The Armour Archive

Fearghus Macildubh

In a serious tourney, everyone get my A-game. I am usually a bit more cautious around unknown fighters of any size or gender. I don't know what they are going to do, so I try to figure out their style first. Folks I know, or have seen fight, I jump right in. In a non-serious tourney, i might be figh...

Fearghus Macildubh

I have to agree that banded mail did not exist, but in Eastern Europe and throughout Asia, banded armour was certainly used. The Silk Road Designs Armoury webpage has some great articles on this armour. m Also look into Russian armour, there are several websites that have pics, this is the one I use...

Fearghus Macildubh

Sebastian,
Basicaly what I'm looking for is the latex version of this:

Are your weapons safe to thrust with? If not, can thye be made to be?

Fearghus Macildubh

Sebastian,
How much would a Talhoffer style longsword cost? I'm stationed in Germany so shipping is no problem. I'd be interested in a matched pair, depending on price and my wife's genorosity

Fearghus Macildubh

I scored a bargain at the local flea market. A three weapon mask, three epees and a bag for 15 bucks. The thing is, the epees have left handed orthopedic grips, you know the funky ones they use in collegiate fencing. Can they be changed to french grips or should I just sell them to a left handed col...

Fearghus Macildubh

There are some late 13th cent Italian illustrations that show night watchmen carrying small braziers on poles while on guard. Stick the poles in the ground et voila, medieval tiki torch. The shortcomings would be in the realm of fire safety. It's basicaly some pine kindling in an iron basket. Maybe ...

Fearghus Macildubh

Hmmm, I'd have to throw the flag on not using the haft of a weapon to contact an opponent, like using it to displace thier shield or weapon. Or using the haft to push an opponet back when they crowd in. That's just polearm 101.

Fearghus Macildubh

I've been thinking about this for a while as well. What about rawhide wraps, like the native americans used on some clubs? Is there any annectdotal evidence or finds of this being done in Europe during the medieval period?

Fearghus Macildubh

http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/lescot ... /my_photos

Several of the photos I took at Schloss Ambrass have glaives and halberds in the background.

Fearghus Macildubh

I love my bascinet and mitten gauntlets. Everything else could use some work. I need to lengthen my aketon to knee length, get a knee length rivet maille shirt, cuir boille arms and legs, an aventail for my bascinet, change my leather scale corselet to brass or iron.

Fearghus Macildubh

Thanks for the link Egfroth. The books I've read on the subject say the helmets are copper, but since there are no extant finds, I think. They could very well be caps.

Fearghus Macildubh

I was perusing "Fighting Techniques of the Ancient World" and noticed something...Sumerian groundpounders wear basincets! Take a look at this pic: m Of course the helmets are copper or bronze, but it got me wondering why such a good design took so long to reappear in iron? Are there similar helmets ...

Fearghus Macildubh

I forgot to mention that the vendors were pretty good as well. Two of the taberna tents were serving Roman style food. A type of bread called mustea that was a white roll flavored with wine grapes and bay leaves. Some flat bread with pine nuts, mint and honey, I don't remember the name. The food I l...

Fearghus Macildubh

Yep, definately leather loricas. You shouldhave heard the German reenactors riffing on the leather loricas and the spiele that they were giving the crowd, though taht could have been the translator's fault.

Fearghus Macildubh

Ave! My wife and I travelled to the city of Augusta Trevorum (Trier, Germany) today for an event called Bread and Circuses. It was held in the ruins of the Imperial Baths, built by Constantine the Great. Pics of the event are here m There were several European groups there, Legio XXII from Germany a...

Fearghus Macildubh

Are you looking for historical correctness? Ease of maintenance? Good looks? All of the above? What time period? Without that info, I can only throw out rough ideas. The simplest one, look at the areas in the medieval world that had similar conditions to Phoenix, and use what people in your chosen t...

Fearghus Macildubh

Yep, bascinets are right out for mid 13th century. The earliest evidence I've seen for a classic SCA shaped bascinet is ca 1325 English effigy. Of course, all that means is the person died in 1325, not that the effigy was finished by then. The effigy is shown in Nicolle's Arms and Armour of the Crus...

Fearghus Macildubh

hey all, Just got back from our summer vacation in Oberbayern. While there, we went down to the Tirol in Austria and visited Ambrass Palace. There is an armoury and art museum there. I took some pictures, mostly of the armour. Plaese excuse the blurriness, I'm still getting the hang of picture takin...

