The hockey stick from heck

As anyone who's encountered me in the last six months knows, I got myself a new sword for Christmas: a 40" Alchem with as much curve as I could get. The responses I've gotten to the sword haven't been mixed, so much as polarized. Although the majority of responses seem to be at one end of the spectrum.

Almost no one's response to the sword has been meh. Everyone seems to either love it (the majority) or hate it (Yes, there are a few). Okay, that's not quite true. There are quite a few people up here who hate it - or at least hate fighting against it. That's probably the most common response, "I hate that #$%^ thing! Where can I get one?" The scary part is that that's against someone who doesn't really know how to effectively use a curved blade.

I think the most interesting part is the reaction I've gotten from armored fighters who've played with it. Now, the usual reaction of a heavy being handed a rapier (even my 36") is a look of confusion, followed by a fairly meh response. Not with this thing. Oh, you still get that initial look of confusion ("Why does this wire weenie think I'd care?"), but it's followed by a look of concern as they realizing they're starting to have unnatural feelings towards a rapier, and finally, a big, ear-to-ear grin.

You see, the Hockey Stick from Heck (so dubbed by Don Adam, one of the sword's first victims) not only looks like a sword, but it balances like a sabre (no, it's NOT a scimitar) should and it's approaching the weight of what a sword should be. When you hold it, you know it wasn't meant for thrusting. You feel it wanting to slice and cut and get in close. Or, as one knight put it, "I couldn't use this. Someone would get hurt. I'd use it the way you're supposed to."

Which leads to my problem: how do I use a sabre as a sabre, but still fight legally and safely? I mean lopping off body parts is pretty frowned upon by the SCA, at least in the rapier community. Sure, I can keep using it as a standard rapier, but even that's got its problems. The tip is 4" to the left of where it should be, for starters. What I need to do is find a manual on sabre (period, preferably) and try and modify that for positive pressure.

The only problem is that I'm not sure where to begin. What would be a good style? Kendo? Kali? Sabre? All of those are edge-intensive forms, but which would work best? And where do I even find the manuals?

Anyone have any ideas?