A Historical Fencing School in Central PA
Did you want to learn how to use a sword? To have fun sword fighting with your friends?
Who we are: Sala Della Spada (the school of the sword) is a historical fencing school in Carlisle, PA.
What we do: We practice military sabre, rapier and dagger, dueling/smallsword, and the great sword (spadone/montante). We train how to use historical weapons, with a blend of traditional and modern methods.
Where are we? We are located near in Central PA, not far from Harrisburg, Mechanicsburg, and York.
If you are interested in historical fencing and are in Central Pennsylvania, come by and try it out!
Classes and Courses
Start Sword Fighting Today!
Tuesday 7:45-9:15pm
Friday 5:30-7:00pm
During our evening classes we train: sabre, dueling sword, and rapier.
$45/month for once a week, $65/month for twice a week.
Free to try a class out, $15 drop in fee for attending a class, $10 floor fee for bouting night.
Update: We currently have a waiting list for joining, if you are interested please message/call to be put on the list!
Book Your Spot
Once a week Classes
45$Every month- Attendance Once a Week for One Month
Twice a Week Classes
65$Every month- Attendance Twice a Week for One Month
Location
40 N. Hanover St
Carlisle, PA
(at the Kung fu Center)
Patrick Bratton
Instructor
Patrick Bratton is a certified instructor who blends historical fencing with modern training methods. He is a student of Chris Holzman and Andrew Bullock, both from the Santelli lineage of fencing. He has also trained with leading European instructors and competitors - Maestro Francesco Lodà, Maestro Ton Puey, and Maître Pinel de la Taule - and American instructors like Colin Chock, Maestro John Sullins, Maestro Frank Lurz, Professor Mark Donnelly, Provost William Byrne, Prévôt de Sabre Tony Alvarez, and Moniteur Kai Cummings.
Patrick specializes in Northern Italian military sabre and Southern/Neapolitan rapier and dueling sword. He also has an interest in all the Renaissance and early modern Italian and French weapons. He is one of the organizers and instructors at the annual American Smallsword Symposium. He is an active visiting instructor and competitor at various Historical Fencing and HEMA events. In 2022-23 he taught at the Cambridge Assault of Arms, SERFO, Brassfrog Assault of Arms, Funfecht, Athena School of Arms, Winston-Selem Fencing Academy, Academia Romana d'Armi (Italy), and was the lead instructor at Sabre Slash in Prague, the Czech Republic.
Memberships/Certifications:
Instructor of Arms, Sonoma State University Fencing Masters Program
Istruttore d'Arme I° lv, from the Associazione Italiana Maestri d'Arme (Italy)
Moniteur: Épée and Sabre, from the United States Fencing Coaches Association (USFCA).
Member HEMA Alliance
Professional Member of the United States Frencing Association (USFA)
Member USFCA
SafeSport Certified
Competitive History:
2018 Brassfrog Assault of Arms: Sabre Gold Medal
2018 Brassfrog Assault of Arms: Smallsword Gold Medal and Skill/Art Award
2018 American Smallsword Symposium: Gold Medal
2019 2nd Indes Sabre Invitational: Fourth Place and Technical Award
2019 Brassfrog Assault of Arms: Smallsword Skill/Art Award
2022 Cambridge Assault of Arms: Sabre First Place
2022 SERFO Sabre Invitational: Fifth Place
2022 Brassfrog Assault of Arms: Mixed Weapons Gold Medal
2022 Brassfrog Assault of Arms Smallsword Silver Medal
2022 Brassfrog Assault of Arms Overall Highest Skill/Art awards
2023 Arsenal Assault of Arms: Open Sabre: Gold Medal
2023 Arsenal Assault of Arms: Veteran Sabre: Gold Medal
2023 Brassfrog Assault of Arms: Sabre Bronze Medal
2023 Brassfrog Assault of Arms: Smallsword 4th Place, 3rd Highest Skill/Arts Points
2023 Aeternum Luctatio: Canadian Sidesword Championship: Single Sidesword Gold Medal
2023 Aeternum Luctatio: Canadian Sidesword Championship: Sidesword and Off-Hand Gold Medal
Required Equipment
Minimum Equipment Requirements
- Fencing mask
- Lightweight fencing jacket
- Glove
- Protective cup and/or chest protector
- Clean indoor atheletic shoes
For sabre and rapier: a rigid forearm and elbow protector, gorget, and a mask overlay are recommended.
We have limited club gear for beginning students.
After the first month, you should get a starter kit from Absolute Fencing/Force (AF), Blue Gauntlet, Zen Warrior, Leon Paul, etc.
Ordering through the school can get you a discount on AF gear.
We can give you advice on getting training weapons.
Weapons
The Sabre
One of our primary weapons is the 19th century Italian sabre. This was a curved weapon for both cut and thrust. It was both a military weapon used by the cavalry, and a civilian weapon used in dueling all the way to the 1920s.
