We used Cold Steel's training bowies and other hard rubber training knives for years, and after several rounds of begging, Lynn Thompson of Cold Steel made rondels for us.
The blade offers a high level of flex near the tip while remaining strong near the hand. Most HEMA rondel techniques work great. A few techniques that require stiffness along the whole blade will not, but that's the trade-off for having the safety of the flex.
Some people find the decorative points on the hilt to be a little scratchy (the wooden prototype had rounded points but this got simplified in the computer model for the mold). One minute with a file will soften these a lot though.
Cold Steel
Cold Steel Rubber Medieval Training Dagger
Regular price
$11.00
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If you are looking to simulate the cutting edges and blade width of a "knightly" style dagger -- also called the "sword-hilted dagger" -- this is a great alternative to the rondel trainer. Although both the point and the flex are slightly less friendly than the rondel, they are within range for similar knife and dagger trainers. Padded clothing is recommended, and of course eye protection is a must.
