A rant about Combat Archery and Double Standards
Two years ago some poorly constructed arrows at Pennsic penetrated bargrills. The result was changes in the rules for constructing arrows and the usual discussion of how unsafe combat archery is and that we should get rid of it.
This year there is discussion going on about poor face thrust calibration. The Kingdom Earl Marshal states that the problem was poorly constructed low profile thrusting tips: "What I found was tips that were so soft that the bent over or could be easily pushed out of the
way and expose a lip of rattan. These are the same tip issues that caused helmet penetration & eye injuries with arrows tips two years
ago. The problem is 2-fold. The tips are not stout enough and the end of the rattan is not being rounded."
The proposed solution? Better inspection. No talk of changing the rules for constructing thrusting tips.
I wish I was surprised. But I saw this coming when they decided low profile arrow tips were not okay, but low profile thrusting tips were a good idea.
This year there is discussion going on about poor face thrust calibration. The Kingdom Earl Marshal states that the problem was poorly constructed low profile thrusting tips: "What I found was tips that were so soft that the bent over or could be easily pushed out of the
way and expose a lip of rattan. These are the same tip issues that caused helmet penetration & eye injuries with arrows tips two years
ago. The problem is 2-fold. The tips are not stout enough and the end of the rattan is not being rounded."
The proposed solution? Better inspection. No talk of changing the rules for constructing thrusting tips.
I wish I was surprised. But I saw this coming when they decided low profile arrow tips were not okay, but low profile thrusting tips were a good idea.