The Armour Archive

Keegan Ingrassia

At the lowest drape of the hose, there towards the back of his leg...is that a pair of ties? Or a drawstring to cinch the top of the hosen around the leg after they're pulled up, perhaps...?

Keegan Ingrassia

Much like hrolf, I only grip the hammer with thumb and forefinger. Just before striking the metal, I squeeze with my other three fingers to "snap" it down against the metal. I also let the hammer bounce back upwards, taking the work out of lifting it for another strike. Keeping your elbow tucked clo...

Keegan Ingrassia

Nah, it sounds like it was a klapp that popped off it's center-top mount.

Keegan Ingrassia

That's...weirdly specific. Most armor thefts are crimes of opportunity; a duffle bag in the back of an open pickup bed, exposed crate in a backseat...

Keegan Ingrassia

Cap'n Atli.

Keegan Ingrassia

As an aside, I went looking for pictures of the process KtR was describing with the tacks...if you search on the forum (link in upper right corner of the site) for "upholstery tack" or "brigandine" you'll find dozens of threads in the past on this exact project. Knowledge is power, learn from the mi...

Keegan Ingrassia

I've got an ancient desk-mounted cast iron Singer, so I'm not in the market, but that's a nice machine you've got. Old, solid machines like that are invaluable, especially for quilted garments.

Keegan Ingrassia

Pretty! And you also shaved the blade angular with a draw-knife?

Keegan Ingrassia

I could be mistaken, but common practice and my experience is no, CoPs are also peened on the inside, with the rivet head to the outside. That's because the wide, flat head sits against your fabric/leather, preventing the rivet from pulling through, while the solid plate to the inside is peened agai...

Keegan Ingrassia

I think, depending on your final write-up, that I'll be using the Break Free. It sounds like a solid product, and if it's dry to the touch I'd happily reapply it a week sooner than these other items. +1 to your suggestion of wax for solid plates, too. I've had excellent results with it for both long...

Keegan Ingrassia

Yeah, stainless is proud of itself...It's a trade-off, really. Mild is less expensive and easier to work, but the trade-off is weight and rust. Since they're going to be on the inside, you can paint them to prevent rust. As to the nail heads, the general size isn't as important as the shape. A wide,...

Keegan Ingrassia

That's not a flame. That is an earnest plea to make a cohesive kit. In the long run, it will save you time and money. Pieces that are at least within the same century and continent of each other tend to work better together. Now, if your motivation is a "get me on the field with what I've already go...

Keegan Ingrassia

Two wrongs, or seventy-three wrongs, don't make a right. It's true that some people don't bother to make an effort at a historical period, satisfied with pulling elements together from the span of 800 years and six countries. Please, don't be that kind of person.

Keegan Ingrassia

They're thicker than they should be, that's for sure. I'd have used 24g stainless, if I could, but the thinnest I had on hand when I started these was 18g mild. Would have helped smooth out the transitions in the overall shape, but I can sand and polish to soften that. There's plenty of meat to sink...

Keegan Ingrassia

I fully agree on all points, Aussie. I'm not sure how I'm going to move the articulation points...I haven't tried it, but I might be able to move enough metal around to close up the holes. As far as decoration, here's the original drawings. http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6203/6119759214_72204a62a1_z...

Keegan Ingrassia

Thanks for the feedback, Mac! I appreciate it.

Once I get home, I'll get out my pad and do a proper full-sized study, instead of the "back of the napkin" picture above.

Keegan Ingrassia

Delicious! I could stare at these for days.

Keegan Ingrassia

Lucian , thank you. I really appreciate that. It's been a ton of work, but we've also been seriously blessed in the last six months...and that's not a phrase I throw around. Folcric , thanks, but I just got out of a rent house whose floor was so bad you could have made it into a miniature golf cour...

Keegan Ingrassia

I was noodling this exact project for my best friend two years ago. If having a metal surface is paramount, we determined that with extensive welding and piecing, you could fabricate something that looked pretty good. As RoundTop stated, it would need a whole system underneath the skin to hold it ou...

Keegan Ingrassia

Nicely done, Mac. And easily reversible to reconnect, too. Are you not going to need his arms above the elbow to accurately position the pauldrons?

Keegan Ingrassia

I did Mac, but I realized it's been three years since Wade first linked them here. I actually have several of those printed out for reference. Looking at the Chartres sabaton remnant, I immediately see...many things wrong with my sabaton. Too thick of metal, but I already knew that. An awful, modern...

