[Coda]

Other weapons I liked... *ponders* Well, I really loved my glaive before its core started getting too flexible. (Lesson learned: PVC pipe isn't rigid enough for long weapons, and it only gets worse over time!) It was about 4'6" from tip to pommel, and I DID put courtesy padding over the entire length because it looked good and felt good. I put a stabbing point on the pommel for close combat and surprise attacks. It was easier to work with than my staff (and hurt fewer knuckles :P) and had almost as good of reach in actual use. If I ever get back into it, I'll build another one and reinforce the core.

And then my sort of trademark weapon was a madu. Two 12" blades with a grip in the middle just big enough for the wielder's fist. (There's SUPPOSED to be a small shield covering the hand for a madu, but Amtgard rules assume weapons have hand guards even if you don't physically put them there, which simplifies construction and reduces the number of parts that might hurt someone. Besides, monks can't use shields.) I used it in my left hand paired with a sword in my right hand (ideally one between 2'6" and 2'10", since 3' brings it into the realm of a red weapon, which introduces usage restrictions) and used it both defensively and offensively.