Our style is based upon the system of Settimo del Frate and Giuseppe Radaelli as passed down by Italo and Giorgio Santelli and their students. The blade averaged about 32-34" inches in length, and weighed about 1.65bs.
The Sword (Spada)
Our other primary weapon, the spada (Italian for sword) takes two forms.
The first form is the later dueling sword of the 18th-19th centuries. This was a lighter weapon that is mostly thrust oriented, with a blade of 32-37" long. Primary texts include both Roman-Neapolitan works like Rosaroll-Scorza and Pietro Grisetti, and Masaniello Parise, and Northern works like Luigi Barbasetti.
The second form is the rapier of the late 17th century. This was a larger, cup hilt rapier with a 38-42" blade, that while a thrust oriented weapon, retained some cutting ability. For rapier, our focus is on the Roman-Neapolitan school of Francesco Marcelli.
Invite me to
Teach or
Lecture
Learn Historical Fencing
If you want to learn any of the historical fencing style we practice, you can invite me to run a class or workshop for your HEMA or fencing club. I've run classes and workshops at the Accademia Romana D'armi (Italy), Sabre Slash (Czech Republic), Nickel City Longsword (NY), SERFO (GA), Winston-Salem Fencing Academy (NC), Brassfrog (CT), and other clubs and events.
If you want a lecture or demonstration on the history of fencing, Italian or French fencing history, historical fencing, etc. we can also do that for your organization. We'e done lectures and demonstrations at Old Fort Niagara (NY), Fort Loudon (PA), Fall Furnace Days (PA), the Sons and Daughters of Italy (Central PA Chapter), and others.
Please contact for pricing and avaliblity
Virtual Lecture Series
on History and Theory of Italian Fencing
Maestro Ton Puey
History and Practice of the Montante/Spadone
May 9, 2021
Moniteur Chris Holzman
Cutting in Radaelli Sabre
March 9, 2021
Maxime Chouinard
Development of French Sabre
May 31, 2021
American Smallsword Symposium
Every year, we work with other great instructors and fencers to organize and teach at the American Smallsword Symposium. This event draws together national and international instructors and students of small and dueling sword for a weekend event.
The event was founded by the late Victor Markland and modeled after the Smallsword Symposium that takes place annually in Scotland.
Since 2021, we have been holding this at Carlyle House an 18th century mansion in historic Old Town Alexandria. This is a wonderful event that should not be missed!
Associated Clubs and Friends
There is great community of fencing in our region, across the country, and internationally.
Here is a list of clubs, schools and other organizations that we have connections with and recommend:
PENNSYLVANIA/REGIONAL:
Carlisle Fencing Club: Our dynamic local Olympic fencing club run by Tony Alvarez
Keystone Academy of Dueling and Swordsmanship: The school of the renowned Professor Mark Donnelly covers a wide variety of historical weapons
State College Association of Rapier Scholars (SCARS): Great group of people working both Spanish and Italian rapier
The American Smallsword Symposium: Annual event founded by the late Victor Markland, we participate annually in his wonderful event
Mid-Atlantic Society of Historical Swordsmanship (MASHS): Dynamic group of fencers and scholars in Annapolis, MD
NATIONAL:
Sword School Wichita (Kansas): The school of Chris Holzman, who teaches our instructor
Sala delle Tres Spade (Oregon): The school of Jim Tschen Emmons, fellow student of the Italo-Hungarian traditon and organizer of the Indes Sabre Invitational Tournament
Salle Honolulu (Hawaii): Run by Colin Chock, who got our instructor back into fencing
INTERNATIONAL:
Academia Romana d'Armi (Italy): The school of top international competitor Maestro Francesco Lodà. We study his style of Roman-Neapolitan rapier.
Academie da Espada (Spain): The School of Maestro Ton Puey. We follow his interpretation of the montante/spadone.
Salle Coudurier (France): Oldest fencing school in Paris
Ars Dimicatoria (Czech Republic): The Prague school of Michael Kňažko who does Barbasetti sabre
Bataitreacht and Historical Fencing Faction (Canada): Maxime Chouinard's French Sabre and Irish stick school
WHFC- Broadsword Academy Manitoba (Canada): Jay Maas' British Broadsword school
Niles' Fencing Academy (Canada): Bolognese fencing club of top fencer and coach Xian Niles
Code of Conduct
Fencing Safely and with Respect
Conduct and Positive Environment
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Address your training partners and coaches in a respectful way.
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Respect Carlisle Kung Fu Center's space, staff and students by staying off their equipment and out of restricted areas.
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Show respect and kindness to everyone in the building. Avoid swearing or foul language. We are here to train and fence and not argue about matters not related to fencing.
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Listen to and respect your instructors. Avoid crosstalk when they are speaking.
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Examples of behavior that are not respectful: interrupting or talking over instructors, interrupting or over-explaining during drills with training partners, using club gear inappropriately, borrowing gear without permission.
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No form of harassment, discrimination, or bullying will be tolerated at Sala della Spada.