Keegan Ingrassia

So, I'm working on the upper plate...and its giving me fits. The anticlastic curve up the ankle...the slightly flatter arch over the foot, rising to a sharper curve around the ankle...the cupping in along either side...it was less controlled shaping, and more randomly smacking at the metal and tossi...

Keegan Ingrassia

Well, I used the exact method you're describing to make a set of steel greaves. http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=139024&p=2080091&hilit=greaves&sid=11adb2c9e0a9713d6f20aa23e68d4250#p2080091 No reason you can't do the same for leather and splints. Wet form the leather, of co...

Keegan Ingrassia

Just wanted to say thanks again for posting this here. After getting to peruse their collection gallery, I've seen several pieces that will help with upcoming projects, like several brig plates that will help inform the construction of a corrazina, a lovely long-sleeved mail shirt, a few late period...

Keegan Ingrassia

Another day, another bit of progress. Next lame patterned, cut out, and fit up. After about the third go-round with using paper to pattern a lame, I tossed that and grabbed the tape. Piecing it together along the surface of the 4th lame, I made sure that the entire edge had a comfortable 1/8" overla...

Keegan Ingrassia

The website lists the price at 39.99. What's your definition of small number of punchouts? The HF stuff is always hit or miss on tool quality, but my punch dies have held up well for years now. However, the actual handle frame is junk...I've actually bent pieces of the leverage action trying to punc...

Keegan Ingrassia

Wow, that looks fantastic! Good job on the rest of the kit too, by the way.

Keegan Ingrassia

Hey look, an actual post about armor! With the tools now sitting just across the backyard, I finally was able to pull out the pieces that have been languishing. Note to self: install lighting in the shed...sunset puts a heavy restriction on work time. I figured that until I have the workspace better...

Keegan Ingrassia

Thanks for the heads up! Can't wait to look through their collection.

Keegan Ingrassia

I was in Michael's with my wife a couple weekends ago. While she browsed the cake decorating stuff, I wandered over to the metal/jewelry section...and found this. https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2936/14218237624_d264f9b74a.jpg Anyone actually tried this thing? It is actually $10 less than the knockof...

Keegan Ingrassia

Another update post. I was able to pick up my tools this weekend...for the first time in over three years, my tools are within an hour of where I'm living. I need to build a rolling rack for my hammers and stakes still, but the fact that I can actually get to my tools and projects is huge. Progress ...

Keegan Ingrassia

CoP made from an old keg, 20oz Rocky Mountains splinted legs, pop tab aventail...

Keegan Ingrassia

Two posts up, Rowan. Link to both pdf and sketchup plans.

Keegan Ingrassia

Wow...

Keegan Ingrassia

A forstner bit would be my ideal; they cut clean, and the center divot isn't nearly as deep as the one left by a spade bit. That said, an auger bit might give you a cleaner cut than the spade bit, depending on whether your spade bit has a spur on the outer edge to score the wood and keep it from spl...

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Re: STOLEN ARMOUR

Re: Why can't we all just get a long…ship?

Re: Coat of Plates Type 4 / Brigadine

Re: FS: Vintage Viking Sewing Machine

Re: Show us your best lookng SCA weapons

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Re: Coat of Plates Type 4 / Brigadine

Re: Coat of Plates Type 4

Re: A vision of a dream - help me perfect my kit

Re: A vision of a dream - help me perfect my kit

Re: A vision of a dream - help me perfect my kit

Re: Better than the first pair!!

Re: A vision of a dream - help me perfect my kit

Re: Is something like this possible?

Re: Dusting off the cobwebs

Re: A vision of a dream - help me perfect my kit

Re: A vision of a dream - help me perfect my kit

Re: "Is this stupid" pre project post

Re: The Met has opened it collection of digital photos

Re: A vision of a dream - help me perfect my kit

Re: New source for knockoff Roper-Whitney 5jr?

Re: Review of my new Vrin Thomasino laser cut grill

Re: A vision of a dream - help me perfect my kit

Re: The Met has opened it collection of digital photos

New source for knockoff Roper-Whitney 5jr?

Re: A vision of a dream - help me perfect my kit

Re: AAA armorer Stamp??

Re: Mac's new chest. More than meets the eye.

Re: Dusting off the cobwebs

Re: Medieval Pavilion- drilling the hub holes