Foam Escrima Sticks?

[Jevins]

So I was asked, by a friend of mine who wants to start a realm in Hawaii, about using foam Escrima sticks in Belegarth. I believe her intent was to strip the stick of it's foam covering and use the core for making swords.

Trying to verify if these would work at sufficient cores, I looked them up online and noticed that there is an "ActionFlex" series of Escrima sticks.
My question on the forums is this: has anyone used the core of a foam Escrima stick to make weapons for belegarth? As well, how well do the ActionFlex swords handle, and has anyone modified these for belegarth combat?

This is the website, for reference: http://fearlessmma.com/tag/foam-escrima-stick/

[Black Cat]

Waste of money, in my opinion.

An ActionFlex sword costs $40. I don't know what kind of core the ActionFlex swords have, but I highly doubt that it is worth $40 as a Belegarth core.

If you want to get into building swords on exotic cores, you would be better off to save your money and keep looking. $39.99 is major expensive for a blue-length core.

[Soo Ma Tai]

All of the MA foam weapons are designed to flex a lot more than we allow. That wont work. If she wants to use foam escrima sticks, to use the escrima style in fighting, she wants quicktubes.

[Phlebas]

i do escrima, and have used action flex in training for that. They're okay, but not even worth the effort of converting, if you could make them pass. The guy I train with prefer the ones I made using belegarth tech anyway- actionflex aren't bladelike, and because of the hard grip you can't even do the switches/chokes/grappling locks you can do with a stick. not worth it, especially since the max length is 28" anyway. for that length core , you can get this from walmart:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Coleman-Replacement-Tent-Pole-Kit/13848639

which is four of them for $7! plus you get shock cord to play with.

[Caleidah]

Have her contact Rasheab. He runs a realm out there and can likely set her up with good contacts for supplies.

[Illano]

you can get this from walmart:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Coleman-Replacement-Tent-Pole-Kit/13848639

which is four of them for $7! plus you get shock cord to play with.

"Nevermind I want a tent"
"What kind of tent?"
"Kind with the most poles."

[Jevins]

Awesome. Thanks for the input everyone.

I figured converting such sticks might no be a waste of effort, but I hadn't enough experience with escrima sticks to make such a judgement.

Also, I will recommend the tent-poles and recommend that she contact Rasheab.

Thanks very much!

[Rasheab]

Just saw the thread. There are three realms currently in Hawaii:

The Honolulu group meets at the University of Hawaii Manoa (weekly weekday practices, with some weekend practices)
There is a smaller group in Kaneohe (couple of weekend practices a month)
And there is a new group starting up on the Big Island in Hilo.

Where is your friend living? And is she local or did she just move here?

That's exciting that she's dedicated enough that she was planning on starting a realm. (Enthusiastic people rock.)

[Illano]

oh wow how did i miss that
my brother and his wife live in wahiawa hawaii
30min northwest of honolulu
i'll have to send him there

[Rasheab]

Sweet; we would love to have them. The group at Manoa is a lot smaller during the summer (a bunch of people are off island), but personally it's been nice having the chance to work one-on-one.

And yeah, Wahiawa. It's up past Mililani. Near Wheeler AFB and Schofield barracks. I think one of our new folks is from up near there.

If they are potentially interested the easiest way to find practice info is to either sign up for Meetup.com (free) or the "Manoa Medieval Combat Club" Facebook group. If that's to much work I can PM you our contact info so you can pass it along.