tyrsredritehand wrote:Acquiring more durable loaners is a good idea, however instead of buying completed swords I believe with a few small changes we can produce better swords. Why pay Warlord Sports to make swords when we can use our knowledge and labor.
1. Stop buying substandard foam from wal-mart.
A. Instead we can buy more durable noodle from Leslie's Pool Supply, $1.99 (59'' length), or Drillspot from Warlord Sports, $8.00 (24'' length).
2. Build all loaners to the same standard.
B. No air gaps in the tips, no pvc or bamboo cores, use low cost golf shafts, use strapping tape instead of packing tape for strength.
3. Reduce the chance of loaners walking off.
C. Loaners covered in neon yellow or neon green covers with loaner written on the length in large letters. Have an officer be responsible for loaners, counting swords at the beginning of every park day, after each battle game, and at the end of the day.
1. noodle is crap, it has never been meant as a long lasting foam. Its great if you need a weapon in a pinch, or don't remind replacing it every couple of weeks. For faire, I wouldn't recommend it, unless your okay with replacing them before every faire. The last faire I attended, Rangor and I brought extra noodle just to keep enough weapons on the field. Walmart campad rolled around a non-tapered core would last 100x longer and be nearly as light.
2. I fully agree. Since they are loaners, you can get away with 1/2 inch (PVC scheduled 80) at around 32". Sure they are shorter than the average weapon, but that creates an incentive to make your own shit.
Another not so cheap but long term option would be to buy .606 cores and use them. I believe for loaners, the PVC is superior.
3. neon colors are bad for business. Most people consider foam fighting silly, making neon sword covers removes all doubt. What I recommend is a solid gray or blue cover. If they are all the same, maybe with numbered pommels, then you can track them much easier. Also, creating a loaner bag that can be easily transported/inventoried would make things much easier. IT is the responsibility of the Champion to maintain the loaners.