually be marked with a sticker describing why of failed. There are also Nationally Certified Marshals who have demonstrated superior knowledge of the Book of War and weapons checking.

Weapons check is a requirement of the Book of War, specifically:

1.2. All Equipment must be inspected and properly marked if appropriate, according to the guidelines outlined in Appendix A, before it is used in combat.

Running Weapons Check

Prior Training

Every person volunteering to help run weapons check should read and understand the rules laid out in the Book of War, particularly Appendix A. If you are unfamiliar with the rules pertaining to a particular weapon, do not check it. Ask the head Marshal or another weapons checker to assist you. When possible, it is recommended all checkers obtain the National Marshal Certification. Should a local class or expert be available for training prior to the event, seek them out to learn common conventions used that are not specifically spelled out in the Book of War.

Equipment Needed

1. A flexible tape measure.
2. A template with the appropriate measurements. When in doubt, measure the template to double check it is correct.
3. A bow tester
4. A scale
5. Pass stickers
6. Fail stickers and a marker/pen
7. An up to date copy of the Book of War
8. For larger events, flags/signs to mark where each class of weapon should be dropped off
9. Adequate space to swing larger weapons and shoot arrows
10. Cones can be used to mark off the space, if needed

Using a Template

Relevant Rules

All Weapons

1.3.3. Two and one-half inch rule—No surface on a striking edge (sword tip, arrow head, spear head, javelin head, etc.) whether designed for stabbing or not, may pass more than 0.5 inch through a 2.5 inch hole; swords with a semicircular tip, with a minimum 1.5 inch radius are exempt from this rule.

1.3.4. The Weapon pommel may not readily pass more than 0.5" (1.25 cm) through a 2" (5 cm) diameter hole.

Flails

1.4.5.2. The maximum chain/hinge length is six (6) inches (15 cm).

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 (3.75 cm) of chain may be exposed.

The Test

When testing sword tips and pommels, place the template gently on top of the weapon, making sure you avoid using excessive pressure that will force the foam to compress. Usually, the weight of the template is sufficient. Wobble the template around, checking to see if it will readily pass through the hole from different angles.

For a .5" thick template, any amount of the weapon passing through the hole means it has failed the test. All tests are measured from the face of the template closest to the weapon, should you need to use a tape to measure for smaller templates. If a sword tip does pass through the hole, remember to check the width of the blade. A minimum 3" wide blade with a semicircular tip is exempt from this rule (it has a 1.5" radius, as the rule states). Some templates have a 3" notch on one side that can be used to check this. If the blade touches both sides (or is wider), the tip is exempt.

One side of the template is 6". This is the maximum chain length allowed for a flail. Usually, that same side has a 1.5" notch, this is the maximum exposed chain (not covered by foam). Holding the flail vertically by the ball, push all of the foam pieces to the bottom of the chain. Place the template between the ball and stick, it only has to touch both sides to pass. While checking chain length, ensure you cannot see more of the rope/cloth than the 1.5" notch. Again, it can be up to this width on the dot, and still pass.

Weapon Checkers Discretion

Marshals, the Head Marshal in particular, have the final say on whether a piece of equipment is safe and allowed on the field. This is often referred to as "weapon checkers discretion". Should a weapon seem to pass for all requirements presented in the Book of War, but still be unsafe in some way, a Marshal may still fail it. These situations are somewhat rare, but include things like a weapon being too heavy to wield safely, entanglement hazards from holes in covers, or any other danger not presented in the rules.

Discretion may be used by weapons checkers and event staff to pass weapons that otherwise violate rules, but are safe. A classic example is a "Red Rock" used by some local realms which fails the rules for a class 2 weapon, but their realm has agreed to allow it and extra rules for it for fun because it is safe. Never expect an experimental weapon to pass, but it is possible if it is safe and doesn't hinder playability. Another case is armor made from non-period materials that otherwise meets all requirements and is crafted in an appealing way. This is strictly a violation of the rules for armor, but may be passed by some Marshals on a case by case basis.

Again, this is a case by case, event by event, basis. Head Marshals at each event have the final say. Realms may also have specific rules for their local events. When in doubt, ask ahead of time.

One Handed Weapons

Hand Check

Start every check by feeling the blade, pommel, and flat with your hands. Look for imperfections, soft spots, or hard areas. This cursory check, after template checking, it to find obvious fail points. Any haft padding should be thick enough that firm pressure doesn't allow you to feel core. Be extra critical any near the edge of the blade. This area is more likely to hit full force on someone, even as an incidental hit.

To check the tip (high likelihood of a core fail) place pommel against one hip, and the tip against your palm in the opposite hand. Apply gentle pressure to the middle of the blade with your free hand. If you feel a hard point in the middle of your palm, it is probably the core, fail for core. Repeat this after turning blade over, if you haven't already failed it.

Rather than bust out at the end of the core, bats will often shear off the tip beyond the core. To check for this, grab the tip and move it side to side. You shouldn't be able to move it much. Failing bats, you can feel a soft spot there and feel the tip dislocate above it during the test. This is more critical and common for bats with a stabbing tips.

Next, hold middle of blade and the tip. Gently twist and release the tip. A good sword will snap back into place. A failing sword will remain deformed, fail for twist.

Checking weapon flex is harder to check without some sort of template. You can place the striking surface across your head, and pull down with both hands. You should have a decent amount of resistance and not be able to easily get your hands to shoulder height. This is something that only a seasoned tester is going to have a feel for.

The better method is to mark 45 degrees somehow, from a table or bench. Strike the surface squarely near the middle of the blade. Have a second observer watch to see if the blade passes past the mark. Repeat the check a couple of times. You can use a padded surface, such as a shield edge, to mitigate the chance of damaging the weapon, however, extra padding will artificially show more flex as the surface gives. The use of a padded surface or shield edge does test the most common reason the flex rule exists, flexing excessively around someone's guard.

Firmly tug the pommel, it shouldn't move much or be in danger of falling off. Feel it for hard spots, particularly in the end. Drop the pommel onto a hard surface, concrete preferably, but a table or bench works. You should not hear a "clank".

4# box construction will have a layer of dense foam wrapped around the core. This is considered safe and acceptable for the flat of a blade. We mostly are concerned with a piece of fiberglass finding its way out of the foam and hurting someone.

Flails

Thrusting Weapons

Shields

Two Handed Weapons

Missile Weapons

Armor