by Sir Anastasia » Mon Jun 16, 2014 10:29 pm
I agree with your hypothetical Thurat. If the thing on the core doesn't feel like padding, then it isn't padding. Doesn't really matter if you can't feel the core - the idea is to have it padded to prevent injury in case of incidental contact. If it is so hard that it could cause an injury, then it isn't properly padded.
For example, I can't take 3 layers of foam, super compress and wrap them up tight on the core and say it has 3 layers on the flat! You can't fail it because it has so much padding! When I know * well that it doesn't give and it will probably sideline someone if they get a hit from it, especially considering it is the flat of a weapon. Some areas are very unlikely to hit someone incidentally and often we see a graduated approach to the amount of incidental padding because of it. Flats are probably the MOST likely to hit anyone - they are adjacent to the striking surface. They have the greater burden for having incidental padding, similar to the top of flail hafts, tops near glaives, ect. Lastly, I'll say I have seen a few different types of these boxes and all are not created equal. Some I absolutely love and think are amazing new tech - but there are also other blends that do not feel the same and have nearly no give. This doesn't mean all types are bad, or good, or anything, just that we have to check all weapons no matter who makes them or sells them.
I'd argue a weapon can hypothetically fail the letter by having padding be dangerously hard and it certainly fails the spirit of the law if we suspect it of being able to cause injury. Frankly, incidental padding shouldn't be hard at all...because it is supposed to be PADDED.
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