The Armour Archive

RandallMoffett

My wife is very good about letting me have my stuff all over. She also like the stuff so she has her own harness as well (although the 15th century brig with placard is going away for a full brig likely or late COP design I think). In our last place we had one room for just armour, weapons and tools...

RandallMoffett

Too bad I did not see this till today, I could have met you there. Who took you on your walk? Did they bring you to the library as well? Great resources there as well!

RPM

RandallMoffett

You are not hammering those tops out by hand are you??? As one who has done so I think making the flang on them to be one of the worst chores of armourmaking... since I started with the forge it has gotten easiuer but I can see the marketability of these. When you get prices up let me know on the fi...

RandallMoffett

does it make you ill like Froissart said?

RPM

RandallMoffett

I would comment on this but usually this ends up becoming a long drawn out beating the dying horse, but for whatever it is worth here are some archery books and others with some very marked differences in outcomes with armour piercing, might be worth a glance as to the possible variations and why th...

RandallMoffett

Hmm... Aaron we ugly people are supposed to stick together! Well I sure hope they don't start searching me.... I have brought tons of weapons and armour from all over the world home to the US (not on carry ons of course) and do not want to play 20 questions really with security! Hmmm... very worriso...

RandallMoffett

It would be funny to see how many helmets people have, us helmet hoarders. I was just put to thought on it One mid-late 15th german sallet, 2 great helms late 13th-early 14th one Mac Bible helmet one proto greathelm late 12th early 13th two bascients (one open faced, one with visor) two spangens Sku...

RandallMoffett

there are indications of immigration controls for sure. Now how or with what they regulated I do not know but in some late 14th records from London it lists only those with the kings permission could pass to France so assume they had something with them and pass---ports seems like a fairly clear ori...

RandallMoffett

I only hope it was your armour getting you searched. I have some friends who are good looking girls who have traveled quite a lot and they are fairly sure isn't. As an ugly person, I think it must be true, I have never been stopped on a plane and have traveled alot, never got so much as a you cannot...

RandallMoffett

styres, Ernst has some great sources. Like him the only ones I know of are far and few in between. The only one I can add is one knight's effigy in very early 14th in Moccas church Herefordshire England. I would assume it was used somewhat though much less than in Germany and the eastern european co...

RandallMoffett

I think the only addition later is a backif thats any consolation. I can relook for some later ones, these were just the first that I remembered as I was contempating 1st half of 14th armour a few days back,

RPM

RandallMoffett

Talbot, Interesting points. I think often it is easier to think what was likely the top of production over what 95-98% of soldiers had. I find fairly common reference to Coat of Plates till the middle of the 14th and then it steadily declines toward the end. In 1350's (early) Prince Edward of Englan...

RandallMoffett

I agree with Drachus but I figure bloomeries did have limits but it would be dangerous to think all are equal. Technology, size, fuel all are important in the equation. I am interesting in reading up on it though, it likely plays a part in the history of armour.
RPM

RandallMoffett

Talbot, That is interesting. Is this something Williams has published or you heard from him? I would like to read up on it if published. I also assume where it was made is important as many areas were behind large productions of n. italy in quantities and size of the billets produced so this could a...

RandallMoffett

Hmmmm.... this quickly has gotten to an off topic thread seemingly.
As to what the thing is, no idea,

RPM

RandallMoffett

Those sabatones (if you mean just covering the front) are totally popular in the 1st half of the 14th, here are just a few effigies that come to mind: Henry GRosmont, 1347 John de Northwood, 1330 John de Eltham, 1336 Sir John d'Abernoun,1327 Sir John de Creke, 1325 Sir Roger de Kerdeston, 1337 RPM

RandallMoffett

I had an experience like that a few years back.Made a gorget for a guy based on a historical one. Well made some changes to be what he wanted and then gave it too him and done.... I thought. A month later I was told there was a new rule that the entire spine had to be covered and he was wearing a mo...

RandallMoffett

Alan, I was just up in Edingburgh a few weeks past and went out to see them. I think I even have a picture. I understand completely. I actually a few years back found out my family attained clan status and got all the normal clan stuff. I someday likely will buy a kilt but not for re-enactment. I wi...

RandallMoffett

I own two of the new gen and apart from some little mod's like rounding the edge they have worked perfect for close to 2 years now. I also was in a group that got 24ish of the hand and a halfs of the new gens and they are still working fine from what I have heard and seen. In the early days they did...

RandallMoffett

As Mephit said I agree that it likely is a civilian garment. That said if you were to wear a slightly padded garment under armour then another over armour perhaps this would be good to avoid so much insulation?

RPM

RandallMoffett

Alan, uhhhh yuck! That is just sick! I never will understand when so much is known now on Scottish clothing and arms why people still wear ahistoric gear and worse assume everyone around them is wrong. I have told people at the museum there would be little diffderence in clothing between the lowland...

RandallMoffett

Alan, rant on- I work in the castle museum in york and every time I am in the galleries I get somoe one asking where William Wallace took York..... I then proceed to tell them he never did..... after much fuss usually I can usually convince them but sometimes I am tempted to just say..... he took Mo...

RandallMoffett

I am sure Robyn is a perfectly nice person. In deed she is probably wonding why on earth everyone here is gawking at her and not her nice new armour. (This is in no way stating the contrary of all these gents statements mind you).

RPM

RandallMoffett

If you want piracy records look into Berwick's records. They as a town on the border that switched hands between England and Scotland at regular intervals is full of piracy. In the Letter Books of London they have open days where merchants complain of the goods they had stolen by Scots, French and C...

RandallMoffett

Hal,

those are slick.

RPm

RandallMoffett

Robyn,

Good to hear your suit worked so well for you! Happy warring and all!

RPM

RandallMoffett

Alan, I totally agree regarding the quality of early firearms and even the gunpowder needs to be questioned as well. Just becasue by 1420-30 most western countires know of corning they do not switch instantly over to it from older slower types. Also the slow switch over to better items once availibl...

RandallMoffett

Even in Edward IV's navy that went to France there were less cannons in the entire fleet than one of henry VIII ships less that 50-60 years later. I can believe many of his contemporaries felt James II perhaps was acting poorly. I think the expense of firearms is less an issue as the rarity especail...

RandallMoffett

Charles the Bolds reqs mention waxed layers for rain proofing.

RPM

RandallMoffett

In London's accounts piracy in the second half of the 14th was horrid. Many merchant's start retrofitting their ships permanently for war and having large amounts of weapons (no cannons so far from what I have seen). I like the 14th 15th centuries and piracy was big so tehre is a place to start if y...

RandallMoffett

Late 15th, ah ha! Well locking pin away. Halbards shared the most efficient way to make them I know of.

RPM

RandallMoffett

Fergus, OK. I just figured it was something to start with but if you already started with it then it has done its job. In the pistoia alter piece I think there is but one person of the whole lot that actually is a sure no back plated version (maybe a second), all the rest either have some textile ov...

RandallMoffett

1376 Pistoia Atler piece

as to the use of backplates in the late 14th check out this recent post;

http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB2/ ... hp?t=63206

RPM

RandallMoffett

I know that many people in the SCA use a large leather band around the back to keep visors down. You likely could get away with a locking pin for function as I know of few real closure systems that lock it for the 14th. they do use a pin system where you have a rivet that has a hole through the end....

RandallMoffett

Afraid Talbot's right on the money. TO be fair it is likely the number of artifacts of plate armour from the 14th and first half of the 15th likely are less than just teh artifacts from just the second half of the 15th or so. The fact they still have coats over alot of them and that effigies and art...