...modify the tip of a plastic longsword (Red Dragon, RD) in order to make it more or less compatible with kendo headgear. We have been using a pair of synthetic longswords since May. They are absolutely great for beginners to learn the basics of the German longsword tradition (KDF), and also for light sparring (basically with nothing more than leather gloves and standard 350N masks).
After a while, together with my fencing partner we have decided that it would be a good fun to fence with local kendo guys. More than 10 years ago -- as a complete beginner -- I fenced with them: shinai vs Olympic sabre. [1] But there is one big problem: shinai -- Japanese bamboo sword -- is really stiff (static flexibility somewhere between 17 and 22 kg), compared to Red Dragon's flexibilty (3.2-3.5 kg). So substituting shinais with plastic longswords while fencing with kendo guys is basically rather straightforward idea, but you have to overcome the next obstacle: the plastic blade could easily slide between horizontal steel bars of the kendo headgear (men), with obvious serious consequences (eye damage via blunt trauma).
The biggest distances between adjacent bars is 11-13 mm. [2]
After taking into account all these details we thought the following modification would be sufficient to ensure relatively safe sparring with plastic longswords between a kendoka and a fencer. What we need for this? Only very basic stuff: a plastic cork [3], a piece of leather (approx. dimensions: length - 230 mm, width - 20-21 mm) and some insulation tape for securing the cork to the RD's tip.
In this post I am using an aluminum blade (width: 30 mm) to show the process of the modification. I think that the pictures are definitely self-explanatory.
After this modification we have a rather solid addition to RD's tip, whose dimensions -- thickness in one direction: 23 mm, in another: 31-32 mm -- might prevent the tip to enter any gap between mengane's horizontal bars. We have already tested one longsword with the modified tip against standard 350N fencing masks. It has survived two training sessions with any damage, also made thrusts with such a longsword less painful, because the modified tip is at least 3.7 times bigger than the original one. Naturally the final test will be the encounter between an empty kendo headgear and the modified longsword.
Everybody should be extremely cautious while fencing, especially during free sparring sessions between the representatives of different fencing schools. We are not advocating the usage of modified fencing equipment. Everybody performs such a modification, and uses the modified equipment at his / her own risks. The safest way to fence with plastic longswords is to use standard Olympic headgear for both the kendoka and the fencer.
