Carrying Weapons

My character is a dual wielder (master florentine, dual 1HE) and I was curious as to what the best way is to carry 2 full size weapons.
A sword frog on either side? 1 double frog on one side? dual back harness?
Is there an easy way to carry several weapons without purchasing sword frogs?
Thanks.

I've actually done every method you describe. And when in lazy, just carry them by the blade together. The most comfortable way I find is two frogs. Though if you cannot do that, you can get a long strip of cloth to fashion a belt out of it. Never put your weapons in a leather belt, because ut will damage the weapon

You can get "mug frogs" from various sites for four bucks that snap closed, which work very well as cheap frogs. However, for most weapons you will have to snap it open in order to draw, which isn't so good for florentine use.

I find the best way is to have two swords on opposite hips from the hands that will be holding them. Back sheaths look cool but are impractical both coming and going. Same-side sheathes tend to only work when you have a much shorter secondary weapon. (Remember, unlike in real life, you do have to be concerned about latex and foam catching on the sides of the frog. Steel is a different matter.)

Another thing to be concerned about is that the combination of length of blade and angle of frog might cause inconvenience. I have three types of frogs (other than the mug frog, which is only used for a mug). One is a high, fixed frog which keeps my sword off the ground but doesn't allow much flexibility when sitting. The second is lower and more flexible, but if I'm not careful can let the tip of my sword drag on the ground; I've even (once) managed to trip on my own sword because it swung between my legs while I was walking fast. Both of these are angled at about 40 degrees or so. The third frog is straight up and down, and typically gives me the least problems, but I also use that frog to carry my offhand weapon; while it's a 1HE, it's shorter and skinnier.

When shopping for frogs, keep in mind that you'll want to be able to draw in a hurry; sometimes fights get sprung on you completely out of the blue, and it's not fair to the NPCs (not to mention immersion-breaking) to ask them to wait while you get situated for anything less than a safety concern, even if they want to. (And they aren't required to, again excepting safety. Safety means something like "I'm carrying this heavy/breakable object. Please hold a moment while I move it off to the side, then return to my spot where you can proceed to kill me." I did that with a drink this last event. It can also mean moving off of more dangerous ground, such as with roots or stones. Safety trumps immersion. Immersion trumps your convenience, though.) Generally, you'll want to purchase something that might run a little pricier because it'll be better for you in the long run. It's not guaranteed, but with LARP gear it usually follows that the more it costs the better it is.

Matt's right about damage from being put in a belt, by the way, but there's another reason not to do that. If you have to draw your sword, then your belt suddenly has a lot of slack in it. If you have two swords, that's even more slack. That'll throw you off in a fight something fierce.

Incidentally, feel free to find me at a game for florentine lessons, and I don't mean the skill on your sheet. I'm one of the better florentine fighters, which is ironic since I can't get the skill on my main character! Look for a grumpy Russian healer with a beard and a real wooden staff, dressed in earth tones; or a cheerful swashbuckler in black and red, large black leather hat with peacock feathers, same beard (obviously), and a Spanish accent; or a seemingly-humorless bearded Londwynian physician with a vintage doctor's bag. I may or may not be in the company of barbarians no matter the character I'm wearing, and I can frequently be found by poking one's head into the kitchen on Saturdays.

@ Grumpy: Did you happen to get potato soup from someone cooking in a dutch oven in the October event? If so I think I know who you are.
Also I may take you up on the florentine fighting lessons. I actually do have some sparring experience from taking karate for several years, but not much in the way of weapons or LARP fighting.

I did not get any potato soup, so I'm afraid I'm still a mystery.

If you've taken several years of karate, that will make it easier. My base footwork is about 80% karate when it comes to florentine, 10% eskrima, and 10% actual Italian Florentine. And as you no doubt know, footwork is more than half your combat.

You may still need to break a couple habits if you were trained for tournament style (which almost everyone who takes American karate learns), but it's not much. I was trained at a dojo that did both tournament and street fighting, and (despite my sensei asking repeatedly) never did tournaments. I was there to learn to spar. Which is also why I will never play a monk, because close fighting instincts tend to take over even with brawlers.

When we get closer to the event, I'll let you know what my schedule is looking like. Odds are I'll be on my healer for the first three periods, and then my swashbuckler on Sunday.

I will likely not attend again until the spring. I have a long trip from home, and the 5 hour drive plus admission cost doesn't feel worth it in the cold weather as non-combat. I still would likely need to be non-combat for a month or 2 anyway because I broke my wrist in September and the cast will be removed only a few days before the December event. I should be able to do combat when I return in the spring.

I'm sorry to hear about your wrist! Good on you, though, for wanting to take it easy when the cast comes off.

I broke it at the September event, which was my first time at KR. On my NPC shift, which was the first one. I backed up and fell over a rock in the dark. So I hurt my wrist before I even got to play my character for the first time...
I thought it was just sprained though, and I continued my NPC shift till the end, using my left hand (I am right handed). The following day, when I woke up, instead of feeling better it felt worse. I got an ace bandage to put on my hand, and switched over to non combat. My wrist was starting to feel better later in the day and I got approved to switch back to combat. I fought in main mod with only my left hand (Some one told me it was impressive that I didn't lose my hat in the fight, and that I did well, I told them it was more impressive that I was using only my left hand), as well as a mod the following morning. If I hadn't gotten the chance to participate in any of the mods as my character, I may have never wanted to come back. I had enough fun during the mods though that I did come back as non combat in October (I must say that you guys are doing something right if I broke my wrist and still returned, and I stand by my decision to fight with my left hand the rest of the event). On our trip home my mother had me stop at an urgent care and get an Xray, I wasn't expecting my wrist to be broken, but it was. Naturally I broke a wrist bone that heals slowly, and have to wear a cast (which immobilized my thumb) for 8 weeks. I have about 2 weeks left. I am very much a gamer, so I haven't been able to use a gaming controller for all this time... When people ask what happened to my arm, I tell them I broke it in a sword fight, which is actually the truth, even if it is misleading.

Andrew Greyscar wrote: (I must say that you guys are doing something right if I broke my wrist and still returned

.

I just wanted to isolate that quote and appreciate it. We're only getting better from here.

I am very much a gamer, so I haven't been able to use a gaming controller for all this time...

My younger self empathizes and mourns.

When people ask what happened to my arm, I tell them I broke it in a sword fight, which is actually the truth, even if it is misleading.

That's how it starts. Pretty soon you'll be re-wording LARP experiences onto your resumé (which has worked for quite a few people here, actually).

Jeff, you're what, 19?

Andrew, it's actually a very valuable thing to learn to fight left-handed, especially when you're a florentine fighter. I assume you know the adage from your karate days that you always train both sides of your body equally, so you can switch between dominant sides with a moment's thought? This is part of why I'm one of the best florintine fighters in the game. I'm not stuck only defending with one side, or primarily attacking with the other. To anyone who doesn't know what they're looking for (either because they already knew it or I'm teaching them) it looks a lot like I'm wielding two swords completely independently. That is, of course, impossible; the human brain can't process that. But there's a trick to it.