The Armour Archive

Mike F

So you want something combat rated, in something similar to an Okegawa or similar and constructed in the proper way or similar. I take it you've seen Effingham's site?

And my suggestion is Yoroi no Kozan-do. I bought my menpo from them and they do things absolutely right at very reasonable prices.

Mike F

Get a media blaster?

Mike F

Heh. It implies that the metal on the fingers contacts the weapon haft. Ugly as sin, but it means the force goes into the replaceable, unfeeling weapon, not the squishy blood-filled flesh balloons underneath the plates.

Beyond that, it seems to be slightly less hotly debated than Combat Archery.

Mike F

Both rock tumblers and brass tumblers spring to mind, although you might have to use more aggressive media in the brass cleaners. Here's an example: http://www.midwayusa.com/find?dimensionids=11893 If anyone has any media ideas, they'd be a better source than I am, but you have choices ranging from ...

Mike F

Keegan hit the points I noticed and then some. And it's not always an issue of quality, the last guy I saw with finger bucklers was either Chuck Davis or Aaron Toman. Some designs simply don't have the protection needed for blunt impact when you need to go to work the next day. It's a design comprom...

Mike F

Assuming you're going to do SCA work, are you planning on using a basket hilt? Finger gauntlets that don't ground out are notorious for injured hands. I did see little finger bucklers, though. Little strap shields on each set of fingers, and they supposedly made polearm work much safer. If you're go...

Mike F

My apologies for any strangeness with the thread. Clicked the wrong button with some spam cleanup. Please thank JT for noticing I'm an idiot.

Mike F

ksu25 wrote:
Mike F wrote:Did you mean to put this on the Classifieds board?
omg, I'm sorry, I messed up the section.... Сan you help me, to change it?

Of course. Good work on it, good to see more work coming out of Ukraine.

Mike F

Did you mean to put this on the Classifieds board?

Mike F

From Panzer Digest's Facebook feed Can you Link your ancestor to the Battle of Shrewsbury. I will be painting a scene of the battle and would like to include some known characters who have living descendants. If you can (a) Show proof of your ancestor being involved in the battle. (b) Show a picture...

Mike F

Ceramic armor shatters on impact. Kevlar's only rated for a single use. Infection, as we know, was extremely dangerous, this so was any breaking of the skin.

Sometimes once is enough.

Mike F

I think the nose and chin are likely the most difficult to form(integrally speaking).I am sure I have seen a photo of a nose that was made seperate and was riveted in place...somewhere on the Archive. As with most pattern making I find it better to cut big and trim off any excess.Keep us posted on ...

Mike F

Too bad my buddy's press is gone. Seems a hole in the market.

Mike F

The nose will be fun. You may want to weld the nose, jaw, and forehead together after forming. The shaping itself isn't particularly hard, and a few folds in the cheeks make all the difference.

Fine details, like wavy tiny markings are best done with layers of laquer paint.

Mike F

Thanks for the tip anyway. This is going to be one of those situations where I'll need all the tricks I can get.

Mike F

I get it, makes sense. You have any trouble with the short strokes, like across the top? That's what tended to get me.

Mike F

Not for the flat braid. If you have any tips, I'm very much open to hearing them. Although I found a neat trick with the paracord where I keep my finger in the loop and it either leads to a flat lace when I pull it taught or its only a half turn or so off. That saved me some real time.

Mike F

For lacing the boards? Gutted paracord. For the final lacing 3/8 flat middy braid.

For the actual lace, check out: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=168417&p=2564482&hi ... g#p2564482

Mike F

Six hours for the next board. Faster, but that appears to be a limit. At least once I finish this I can move to the steel components.

Mike F

Arming cap or suspension liner? And have you considered just quilting two pieces of sturdy cloth and either wearing it or attaching it to the helm? There could be some patterns for that, IIRC.

Mike F

Unless you have laced Japanese armor and fabric is mostly out of period.