Fearghus Macildubh

Both the Chinese and Koreans used round shields, at least according to the information I saw at the Korean War Museum in Seoul. I agree with Egfroth, pretty much everyone used some sort of round shield. Just do a quick search of the ARMA website's picture references and you can see round shields all...

Fearghus Macildubh

Charlotte posted this website in response to another question, but check it out www.gothiceye.com Nothing but line drawings and rubbings of brasses and effigies. Mostly English. m The above page has knights who died mid 1300's, so their effigies should date within a few years of that. Several have s...

Fearghus Macildubh

I'm assuming this would go under a Viking style tunic and mail or just the tunic, topped off with a nice spangenhelm. I'd say the body armour would work, so long as it covers all the way round the short ribs. The elbow and knee protection looks a bit small, though, you'd probably have to get some fa...

Fearghus Macildubh

Embleton's books does have a fair bit on the 14th century. Especially late 14th cent.

Fearghus Macildubh

http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/lescot ... nger1a.jpg
This armour from the Rustkammer in Dresden's Zwinger Palace. It's a late 16th century 3/4 suit made for one of the Saxony Dukes. I'm usually a 13/14th cent kinda a guy, but seen in person that armour is just sooooo sweeeet.

Fearghus Macildubh

The more I think about it: In order to authorize in heavy combat and particapte in anything other than practices a fighter must have all armour made of non-period materials or constructed in a non-period style covered in such a way that it cannot be seen or appears period. Bargrills and shieldbasket...

Fearghus Macildubh

Cool lesser done periods? I like the end of the Crusader kingdoms and the Latin Empire, late 13th century/early 14th century Spain and Italy. 14th century Provence and the Arleate. Carolingian Empire. The Hanseatic League. Russia. I have wide ranging interests, so I have plans for different armour k...

Fearghus Macildubh

Well, leather and horn were used in period the way we use plastics today, so.....if you really can't get veg tanned leather, I'd go with plastic covered in fabric or chrome tanned leather. If it's not a cost issue, but a materials one and you can get mail order, m Purpleheart Armoury sells a leather...

Fearghus Macildubh

Sword and spear if fighting unmatched styles. If fighting matched, 66 inch greatswords with ricassos, followed closely by matched longswords.

Fearghus Macildubh

Definately an auto-reply on her e-mail. I recieved the same reply as Flonzy and Drachus. One more reason I'm glad I joined the military and fled South Jersey!

Fearghus Macildubh

I'd have to agree with Noe. I've sighed regretfully drawing someone in a tourney, pretty sure my run is over for the day, but in the end, I go out and fight just as hard. I suppose being mediocre does have it's advantages, since when you're in the game for fun, even being clubbed by a hat is fun

Fearghus Macildubh

What utter drivel! It's not like the guy was making porn or something that might be construed as detrimental to community morals. I checked NJ knife laws and as long as he wasn't making or selling switchblades, butterfly knives or angelblades, he's legit. And as long as he didn't sell a knife with a...

Fearghus Macildubh

I don't think I would add anything. How often do fighters get badly hurt? I'm talking hurts that induce visits to the doctor? Not that often. I don't think that more armour increases force levels, lack of proper training increases force levels. The whole point of assumed armour is that everyone shou...

Fearghus Macildubh

Being a big guy 6foot4, 220lbs, I hate it when people chalk up the skill I've gained in SCA combat to some mystical gift from the god of bigness. Not that it doesn't have its advantages, but I had to learn how to use my size and reach in the best way. Strength and talent will only get you so far in ...

Fearghus Macildubh

I'd rather be asked about a particular shot during the fight than afterwards. The only exception to that is when someone is trying a new weapon or technique and they are asking for feedback one how well the blows landed. I do that myself. If I land a blow and my opponent doesn't take it, obviously i...

Fearghus Macildubh

I wear a full gauntlet when I use my oval, for two reasons. One is the protection it offers, since my boss is actually three stainless steel bowls riveted together.

The other is comfort, I have better gloves sewn to the gaunts

Fearghus Macildubh

I know Osprey books aren't always the most reliable, but the Late Roman Cavalryman has an illustration of Cataphracts on parade. They're wearing laminated arm and leg protection that looks much like manica. You could go that route.

Changing grips on epees?

Sumerian Bascinets?

Pics of Roman Reenactment Event in Germany

Pictures from Schloss Ambrass, Innsbruck, Austria