The Armour Archive

wcallen

Jacob - Feel free. Play away.

I really need to schedule something up. I don't feel like there is that much new in my collection, but I think I am probably wrong. And just because something isn't new doesn't mean it isn't worth a going-over.

Wade

wcallen

I have a couple of gauntlets with the strips. One shows no sign of stitching around those leathers. I suspect that one use of the leather strip is to keep the nasty, often not well filed, ends of the plates from cutting the gloves as they open and close. The other pair of gauntlets are a bit buried ...

wcallen

Wade Callen - an easy mistake to make.

Wade Allen (real name) == wcallen (id on the archive).

Given all of the work, if that is the only thing wrong... keep it. It adds to the entertainment.

Wade

P.S. Thanks for the index and I like the commentary in blue.

wcallen

From staring at many and playing with a few of these, I think that it is possible to have movement without gaps at any portion of the flow of the plates. But it isn't necessarily worth the trouble. You make the plates to work the way that they need to at both extremes and to look good and they will ...

wcallen

I have always felt that most of the "size" measurements people take aren't really valid. As you know, heads of the same size are different shapes. Most SCA hats really aren't shaped like helmets so it gets pretty fuzzy as to what really matters. Your helmet is actually shaped like a helmet, so the g...

wcallen

We are wandering far from the original topic. I own a slotted turning collar on an upper arm. Look closely at the interior image: http://www.allenantiques.com/A-171.html It is really long. But it is on the inside so it is always covered up. They didn't do it all that often, so I expect it wasn't as ...

wcallen

Slots vary in length for different uses. In my 15th c. gauntlets and the late 15th/early 16th piece, they generally look like they are about 3D - or, since the rivets are app. 1/8" in diameter (like most real rivets) they are about 3/8" long. Enough to give some real movement, but not crazy. There a...

wcallen

And now that we know what can be done (sliders or no sliders) we need to know when to do them. I own and have played with several 16th and 17th c gauntlets. They don't have sliders. They are (generally) composed of more plates in the back of hand than the late 15th c. ones. They also have wider cuff...

wcallen

I have mixed feelings about this experiment: On one hand I want to see how it turns out and if it's really doable a bascinet this way, on the other hand I fear that this stock maybe too much to work by hand and that this may wear your body. That's why you get a striker or two, to help with the init...

wcallen

Mac was nice enough to draw the curves I suggested. Thanks Mac. I think he meant "without sliding rivets" not "with sliding rivets" but the idea of slightly overall-curved plates works with both schemes. It is just that late 16th c. gauntlets like you are copying don't have sliding rivets (at least ...

wcallen

I am glad that you have the digital stick. When I was starting out in the 70's and then working actively in the 80's we had nothing like that. Amazing. I am glad the pictures on my site help too. If I can find the time I will try to get some images that help with the shaping of the plates. They are ...

wcallen

I think that most hands have some version of that shape. The knuckles should sit at the knuckles of your hand. There will be a lot of change in length as the gauntlet bends forward and backward, so it will often look like it is long. The Wallace catalogue with the digital stick will likely include s...

wcallen

That is a bold start. And really not bad for a first try.... actually great for a first try. If it helps, I have several pictures of a similar gauntlet online: http://www.allenantiques.com/A-227.html I haven't made a video of how it moves.. I guess I could. This is a project that really requires bei...

wcallen

As usual, it was good to talk to you and everyone else at the Baltimore Arms Fair. The barbute is glorious. Someone who wants to get whacked in the SCA should buy it. Or just someone who wants a nice Mac helmet. I recently made a purchase of some modern "used" armour that kind of takes me out of the...

wcallen

Otto von Teich wrote:Fantastic work! it would seem a sin not to give the barbute a historic liner.

Depends on the goal.
If the goal is to get some more decent hats out into the SCA (the original "take over the world") then, probably not. If the goal is to do anything else, then yes.

Wade

wcallen

It could come without a liner... That would likely be fine. We like playing with armour in whatever state it is in.

Wade

wcallen

My thought. We need some rich skinny (well, not to skinny) guys who want armour.

Wade

wcallen

Kilian_the_warlike wrote:I hate it when kids have better harness than me...

Me too. Wait, my kid has always had better armour than I did back when I fought.... Annoying...

Wade

wcallen

I did one a year for a lot of years.

Your turn. Go for it!!!!

Wade

wcallen

Sure, A-173 is easy enough.

Wade

wcallen

An arm can come along, sure. Just have to pick which.....

Wade

wcallen

Unfortunately, my guess would be that some old armour was cut up for it. Nothing high end... and it is just a guess. But I have seen several other "restorations" which involved some pretty aggressive re-cutting of old stuff. And not just Dean..... I expect Klingbeil was willing to pay enough "for go...

wcallen

"The medieval armor from Rhodes" has several low end bevors in it. Some with some pretty hefty patches, but worth including in the examples.

Wade

wcallen

As usual, if there is something specific that someone wants to play with and it isn't to big for the car, I can bring it along for you.

Wade

wcallen

We all to the have lots and lots of ignorance. It is good to understand that and roll with it. There is lots I don't know about armour, and it is good when someone asks a question that makes me learn something new. Back to the topic.... I took some more pictures of a couple of my arms: http://www.al...

wcallen

Or the barbute... or whatever seems like fun. They will be fun to play with. I have a new pile of buckles and such... Almost entirely copper alloy, but a few iron ones too. They don't display very well the way they are right now.... I don't know if you are interested, Tom and Tracy had some fun with...

wcallen

Bump for 2018. See original post.

Wade

wcallen

Oh, and there are lots of pictures of different styles of helmets here, most of which are 16th c. http://www.allenantiques.com/Armour-Close%20Helmets-Collection.html http://www.allenantiques.com/Armour-Burgonets-Collection.html http://www.allenantiques.com/Armour-Morions-Collection.html http://www.a...

wcallen

You will have to get more specific too. Something based on a morion? Cabasset? Burgonet? Close helmet? Armet? And what part of the 16th c.? 1510 is very different from 1590. Once you know what you want, you will want to find someone who has done it before.. or where you have enough comparables to fe...

wcallen

The armours we are talking about aren't generally pikeman's armours.
Also, we have played with a real 15 foot pike and it really isn't ungainly. Since the real shaft tapers, it handles a lot better than modern copies would imply.

Wade

wcallen

Oh, the other alternative....

Tell me to bring an arm or three to the Baltimore Arms Fair and people can play with them themselves...

It is in just over 2 weeks. Timmonium MD.

Wade

wcallen

I expect I could give it a try... pester me if nothing shows up because I forget.

Wade

wcallen

I know, I should have pictures... I did some poking around and playing with some of my arms with bracelet cops. The arm is designed to bend a certain amount. You can see how far in several of my pictures of my arms. When I analyze how the cutouts work, they are the right size for that amount of move...

wcallen

This shows an arm closed and open (more often closed, it is prettier that way): http://www.allenantiques.com/A-27.html as does this one: http://www.allenantiques.com/A-171.html The idea seems to be to have as much plate on the arms as you can while still allowing the elbow to bend as much as it need...

wcallen

A more friendly answer to where you can get the stick:

https://www.abebooks.com/9780900785931/ ... 785934/plp

That links to some reasonably priced copies.

Wade

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Re: Once again, time to attend the Baltimore Arms Fair - 201

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Re: Once again, time to attend the Baltimore Arms Fair - 201

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Re: Wide bites on 16th c inner elbows

Re: Wide bites on 16th c inner elbows

Re: Wide bites on 16th c inner elbows

Re: Wide bites on 16th c inner elbows

Re: Wide bites on 16th c inner elbows

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