Quarterstaff FAQ
n.b. This Frequently Asked Questions list is being compiled from the most
oft asked questions heard concerning the English Quarterstaff. There are
answered by Kelvin Saxton, instructor and primary researcher for the Bellingham
Quarterstaff Association. There is an even mix of fact and opinion here.
If you are unsure of which is which, please feel free to email Kelvin
and ask!
And please... feel free to email your questions, we'll post them here!
1. "OK, I give up. What's all the fuss about quarterstaff vs. halfstaff?" or "Why movies that contain staff play suck!"
2. "How far back does this tradition go? I want to learn
medieval quarterstaff!"
3. "How does English Quarterstaff play relate to modern
sport fencing?" or "So why do you hate the Victorians so much?"
4. "I'm a bit on the small side, as humans go. Can I still
fight effectively with the staff?"
5. "What type of wood should my staff be made of?"
6. "Why can't I go play quarterstaff in the SCA?" or
"What they don't know, won't hurt them, right?"
7. "A Shaolin monk and Robin Hood have at it with staves,
who's gonna win?"
1. "OK, I give up. What's all the fuss about quarterstaff vs. halfstaff?" or "Why movies that contain staff play stink!"
OK, here's the drill. In the oldest martial texts about the staff, the
weapon we are speaking of is variously called the staff, staffe, shortstaff,
balkstaff, or tipstaff. Silver seems to prefer calling it the short staff.
That's the weapon. Modern convention though, has fallen to calling the
weapon, the Quarterstaff. Even those of us at the BQA and other folks
who should know better.
Quarter-staff and Half-staff are two different methods of handling the
short staff. Divide a short staff into quarters, now hold your hands on
either side of the quarter mark near one end. That's the quarter-staff
grip. Hold your hands on either side of the half mark, that's the half-staff
grip. Half-staff is what you see in every movie you've ever seen with
"English" staff play in it. Even *snif* Eryll Flynn is guilty
of it!
Seems that quarterstaffing was the preferred method in the Elizabethan
age and probably before. Swetnam does mention halfstaffing but appears
to scoff at it in a "Wok their hands and your done!" sort-of-way.
Half-staffing did come more into vogue as professional gladiators began
to take to the stages in Elizabethan England. The smaller stage made half-staffing
a necessity. Besides, no one is arguing that it doesn't look cool and
a big part of these combats was entertainment. Same as the modern, sucky,
movies.
2. "How far back does this tradition go? I want to learn medieval
quarterstaff!"
The English Quarterstaff method taught at the BQA is a mix of received,
traditional, techniques and techniques gleaned from Elizabethan martial
art manuals. So technically, about 1600 is all we can make a claim for.
There just aren't many hints at what was happening before that. Unfortunately
the staff, though practiced by peasants and nobility alike, didn't receive
the kind of attention that sword play did.
Silver is generally acknowledged as being quite "old school"
and conservative in his works. He strongly advocates an older method of
sword play in the same treatise where he discusses the short staff. I
can only hope this means his staff play also points back to the medieval
methods. But that's a hope that can't (yet) be substantiated.
But hey! 400 years is not that bad at all...
3. "How does English Quarterstaff play relate to modern sport
fencing?" or "So why do you hate the Victorians so much?"
Now now, I don't hate the Victorians. I actually quite like much about
the Victorian age, and they are responsible for keeping interest in the
short staff alive. They did this by moving it out of the fields and into
the fencing studio. They weren't the first to do this but the Victorian
fencers did put a strong mark on the style.
They too easily discounted the Elizabethan and Medieval styles as "primitive."
Quarter-staffing fell almost completely by the way, and half-staffing
became the norm. I do regret that they "put aside" much of the
received tradition in the name of progress.
To answer the question about quarterstaff play and sport fencing brings
us to the Victorians as well. They firmly set staff play within the realm
of modern fencing. One of the biggest disservices done was to move to
the already set form of the broadsword target regions. Much to much of
the timing and measure of sport fencing has been introduced as well.
I will happily contradict myself here though and say that at least one
Victorian text on the Quarterstaff does focus on quarterstaffing and is,
in fact, quite good. This is the Broadsword
and Singlestick - with Chapters on Quarter-staff, Bayonet, Cudgel, Shillalah,
Walking Stick, Umbrella and other Weapons of Self Defence",
Allanson-Winn, R.G. and C. Phillipps-Wolley, London : George Bell &
Sons. 1st edition, 1898.
4. "I'm a bit on the small side, as humans go. Can I still fight
effectively with the staff?"
Not to worry. I've found the short staff to be the trusted friend of the
small. Even Master Silver, who was very pragmatic about these things,
noted that each player should have a staff proportional to their height.
Why was this? At first go it might seem obvious that the person with the
longer weapon has the advantage. Silver himself says as much. By insisting
on a proportional staff though, he is also admitting that having a weapon
that can be handled with skill, making good use of time, will serve one
better than a over-long weapon.
As I only stand 5' 10" (178 cm) I am not a tall or largely muscled
man by any measure. I have found, however, that I am at less of a disadvantage
against taller opponents when playing with the staff than at other weapons
such as the broadsword or long sword. I also find that, although combat
with the staff is relatively simple, in that it has fewer techniques to
learn, that brings a bigger advantage to the player who has the better
skill.
5. "What type of wood should my staff be made of?"
The quick answer is "Any wood you can find of the correct size."
Far from being snarky, I mean this answer seriously. It is more important
to spend time learning how to handle the thing than the material it is
made of. A lot of discussion has been had as to the proper weight, sproingyness,
hardness, etc. If that discussion had instead focused on angle of attack,
timing and the like, these would be much better staff players.
If you have a moment and some funds, you can buy or make a good staff
though. You can simply drag something out of the woods and let it cure
for a year. You risk it splitting and being quite irregular in shape though.
Looks real cool and rustic but the first time you drag your palm across
a knot you'll be headed for the lumber store. I would recommend a smoothed
dowel as it makes it easier to shift your hand position and slide your
staff off and around your opponents for the quick thrust. Look for sturdy
hardwoods like hickory or oak. Round off the ends, give it a good sanding
and a coat or two of boiled linseed oil. It'll serve for years.
6. "Why can't I go play quarterstaff in the SCA?" or "What
they don't know, won't hurt them, right?"
The answer is, you can play quarterstaff in the SCA, you just can't tell
them that's what it is. Every technique but one (a weapon grab) listed
in Silver is SCA legal.
What you cannot get away with is half staffing. People get all freaky
about it. Trust me, you don't want to try it anyway. You are way too close
to people who want to hit you... hard. :-)
Pad the last foot of an eight foot length of rattan, add a soft thrusting
tip and call it a "spear," and you can do all the quarterstaffing
you'd like.
7. "OK, a Shaolin monk and Robin Hood have at it with staves,
who's gonna win?"
Ah, the answer is simple Grasshopper. The Shaolin monk will win because
Chinese movies with staff play in them don't suck. Really though, who
knows? I can say the Shaolin better have a hardwood staff rather than
bamboo. And Robin better be able to move it, fast. I can't answer but
I'd love to watch it.
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