From the GMR
August 28 , 2003

I hate polearms almost as much as I hate arrows. I get cracked in the skull with one and cracked in the nuts with the other. One makes me bleed, the other bruises my knuckles. Hate 'em both. But that's just me...

Still, I have to make fair safety standards for both. So, instead of being a heavy-handed jerk, or being accused of the ever-stupid "you don't fight as much as I do, so you can't really know what you're talking about" - I turn to the populace to ask answer a few questions:

1. Am I the only one who thinks putting 12 inches of skinny ass funnoodle on a ten-foot-pole is unsafe?

2. If most noodle is 2.5 inches around (give or take) should polearms be even larger around, at least on the thrusting tip? How big?

3. How about a minimum striking edge length? Is one foot really enough on a ten-foot-pole? Is two feet? How about a clear "third of the entire length" rule?

4. Courtesy padding, good or bad? Whole length or just where "not held"? How about "striking edges and courtesy padding must cover at least two-thirds of the entire length?"

Again, I *can* answer all these questions myself - and I will ALWAYS err on the side of caution. So, unless I hear some very good arguments one way or another, the new safety guidelines will reflect my ultra-conservative, don't-like-them-anyway mentality.

Respectfully,
Luke