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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Drifter Bob" data-source="post: 1758410" data-attributes="member: 17723">I agree with you two but I think ARMA carries the 'no edge parry' thing to an extreme.  The German masters said (I think Meyer says this quoting earlier masters) there were three levels of defense, the greatest level is to use master cuts ('miesterhau') to cut through your opponents line of attack while you cut them, the second level is to parry (or void, or deflect, or beat or bind or rediirect) and counter, and the third and lowest level is to merely parry without regaining initiative.Nevertheless, if you have done a lot of sparring, nobody wins 100% of their fights with 100% master cuts or even brilliant voids and counters.  It's a bad thing to take a blow on your blade and nick it, but if you have ever seen a test cutting demonstration with a real sword you know it's a VERY bad thing to take a blow on your body!Also, there are masters who advocate edge parries at least in certain circumstances, I could look up a few quotes if you don't believe that.  It's always hard to interpret precisely what was meant in those fechtbuchs.My personal belief is that the void, the beat, the bind, the master cut are all excellent tools, and even static parries when done should be taken at an angle, with some effort at deflection, whenever possible.  But sometimes if all you can do is parry edge on, or if that is what happened when you were trying to do something else, so be it.  Have a look at any live steel sword anyone including the most hard core ARMA guy has used in sparring, you'll find they are always nicked up.  It's going to happen a certain percentage of the time if your first priority is not getting hit.  DB(I'm happy to parry a strike with my pommel sometimes if thats what happens, it's better than not parrying!)</blockquote>

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