The Armour Archive

Gaston de Clermont

So since I quenched in water, I put in in the bbq at 500 for 30 min. I'm surprised Sean Powell hasn't chimed in to say this isn't hot enough yet. Muriatic acid will work. I'm not a fan of it because of the fumes and clean up. If the boss of the buckler is deep you're likely to have some trouble wit...

Gaston de Clermont

Let's take a step back and figure out what language and dialect your name should be from. Is Blaine an ex-pat? If so, where is he living? What language would he speak, and what would be spoken around him? Some resources to dig into: m mÃ¯l It's quite possible for a merchant to be called "John&q...

Gaston de Clermont

Very nice!

Gaston de Clermont

This might be a dumb question, but could these have been spun on a lathe, like spun domes are?

Gaston de Clermont

I've been pretty happy treating my steel with Fluidfilm. It's lanolin based, so it doesn't smell as chemically and it's not so harsh on the leather. That's not to say that it's the best stuff you could rub into your leather, but it doesn't seem to hurt it.

Gaston de Clermont

Well, I can't speak for the rest of the crew here, but I'm impressed, Rod. Do you guys aim for each others shields? Are your helmets anchored to your body armour so your neck doesn't get strained on a hit?

Gaston de Clermont

You may like Anonymous 4. It's almost all vocal, but it is sweet. I have everything Istanpitta has published and enjoy it all: http://www.istanpitta.com/cds_books/ The Pilgrimage CD and Exiled are my favorites. There's some good harp work in there.

Gaston de Clermont

There's more music at the end- 215/216 too. Bede was a monk. Maybe it's kind of an introductory benediction, and a closing prayer? The musical notation is more elaborate than I'd expect from the 8th century. Honestly it's fancier than I'd expect from the 11th, though I'm far more familiar with Iberi...

Gaston de Clermont

They look good Louis! What are you using to clean them up? In the picture there's kind of a black undertone about the steel. Not like they're blackened, but like they're not reflecting a lot of light. Do they have that in real life?

Gaston de Clermont

I'm not going to go out snorting powdered lead, and neither is Vitus. Lead is just not that dangerous if you know what it is and treat it with some basic respect. I've found mom and pop shops who install tires are most likely to give you a bucket of their old weights for free. It costs them money to...

Gaston de Clermont

A great idea, Caitriona! I've learned a lot from your postings here, Thomas, and I'm hopeful that we'll absorb even more of your wisdom by seeing your work, what with pictures being worth a thousand words an all.

Totally agree about the tressle tables. I like the pots a lot too.

Gaston de Clermont

Thomas- any chance you could post a picture or two of what you described?

Gaston de Clermont

There's info that contradicts Sundance Glass's assertion that didymium doesn't block UV. m Regular glass blocks the hot portion of the IR range fairly well, which is why green houses work. Of course there probably is something better than what I'm using, and the prices you found for the new shades a...

Gaston de Clermont

You've found some excellent pictures. More views of the same piece are almost always helpful. 1. Be cautious with the modern drawings. Some will give you great insights, and some may mislead, based on what the artist thought they were seeing. 2. Continue to educate your eye with more and more pictur...

Gaston de Clermont

The fights looked fun. Congratulations!

Gaston de Clermont

The Vikings traded a lot, right? The beads may have been made by another group and purchased. I'm just glad they didn't find a katana.

Gaston de Clermont

D- What's your source? Are you sure they're painted and not blackened?

Gaston de Clermont

Who says they do?

Gaston de Clermont

Conal- Can your jupon fit over your arm harness? They're very nice arms, so it's sort of a shame to conceal them. If you're shooting for sort of a Black Prince look you might go with a wife beater cut to your surcoat, which would be over the body harness. It would hide the breastplate and give you a...

Gaston de Clermont

When I'm using my forge I wear didymium glasses like glass blowers use. They filter out the worst of the IR, some of the other spectra, and have side shields to protect me some from sparks and forge scale.

Gaston de Clermont

MacTavish- no kit is perfect, but yours is pretty sweet. How is your plaque belt made?

Gaston de Clermont

Craig- in your description is there an equivalent between the priest and the agent or did you intentionally break with that nomenclature?

Gaston de Clermont

Have you checked out these?
http://www.zweihammer.com/catalog/page, ... urer_id,0/

It's the same design I've been wearing for years.

Gaston de Clermont

C'est tres jolie!

Gaston de Clermont

Louis, where did you get the meter? It's pretty slick. Healthy respect for the damage your forge can do is a good thing. You've taken smart precautions. But play with it. True fear of such a tool can be as dangerous as lack of fear.

Gaston de Clermont

Like any gift- it's mostly about the value to the recipient. I value hand made items over commercial things, but a well considered book is a wonderful choice. Useful or inspirational items are great. I don't hold much value in nick nacks, or plastic stuff, but some handmade glass beads I received as...

Gaston de Clermont

Louis- Are you going to temper them? I've been tempering in my kitchen oven, which is part of why I've been quenching in water. I'd like to not poison my family with motor oil or transmission fluid where we cook. But with cooking oil, that isn't a problem. Let us know how the clean up goes!

Gaston de Clermont

I suspect the void Adamo is seeing is typical. There are a number of us locally who are 34 or 35, and then an age gap to folks in their early 20s and the late teens Maelgwyn mentioned.

Gaston de Clermont

Robert- in your path from 1st to 7th ward you're arcing up above your opponent's hand, then and back down to strike it? Craig- in your interpretation your hand is taking a straighter path from 1st to 7th then? I'm trying to get to the real contrast between the views since you both start and end in t...

Gaston de Clermont

I'm on the left in red. This was at The Deed at Gulf Wars.

Gaston de Clermont

Maelduin- I like your greaves. Who made them?

Gaston de Clermont

Ottawa Classical Swordplay- I didn't see your name, so how should we address you? I liked the videos. Help me down this path a little farther- you end with your foible against your opponent's forte, and you're a bit to the right to protect your sword elbow, so your point isn't quite on line. What ar...

Gaston de Clermont

Gaston de Clermont

Gaston, when you are raising the ankles using 20-22g do you make more passes and raise slower to keep it from crinkling? With it being so thin you have to be precise in your hammer blows. It works quickly, but you have to be mindful of any little wrinkle, and unevenly work hardening the piece since...

Gaston de Clermont

I'd love to hear what you guys think "falling under the sword" means. Your thoughts?

Re: thanks