The Armour Archive

wcallen

Not that I have heard of.

I sent them a note asking for some images from the next sale and added a request to know when my book might show up. I guess I was to subtle. No mention of the book in the note they sent back saying "we will get back to you on the pictures."

Wade

wcallen

It is a very fine book. I have it.

But it is definitely nothing like even an attempt at comprehensive coverage - pretty much the opposite. So I didn't want anyone being mislead.

Get his other books too.

But they are all a lot more expensive than Blair. Did you get that?

Wade

wcallen

There isn't a book with images of "all of the pieces in the Royal Armouries" - no one has been willing to spend that much time or build that big a book. Ernst pointed you to the book that contains very nice, large scale, detailed images of a few pieces in the RA. There is also a good book that shows...

wcallen

I am never careful enough to go through all of the grits. Just not worth the time, energy or thought. I haven't tried skipping from 80 to 320, but I skip various steps. I think it tends to be 120, 220, then I mess around. I never like the transition from 220, but I also don't like how little life I ...

wcallen

That is definitely a lesson many of us need to learn. There are some "big" details, but in general flutes, raised bands, recessed bands, etc. are pretty subtle. Often (but not always) accented by "engraved" lines which fool our eyes into thinking that they are a lot bigger than they really are. Then...

wcallen

Back in the day (70's and early 80's) Fagan had some cheap stuff.

I don't see that anymore the few times I wander their site now. I can get a good laugh though.

Wade

wcallen

I think you are starting to see the benefit of the can approach. With relatively little metal movement you really can start to get a feel for where you are going. I expect a little bigger heats, and you could have gotten there more quickly. But it is better to be careful. Pushing things back out tha...

wcallen

I enjoy that breastplate too. It was definitely a good addition to the collection. It isn't all that clean on the outside, but it looks good. It is really a mess on the inside. Some of the "raised" areas are really raised so little you can almost not find the line between them and the background. Ot...

wcallen

Much of the advice assumes that tagboard (or something similar) will simulate the steel. That is only true if the metal movement you anticipate is relatively minor. The more the metal is moved in 3 dimensions, the less a flat piece of material will simulate metal. It is certainly a good thing to get...

wcallen

Good catch. I need to update my description to indicate that. As I remember, the "brass" mail seems pretty well put together. It doesn't scream that it (by itself) is terribly modern. If you find anything else I need to fix in descriptions or that could help me be more accurate, send it over. Mail i...

wcallen

Thanks Tom. Those images and the video give a pretty good idea of the armour-packed room in which we met. The study session focused on the antique armour (on the futon, the half suits against the book case, in front on the counter and the one elbow on the table). The other armour in the room is repr...

wcallen

Most of the hammers I actually use are forged. I don't know that I really care about the difference between forged and welded if it is done well. I tend to use various diameter curvatures on my hammer faces. In fact, a plannishing hammer (depending on what I am finishing) is just the hammer with the...

wcallen

I think you have enough depth to play with. It will get less deep when you roll the edges, but you will still be within a reasonable range. If you can get the thing on, and the breast and back fit well-ish-enough-ish that it makes any sense, you can tape it on, get in front of a mirror and see how i...

wcallen

1/8" is almost thick enough to make a decent breastplate (which ends up with a central area somewhat over .1 thick). Drawing out the edges (as with all of these cases) is vital. You don't want to end up any where near 1/8" on the edge. It would not be thick enough for a nice helmet with real depth. ...

wcallen

I don't tend to worry about terms, but I do actually think that there is a real distinction between the method of forming a deep(ish) shape from relatively thin metal often over air, and forming a deep shape from a (much) thicker piece bu hitting on a (normally) flat surface. I have used the first l...

wcallen

Tom B. Thanks for posting the pictures. A few at the end show what the room looked like and some of the items ready for the session lying on the futon. There was more over on the counter at the end of the room. The suits are hidden pretty well behind the lights. Over in the mail page, when he compar...

wcallen

Carlo's books which he pointed to are great books. They provide excellent detail images of pieces of armour. I own every one of them.

Start with Blair to get the background understanding. Then move on to (many) other things based on where your interests lie.

Wade

wcallen

Mac, More or less construction was like this but in leather. http://www.allenantiques.com/A-132.html I know the conversation has wandered on from here, but for posterity.... From memory, the 4 bottom (arm) plates are modern. That would be the only reason I would have skipped over a picture of how t...

wcallen

On a side note, I did a very mini version of the thing last night for students in the Duke "Focus" session using this list of items: http://www.allenantiques.com/DukeFocus2015.html It seems to have gone well. A little unstructured, but I expect they learned something and had fun playing with the arm...

wcallen

We talked about many things. I can't say what, because I don't know about everything. Conversations would wander over at the end of the table with Tom J. Rob and John. I couldn't track them. There seemed to be a general consensus that the waistcoat cuirass was very interesting. A combination of its ...

