I can see that. Still I was hoping to meet with some historical fencers too, but that might have been expecting too much for my first trip.
I’m going to ask some of the SCA fighters directly next time around see if they can steer me in the right direction.
From an SCA fencer:
Cappo Ferro, 17th century Italian master, mostly linear style.
Sigmund Ringeck: German fechtbuch, aware of it, but I havn't really studied it much.
Prefer Saviolo and Marazzo myself.
Hi Kinthalis, you probably figured that I would wander in here sooner or later.
As for the SCA, yes there is indeed much more emphisis on period study and technique in the SCA as of late. There is, however a gap between the Rattan comunity and the Fencing comunity as to the actual degree of period study involved. While both are valid martial arts (or at least sports), SCA fencing has begun in recent years to take a much more scholarly approach. In Certain Kingdoms, the Rattan comunity has begun to follow. So I am willing to bet that I could find more than a few of the local Rattan fighters who have read Ringeck.
As for Kendo, yep it's definitly a sport, much like modern fencing. Like modern fencing, while it is based on a system of swordplay, it has diverged from those roots.
Tried it once, didn't have the time to continue it along with other activites. Is it fun? Heck yeah, just don't expect the techniques to be much help if you are attacked by Ninjas.
Sweetums
Sweetums won’t you consider moving to Jersey?! 
A word of advice…
If you’re (then) Japanese foreign exchange student girlfriend asks you to “play” Kendo with her, make sure to ask her if she was ranked as one of the best in her perfecture in highschool. Then ask her if she intends to break the Shinai over your head in the first 15 seconds of “play”.
If the answer to either question is “yes”, politely decline the offer. I speak from experience :smack:
Thanks for the complement!
Or YOU could move to Western Pa.
Rolling hills, woodlandss lots of people to fence with. There are quite a few SCA fencers in about a 200 mile radius of Pittsburgh. Within a two hour drive there are five different groups. Fencers from each group reguraly attend each other's practices and share lessons and observations. There really is a strong and thriving period fencing comunity around here.
Ya see, it's all part of my cunning plan to amass my own private army and...
FENCE WITH EACH OTHER
Bwah ha ha…
That and fight ninjas…
…darn ninjas.
I did Kendo for about a year. It started out quite fun, but the moves are really limited. Really, there are only 3 strikes and minor variations of the same that are valid. Fortunately the yelling, though encouraged, is optional. It is fun hitting people with the sticks, and it hurts a bit to get hit yourself so it’s pretty macho in that regard. Course, I had crappy second hand armor so that might not have helped in the protection bit.
Learning the kata’s were fun, but ulimately the limited moves got boring so I quit.
If you want to hit someone with sticks and generally have a good time, try Kali or if that isn’t available try escrima. Both of these use rattan sticks either alone or in pairs and the attacks and defenses are taught in a manner that allows you to learn quickly.
I tried Kendo for a few months but, like many of the people here, found it boring as hell. I tried a few of the counters from Kali in the class but was promptly informed that those techniques were for use by someone in a street fight whereas Kendo was a Japanese gentleman’s sport.
Regards
Testy