The Armour Archive

Aaron

We have reports due? I've been on the AA for almost three years and haven't handed in a report!! I'm due to get the ruler across my knuckles big time!

Aaron

Sinric, Thanks! And by the way, thanks again for the great patterns! The first arm I made works great (the second needs some fine-tunning to avoid "gaposis"). You truly make it easier for the beginner. After making that first arm it sat in the front seat of my car for nearly three weeks...and at eve...

Aaron

It's 18 ga mild steel, bent into a cylinder.

-Aaron

Aaron

Howdy,

I've blackened steel with oil, but this is rather a hit-or-miss process. So, how do YOU do it?

-Aaron

PS: I'm using 30 gallons of salad oil and ashes as my quenching solution.

Aaron

Howdy,

If you quench something in oil I've heard that it quenches "slower" so you get a better quench.

Now, do you quench in water or oil...or bad beer

... and how well did it work on hardening the steel? Any comments?

-Aaron

Aaron

I'm working with mild steel, and using a wood fired forge to introduce carbon...based off of the Robert Valentine's video and his comments of "placing the steel in a wood fire to case harden it."

-Aaron

Aaron

Howdy,

I my "How to work with steel" book I came across a referance for using 3/4 cup tannic acid to 1 quart water to blacken steel. Now, has anyone used this process, or do you know if it helps the steel resist rusting?

-Thank you again for your time,

Aaron

PS: This forge stuff is FUN!!!

Aaron

Howdy, I oil quenched two articulated arms. One was heated up to below the temperture where it "colors". The other was heated to "orange". When I placed both over a piece of rattan and took a step-in, baseball-swing strike with 6 ft of untapped, 1.5 inch diameter rattan, there was a small crease mad...

Aaron

Howdy,

What color (temperture) should the steel be to case harden it?

I'm quenching in oil.

-Aaron

Aaron

What is scale?

Is it iron from the steel? Is it carbon from the heat source?

Are my articulated arms getting thinner because I cooked them too much (orange heat) in my new brick forge, and they started to scale...even when quenched in oil?

Help! Please!

-Thank you for your time,

Aaron

Aaron

Loren Patterson, a local blacksmith, taught me how. That, and looking at referances in the library. If I have to go overseas to Korea or something, rivetted mail is what I'll do. I can't bring an entire metal-working shop with me, but I can bring all I need for rivetted mail. It's just time, and fru...

Aaron

How about researching the "War of the Roses" period? If you like armour of that period, you might like the history too. On Chef's wolf-argent website: www.wolfeargent.com And the Fire Stryker UBB at: www.wolfeargent.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi There are some great links to the culture, politics and g...

Aaron

I never win anyways!! Of course I'd keep fighting! It would increase my odds by 50%!!

Aaron

Third! Wow!! Now, WHO made it?

-Aaron

Aaron

http://www.medieval.co.nz/ Now why can't the SCA even CONSIDER combats with steel? I'm talking exhibition matches (not a steel Crown Tourney...rhinohiding could get the rhino's killed!). Here are some nice pictures: http://www.medieval.co.nz/images/Man2001/Manakau-10.jpg http://www.medieval.co.nz/D...

Aaron

Marcidius, It is a long drive, but might I suggest contacting Clay (Prince of Darkmoore) at Darkmoore Armoury in Salinas, CA? It's 200 miles, but if you talk to Clay, bring some supplies (like heavy canvas or leather, some scrap steel, etc...) I think you and he could pound out a realistic rig over ...

Aaron

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Jean Paul de Sens: 2) Why would it have been dishonorable? Was it a legal target? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Yes, it is legal. But, I would have a good chance of crushing...

Aaron

Well, I'd better find some thinner material to make the thrusting tip out of. I'm now in agreement with the detractors. While, yes, according to the rules the spear tip I made is legal...it's only legal at certain temperatures. I walked out the shop this morning (~30 degrees Farienheit) and busted u...

Aaron

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Jean Paul de Sens: If you're having trouble getting shots called with spears (or other thrusting tips) there's something wrong. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Yes, and within the pub...

