The Armour Archive

Vladimir

While I generally prefer the idea of counted blows, I can see why some would argue against it. Especially in melee. We have people out there who can't seem to count up to one good shot, let alone 3 or 5. As a standard, perhaps this might work to satisfy the masses... 1. A good shot with a one-handed...

Vladimir

I don't have a mandrake one, but I have never had a problem with my Otter's Den hilt. In fact, many marshals complement me on it.

Vladimir

The pressure to dump the historical for a sports edge isn't limited to knights and their squires. I'm not squired, nor am I in the top percentileof fighters, so I probably don't get anywhere near the kind of pressure that many of you do. However, even so I have been told by knights that I should try...

Vladimir

Adam, are you back in business now or still on the injured list?

My buds and I still want to get a custom job for a friend of ours as a gift.

Vladimir

I don't think this would be an issue, but since you were doing some research anyway I thought I might add this in. Oxygen is highly toxic to many forms of life, at least here on earth. Mostly bacterial, but breathing concentrated oxygen will even poison a human. That, in addition to its explosive qu...

Vladimir

I have always been under the impression that our assumed helmet is a norman conical with a nasal. When the rules were written I am pretty sure the powers that be were using helmet, helm, etc interchangably I know of very, very few helmets that are open face with a nasal and also have sides and a bac...

Vladimir

William, contact some people down in Black Diamond. It isn't far from you. Unless they changed their schedules there is practice on Tuesday evenings in Roanoke and Sunday afternoons in Blacksburg. Tell them Baron Vlad sent you and sends his regards. I know the current baron is a heavy fighter, and t...

Vladimir

you couldn't pay me to wear a 16 gauge helmet for SCA combat.

Vladimir

Don't get the acorn right now, but mine expired in October.

Vladimir

As much as I appricate having time to get to an event and set up, I too think it is crazy that we wait for the hottest part of the day to start fighting. However, I know it won't change...and I do like to sleep in! I reiterate myself from pennsic I can't seem to sleep in, no matter how late I stay ...

Vladimir

second attempt

Just be sure to let us know when you are ready to take on new commissions. My buds and I still want to get one of your helmets as a gift for a friend.

Vladimir

Shoot, I wore some just last week.

Vladimir

Back in Blacksburg we would get a new batch of fighters every year. Of course our most experienced people would all move away each year too, well most of them. We got very good and jumpstarting new people, both fighters and non-fighters. Funny thing is, that most (not all) of the practices I have se...

Vladimir

Back in Blacksburg we would get a new batch of fighters every year. Of course our most experienced people would all move away each year too, well most of them. We got very good and jumpstarting new people, both fighters and non-fighters. Funny thing is, that most (not all) of the practices I have se...

Vladimir

I used to use the stuff all the time when I did HVAC work. It can cut the hell out of you if your not careful with it.

How durable is that mylar coated duct tape? Also, where do you find it?

Vladimir

speaking of having room to swing, what kind of hammer do you use to peen rivits inside of a helmet or a set of gauntlets. I had to put a new rivet in my gauntlets last week, and to keep it looking the same I had to peen it on the inside. GAA! It just about drove me nuts.

Vladimir

Hmm, I seem to remember both Seamus and myself having helmets on. Oh well, it was a long time ago.

I was kind of hoping you would chip in on this one Andrew.

Vladimir

Sir Andrew of Atlantia got knocked out at one of our Black Diamond practices a long time ago. Back before he was Andrew and still Ciaran the Celt. He wandered (without a helmet) onto an active list where 2 fighters who were both fully armoured were going through a half speed drill. I was one of the ...

Vladimir

Thanks, its a start at least.

Vladimir

In the Osprey Men at Arms series, #333 Armies of Medieval Russia 750-1250 plate A; figure 3 is shown with a type of early spaulder. the figure is listed as being an Eastern Magyar Cavalryman from the 9th Century. They list the Arm defences as being from Borisov'skij, location unknown and the armour ...

Vladimir

It isn't so much time as much as lack of interest. I suppose I could sew instead of working on my armour, or my leatherwork, or even reading a book. However, I have no love for sewing, by hand or machine. Having no interest in it or getting no enjoyment out of it I prefer to use the method that gets...

Vladimir

... This is what -I feel- is being shown in pictures from Macieowski and the Manesa Codex- the helmets are not being chopped in half, they are being caved-in. Vitus, I removed most of your post simply to save space. Not so it could be taken in a different context. But I think I might have to take i...

Vladimir

Damn, wish I could be there. That is a site I would love to see.

Any advance warning on the next competition within fair drive of Tidewater VA?

Vladimir

They tried that with "Pointless War" here between Atlantia and The East.

It flopped about until it got a facelift and was changed to Crusades. I don't know the backstory but perhaps someone else does.

Vladimir

I think maybe I'm not coming off right via a typed medium. I'm agreeing with Sir Bryce and love his idea. Jester, though I don't think anyone is a "bastard" for missing a war point battle I have no qualms about any skipping a non point one to go to a tourney instead. That is what I meant by tournies...

Vladimir

Melisent wrote:
I rarely hear any complaints that the battles start too late....

Really? Damn I was hoping it wasn't just me.

Pennsic Summary

Stay up till 4 am or 4:30

Eyes pop open at 7 am...regardless

Sit around and wait for people to wake up.

Armour up at 9:30

Muster at 10

and etc.

Vladimir

Melisent wrote:
I rarely hear any complaints that the battles start too late....

Really? Damn I was hoping it wasn't just me.

Pennsic Summary

Stay up till 4 am or 4:30

Eyes pop open at 7 am...regardless

Sit around and wait for people to wake up.

Armour up at 9:30

Muster at 10

and etc.

Vladimir

That would work great for me and the other HCS combatants. But what about all the other fighters?

Who wants to sit around camp till 11 oclock?

Vladimir

How about starting the battles about an hour earlier. Sitting around camp for a couple of hours every morning twiddeling my thumbs waiting for it to get hot just plain sucked. Why can't some of the battles and tournies run at the same time? There are plenty of fighters at pennsic and lots of varied ...

Vladimir

That is beyond my skill at this point. Though in the future I may attempt it on another horn. When this one is complete I think I will try to work some shark teeth into my next one. I have a ton of them (parents moved to the gulf coast of Florida). I'm thinking some sort of sea beast swallowing its ...

Vladimir

I can't see either picture

Vladimir

a modified drinking horn m It was kind of a rushed job, so it isn't quite as finished as I would like. But, I wanted to have it in time for pennsic. After the war I'll work on it some more. Please note, there is no evidence that I know of for antler handles and feet being added to a drinking horn. B...

Vladimir

Lacking the funds to buy more accurate maille I have decided that my next step on my kit will be a new gambeson.

Anyone have any pics or patterns on what a 9th century Rus gambeson may have looked like. Othewise I will simply base it off of a kaftan pattern or something.

Vladimir

Getting there around 1 or 2 in the morning on Sunday the 14th.

Camping with "The Herd", N30 on the serengeti.

Vladimir

16gauge is about as heavy as my first breastplate, and that was considered a little heavy as it was

Keep in mind that in almost every spot you get hit your armour will be double thick when you wear a lamellar. In some spots it may be 4 layers thick depending on how you put it together.

Early Russian Shoulder protection

recent project

9th century Rus Gambeson