wcallen

Claude Blair. European Armour http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?an=Claude+Blair&sts=t&tn=European+Armour among many searches on various sites. Buy it, read, then ask what is next. There are places to go from there, but that is the basic work. The first and second editions have better pic...

wcallen

How clean to make the result depends on your customer. "real" armour was sold "rough from the hammer" or smooth, and I expect that there were levels of smooth. Most of the surviving pieces have been cleaned over and over again, so the actual original finish is hard to determine, but when we can make...

wcallen

There are a lot of general suggestions. Maybe a more concrete comment will help. It would help me if I were trying to understand how to deal with a master. Remember that every minute you are being "taught" is costing the "master" what he should be paid for making stuff during that time. This will va...

wcallen

What? ..... don't tolerate passive aggressive behavior..... Isn't that the main mode of communication? Doesn't everything start with "You could do that......" But I guess I am taking the role of "master" not apprentice. I usually follow that with all of the reasons that the suggestion would result i...

wcallen

Reading the book provides knowledge and entertainment.

How long do you think it will take for the preferred term for a famous piece of costume to take off?

arse-girdle

I love it. It has such a "knightly" feel to it.

Wade

wcallen

On a side note, Toby seems to have adopted a real term from history for something we discuss every so often.

arse-girdle

I like it, a nice descriptive term. And it is hard to confuse with something that causes dental problems.

Wade

wcallen

Toby does discuss those as a relatively short lived phenomenon. They do seem to be more "tasset" like rather than some odd form of codpiece. They didn't last all that long. And their period is very much earlier than the gothic ones we have been following in this thread. They would be more closely re...

wcallen

The right answer (from a business perspective, if you assume that the goal is to create possible future competitors and share your knowledge) would probably be "whatever the shop's hourly rate is for other work." Ours was probably stupidly low, but that was a long time ago. If education is to "pay f...

wcallen

I managed to finish reading the book yesterday. Good information all around. I think Toby does a fine job of supporting that there really was a separate armour style in England, and describing what makes it different. There are lots of nice pictures illustrating this style. There are some typos.... ...

wcallen

First, thanks Toby. Second, Mac was a super-nice person and when Zannetto and Grettir stopped by on the way to my place this weekend he allowed them to bring down one of his copies for us to look at. It is a glorious book, full of both useful information and lots of nice pictures. I will have to arr...

wcallen

We have now had our youngest attendee. And somehow he survived the ordeal. Good for him.

It was good to see "regulars" and nice to meet new people this year. I expect some pictures will show up soon. I tend to run around making things happen to get around to taking pictures.

Wade

wcallen

This will sound really silly... but I think the first thing to do is to actually talk with the "master" so that both of you feel that you have a common understanding about the relationship into which you are entering. He/she should have a reasonable idea at the start what he expects you to do, and w...

wcallen

Shiny.

I don't look at the classifieds enough.

Firefly!

My wife has worn her Firefly shirt enough that we really need to be looking for a replacement.

Wade

wcallen

Many of these really are pretty lousy... I don't have any reason to suspect that these marks aren't original: http://www.allenantiques.com/images/A-254-marks.jpg http://www.allenantiques.com/images/A-255-marks.jpg A really lousy stamp: http://www.allenantiques.com/images/A-210-a.jpg (up near the nec...

wcallen

If the opportunity arises, I'd be curious to see a group photo. I've been hanging out here for years with no idea what any of this lot looks like. I'm envious of those on the east coast during this event. What a great opportunity. -Adair There have been some group photos in the past. Posted to some...

Re: Armour of the English Knight 1400-50: PRE-ORDER IS OPEN!

Re: Name of a Book

Re: Name of a Book

Re: Dusting off the cobwebs

Re: Study Session 2015

Re: $1000 Museum Replicas helmet?

Re: Jeremy's harness build.

Re: Study Session 2015

Re: Armour measurements

Re: European riveted mail types and timeline.

Re: Study Session 2015

Re: A page from my journal.

Re: Need some help on a breast/back

Re: Helmet Formed by Squashing Technique Video

Re: Helmet Formed by Squashing Technique Video

Re: Study Session 2015

Re: Book Suggestions?

Re: Leather armour in art? (brown with metal strips & rivets

Re: Study Session 2015

Re: Study Session 2015

Re: Book Suggestions?

Re: The start of a Journey: professional armouring

Re: How to not piss off a Master Armourer

Re: How to not piss off a Master Armourer

Re: Armour of the English Knight 1400-50: PRE-ORDER IS OPEN!

Re: Gothic codpiece?!

Re: Gothic codpiece?!

Re: How to not piss off a Master Armourer

Re: Armour of the English Knight 1400-50: PRE-ORDER IS OPEN!

Re: Armour of the English Knight 1400-50: PRE-ORDER IS OPEN!

Re: Study Session 2015

Re: How to not piss off a Master Armourer

Re: Firefly tshirt for sale - SOLD

Re: Trouble shooting an Armour Stamp

Re: Study Session 2015