2 Days of the Blade

2 Days of the Blade

Harris City Academy Crystal Palace

Maberley Rd, London, SE19 2JH

(Date tbc)

2 Days of the Blade is a unique event, normally held on the first weekend of June each year,  with a rotating timetable, designed to give you the opportunity to work with some of the world’s finest HEMA instructors. Attendance is capped at sixty places and students will take one workshop with each of our six event instructors, covering a broad range of different techniques and weapons. We are unable to hold 2DB this year but plan to be back, better than ever in 2023, so watch this space.

The focus of 2 Days is to let you learn from all of our instructors without being limited by timetable clashes, lack of equipment or oversized classes. Attendees are divided into three class groups of 20 students, and groups rotate between three instructors on each day. We have a system in place to facilitate weapon loans between attendees in different class groups so that everyone gets the most out of their weekend.

• Lunch for both days is included in the ticket price, and we take dietary requirements into account
• We will have a small number of event t-shirts and other merchandise for sale, including a limited number of items from previous 2 Days events. Please bring cash as not all vendors are able to take card payments
• Gear can be left in the venue overnight – the venue will be locked and is generally secure, but obviously this is done at your own risk and we accept no responsibility for your equipment
• There are showers in the venue change rooms which attendees are welcome to use
• There is no organised Saturday dinner this year, but space is booked in the Anerley Arms pub on both days from 18:00

The event runs from 09:45 – 18:00 on Saturday, and 10:00 – 18:00 on Sunday. Attendees will be divided into three groups (Red, Blue and Green) according to the information from the borrowing/lending surveys completed at time of ticket purchase. Groups will rotate through three classes each day, as shown in the timetable below:

	Saturday	Hall 1 tbc	Hall 2 tbc	Hall 3 tbc
09:45	Registration + set up
10:15	Welcome + class prep
11:00	First Lesson	Red	Green	Blue
12:30	Free Play
13:00	Lunch/Free Play
14:00	Second Lesson	Green	Blue	Red
15:30	Changeover
15:45	Third Lesson	Blue	Red	Green
17:15	Pack up

	Sunday	Hall 1 tbc	Hall 2 tbc	Hall 3 tbc
10:00	Welcome
10:15	Warm up
11:00	First Lesson	Red	Green	Blue
12:30	Free Play
13:00	Lunch/Free Play
14:00	Second Lesson	Green	Blue	Red
15:30	Changeover
15:45	Third Lesson	Blue	Red	Green
17:15	Pack up + Farewell

The event is held at Harris City Academy in Crystal Palace. The venue is walking distance from both Crystal Palace and Anerley overground & rail stations, and has on-site parking available. It’s also halfway up a hill, with Crystal Palace station at the top and Anerley station at the bottom, so bear this in mind when planning which station/s you’ll arrive at and leave from.

See the map below for an overview of the key event locations. Here are some suggestions for good dinners in Crystal Palace:

Urban Orient
Gurkha Cottage
KishMish
Thai Crystal
A Torre
Numidie
Dem
The Crystal Palace Market

We recommend using the TFL journey planner or Citymapper to plan your travel to the venue.

Below are the weapons required for each class and any additional equipment that has been requested by instructors other than the mandatory protective equipment.

Adam Franti
Dussack – The True Source of All Combat

Weapons: tbc
Additional equipment: tbc

Airrion Scott
Single Rapier – Fabris’ Principles of the Resolute Fencer

Weapons: tbc
Additional equipment: tbc

Aitor Bianco
Verdadera Destreza – The Rapier and Dagger System

Weapons: tbc
Additional equipment: tbc

David Rawlings
Mysterious Awesome Mystery – Weapon

Weapons: tbc
Additional equipment: tbc

Jess Finley
Armoured Longsword

Weapons: tbc
Additional equipment: tbc

Robert Rutherford
Rappier – The 5 Rules of Meyer’s Rappier

Weapons: tbc
Additional equipment: tbc

WEAPON LOANS

Because we cover such a range of weapons, we strongly encourage everyone who owns weapons to loan them out to students in other class groups.

The loaning of equipment will occur under the following guidelines:

– Weapons will be borrowed from and returned to a specified location at the beginning and end of each class period.
– By borrowing equipment you accept complete responsibility for that equipment from the time you take it out until the time you return it. This should be a no-brainer, but please take very good care of other peoples’ gear if you are borrowing it!
– Lenders/borrowers will be matched up by use based on the information you provide.
– London Longsword Academy will only facilitate the borrowing of weapons for classes. You need to bring all your own protective kit, and we won’t be arranging any borrowing for sparring – that can be done on your own time if you so desire.
– London Longsword Academy accepts no liability for any damage to any borrowed equipment that may arise during the course of the weekend. Loaning/borrowing is done at your own risk.

MINIMUM PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS

These items are mandatory. Without the following, you will not be permitted to participate in workshops at the event:

– minimum 350N or equivalent fencing jacket (gambesons or other garments not purpose-made for fencing are not acceptable)
– correctly sized fencing mask
– light gloves
– throat protection

The following items are recommended but not mandatory:

– plastic chest protection

All steel weapons must have safety tips of some kind. For rapiers or smallswords this means bullet casings if possible or rubber blunts at minimum. Wider blades should be tipped with thick leather  – see this post for our recommendation.

There is a small amount of dedicated time for sparring during the event. Please note that the minimum kit requirements are not sufficient for sparring and you will require extra equipment depending on your sparring weapon.

The number one priority for 2 Days of the Blade is to create a safe and welcoming space for everyone to learn, work hard, support each other and have fun, regardless of race, religion, age, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation or club affiliation.

Anyone who engages in offensive, discriminatory or harassing behaviour will be asked to leave the event immediately, without refund.

Event organisers will be clearly identified at the beginning of the event, and will be on hand to ensure these standards are upheld. If you are subject to offensive, discriminatory or harassing behaviour, or concerned by behaviour that you witness, please speak straight away with event organisers. Event organisers are also happy to help you find a quiet place to recharge if you need it.

Unwelcome behaviour includes but is not limited to: discrimination based on race, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnic or religious background, and ability; offensive verbal comments, sexual images in public spaces, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention. Participants asked to stop any unwelcome behaviour are expected to comply immediately without dispute. These policies apply in every space at the venue related to conference activity, and to all participants in every role.

During lessons and when sparring, participants are expected to calibrate their level of resistance, force and aggression to their training partner, equipment, and the current drill. If in doubt, ask your partner or instructor what they expect.

Participants may not take part in training or sparring while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Participants will conform to any additional health and safety requirements expressed by instructors and event organisers, including advise on appropriate levels of intensity, and suitability of equipment, weapons, and clothing and accessories. Any sparring is expected to be performed calmly and in a controlled fashion. Minimum equipment is suitably rated jacket and breeches, mask with back of head protection, a gorget and gloves appropriate to the weapon. All weapons must be designed for the purpose of HEMA, and should have an additional, secure safety tip. You must be willing to allow your partners, instructors, and the event organisers to inspect your weapons and equipment on request.

In attending 2 Days of the Blade, you acknowledge that you have read and will abide by this code of conduct.