Have you looked into dye sublimation? I don't know if you can do it at home . . .

Mike F

Have you tried lacquer? Powder coat is the typical answer on steel, but not so much for plastic.

Mike F

This is something like 12 hours of work. The dou alone will probably take another 40-60 hours, then come the kusazuri, the sode, and eventually I'll finish that kabuto.

Nowhere near happy with the time involved, but it is what it is if I want to get it done.

: IMG_20140820_000359.jpg (129.88 KiB) Viewed 1086 times

Mike F

Well, in the absence of loyal retainers, I guess I should get back to work. Thanks.

Mike F

Are they still legal in some kingdoms?

Mike F

So, I'm on hour two of the initial lacing of a single board, and I'm less than a quarter the way through. Am I missing something, or is this really the timeframe I should be expecting?

Mike F

I miss Thaden, too. I need to spend more time on the armor board here! I get to see all the great folk again, if only in text!

Mike F

Compound curves may be difficult with leather, but if you increase the curve in those pieces they should look very nice. A well made cap on the sode (one with the lip which would allow for a more rigid upper lame) would make them look much more finished. Also, that applies to any rigid part of the a...

Mike F

The thing I most admire about Ugo is (aside from his ability to push metal around into unlikely shapes) his sense of graphic design. He has an ability to make his stuff pop out and grab your eyes in a way that makes it particularly good for film (when they have the sense to use him!). I saw him des...

Mike F

FYI, my HF shear was much improved by shoving a thin copper strip in the teeth to take up some of the slop. Things need a lot of TLC, but they're great starters.

Mike F

Ugo, you realize this is the sort of thing which makes you a living Negroli, right? In 2530 someone's gonna have a forum asking how they can make armor that looks like yours. Glad to have had to the honor to speak to you in person. Stunning work. Can't wait to see not only how this all comes togethe...

Mike F

Sean, you are correct. The use of the terminology in the firearms and knifemaking disciplines is wrong, but that is the terminology they use, thus my caveat.

Mike F

Case hardening (the coloring process, not the hardening process which was similar before modern methodology) gives these colors, but the problem is, as stated, it is very thin. Unless you can find an impact resistant varnish, it will wear off in fairly short order under impact and articulation.

Mike F

Neat, thanks!

Mike F

What would be the difference between a sleeve and a voider in this context?

Re: Who is making samurai armour?

Re: Deburring tumbler

Re: 16g hourglass finger gauntlets Ukraine vs India

Re: Deburring tumbler

Re: 16g hourglass finger gauntlets Ukraine vs India

Re: 16g hourglass finger gauntlets Ukraine vs India

Re: The start of a Journey: professional armouring

Re: Medieval Helmet BASCINET with hidden face protection 57-

Re: Medieval Helmet BASCINET with hidden face protection 57-

Shrewsbury Genealogy

Re: "3,900 year old suit of bone armour unearthed" - Siberia

Re: Jap helm mempo patterns thoughts ideas...

Re: Making Karacena Armor, seeking advice on the scales

Re: Jap helm mempo patterns thoughts ideas...

Re: Kozane timeframe

Re: Kozane timeframe

Re: Kozane timeframe

Re: Kozane timeframe

Re: Kozane timeframe

Re: Arming Cap pattern needed

Re: ways to keep paints on armor from chipping

Re: ways to keep paints on armor from chipping

Re: Kozane timeframe

Re: Kozane timeframe

Re: Where might one pick up spun tops?

Kozane timeframe

Re: Link to Ugo's super seeecret project- aka-The Ugroli upd

Re: First attempts

Re: Link to Ugo's super seeecret project- aka-The Ugroli upd

Re: First Helmet Tips

Re: Link to Ugo's super seeecret project- aka-The Ugroli upd

Re: Heat coloring steel

Re: Heat coloring steel

Re: Tailored Mail Sleeve (à la Mac) in progress

Re: Tailored Mail Sleeve (à la Mac) in progress