Aaron

Wow, somebody thought about this before I did! Duh!

http://sabletower.homestead.com/files/thrust.html

Aaron

Ohhhh.... Go to the library and review a book on Renaissance art! There will tons of great references. I recently checked out "The Wars of the Roses" by Hallam and Trevor-Roper from the library and it's been a great reference -- and a great read about all the problems that happened. The history is r...

Aaron

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Richard Blackmoore: We should not hit them if they are dead and try to push through our line. We should gang tackle them, strip them naked, pour honey on them and stake them ov...

Aaron

If you yanked those who loudly proclaim their helm-damaging victories we would loose half the peerage. This may not be a bad thing, but the peerage runs the show. Now, should you yank the person with the 16 ga mild helm? No, it is SCA legal and shouldn't be hit so hard that it collapses. I can "hear...

Aaron

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Alcyoneus: Morgan, I just had an evil thought! Make the point on your spear just a little convex... <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> http://www.armourarchive.org/ubb/wink.gif What a wo...

Aaron

Now, the mud-flap gives "progressively". In that, the first 1/4 inch gives with minimal effort (one hand), the next 1/4 gives with some more effort, etc... Basicly, as the mud flap collaspes, it collapses in on itself and increases the resistances "progressively" on an exponential scale. The tip hit...

Aaron

Bedlam,

Good point. But how can you make a spear shot feel like a sword shot?

When is the last time you've seen somebody take a spear shot to the body, and accept it?

-Aaron

Aaron

With my bare hands, I can make the tip give progressively -- it requires some effort. I also shaped some 18 ga vambraces this weekend with my hands...(by shaping them onto a pipe...no hammer marks, and it's faster!). My complaint is that thrusts are almost universally ignored, while overpowering swo...

Aaron

Should we change the way spears are made the SCA? Given: People have dented 12 gauge stainless steel helms with one-handed sword shots, and there is concern that 16 gauge mild helms are not durable enough. Given: We should be attacking as if the person was wearing a rivetted mail halberk, Norman-con...

Aaron

A "bump" to help the unemployed... May the Lord shower you in money (preferably paper bills rather than pennies...those hurt!!

)

Aaron

Howdy, I'm looking for a price quote for rivetted mail (per square inch if you can). No particular pattern. I'm looking to put rivetted mail in the armpits and inner elbows of the arming coats for my wife and me. This is not intended to shed blows in the SCA...it's intended to make the suit "period ...

Aaron

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Steve -SoFC-: "It's the only picture, but we don't look much better than we did 30 plus years ago" Are you kidding? Looks vastly different to me. Just look at the helms for...

Aaron

Have we improved any?

This is from the last Crown Tourney in the West:

http://history.westkingdom.org/Year35/Photos/MC03.htm

It's the only picture, but we don't look much better than we did 30 plus years ago.

Bummer.

Aaron

Aaron

Often spear shots are "shed" by fighters. They just don't accept them. When the armour is finished (now isn't that a common comment?... http://www.armourarchive.org/ubb/wink.gif ) I've got a spear that may work. You need 2-3 inches progressive give (I think) according to the rules. So, I took a semi...

Aaron

At the web-site: http://history.westkingdom.org/Year6/Photos/OC7.htm There are TONS of ancient pictures of tournaments in the West (SCA). The picture I've highlighted shows what's changed, and what has not. Lysander of Sparta is in an EXCELLENT outfit...but I've never heard of him again. Duke Paul o...

Aaron

It figures. Craig would anticipate these questions: from: http://www.eskimo.com/~cwn/faq.html On the close helm and armet what is the purpose of the post (or rod) with a metal disc on it? The purpose of the post and rondel (disc) on the original helm was to hold up the strap for a wrapper (neck guar...

BEG: How do you blacken steel with oil?

BEG: Oil quenching vs. water quenching...?

BEG: Does treating steel with tannic acid (to blacken it) he

BEG: Is this an armour failure, or success?

BEG: At what temperture (color) should steel be to case hard

BEG: What is scale, chemically?

This is an interesting steel group...

Should we change the way spears are made the SCA?

Could I get a price quote for rivetted mail?

Old pictures are worth seeing....