The Armour Archive

Adriano

I seem to recall an "anvilling" rule in Meridies -- that is, if you're resting the tip of your sword on top of your shield edge to block downward blows, your sword will be considered broken after a certain number of such blocks. But, I can't find it in the handbook, so maybe it's an unwrit...

Adriano

Asbrand -- I remember that Silver Hammer, and your injury. Any screaming you did was nothing as compared to your lady (at the time). After that, my wife referred to her as "the screamer". My worst tourney was the Tuchux Charity Tourney at Pennsic, 2006. Couldn't seem to get anybody to ackn...

Adriano

Well, at Meridian Grand Tourney a couple of weekends ago, there was a Sabre-Style Tourney with quite a few entrants. It came down to a round robin of three fighters, and the winner and runner-up, respectively, were Sir Robert of Glen Auk (hope I've got that name right) and Sir Ulrich. However, come ...

Adriano

Interesting. . . doesn't look quite like anything I know historically, at least the way it's put together now. It looks like the lacing holding the bands together isn't very extensive, so it'd be no great loss of time or material if you took out the lacing and repurposed the bands -- I think you cou...

Adriano

The link doesn't seem to be working. What kind of armour is it, exactly?

Adriano

Cute little monkey. Need to start him on footwork drills -- soon as he can walk, I mean.

Adriano

At Meridian Grand Tourney this past weekend I did well in the single-sword tourney sponsored by the Order of the Rose, finishing third. But my best memory of that tourney is my first fight. To explain: the previous weekend, at Red Tower, there was also a single-weapon tourney, in which I sucked. Jus...

Adriano

I think Ingelkott is describing what I've been picturing; I believe it allows you to start out with half the rings of the finished product already closed in the form of chain. Since the commercial chain will have its links (I assume) welded shut, that part should be pretty strong. Unless it's that d...

Adriano

Sir Siegfried -- I understand your feelings, but I personally like to keep personal dislikes out of SCA fighting. If by wild chance you actually do meet this person (and if he's actually an authorized fighter), it would be a good opportunity to show him the open-handed friendship and good sportsmans...

Adriano

I can't see the linked page because I'm at work, but my experience is that YouTube comments are frequently sheer trollery and/or so close to incoherency and/or illiteracy as to make this place look like the Algonquin Round Table. I wouldn't pay any attention to it.

Adriano

Somebody mentioned rapier not requiring a lanyard. I haven't watched a great deal of rapier fighting, so I hope this isn't a stupid question -- does anybody ever bind his opponent's blade and flip the whole sword out of his hand, like in the movies?

Adriano

Logan -- what do you use instead of a lanyard? (If I recall, in some kingdoms a basket hilt is sufficient.) I disagree about the trigger; don't have one myself, but in theory it should work. One's third and fourth fingers do the majority of gripping, but the index finger exerts a small but important...

Adriano

Normally I only use a two-handed sword, so lanyards aren't required. But in Meridies, they've started enforcing the lanyard rule for single-handed weapons. My impression is that it's definitely required for tourneys, but not for back-up weapons and not in melees, which makes sense.

Adriano

Wasn't there some historical mail where half the rings were forge-welded, then joined with riveted rings? Or maybe that was just speculation I read somewhere.

Adriano

Hard to say; there are lots of groups that do some kind of medievalish messing-about, and The History Channel has had a lot of shows dealing with medieval knights in some fashion. Can you be a little more specific?

Adriano

Besides the stories, the Decameron provides a vivid first-hand account of the ravages of the Black Death in Florence. It's not known for sure whether Boccaccio was in Florence at the time, but he was in Italy, and nobody who live through those years was unaffected by the Plague. In fact, it amazes m...

Adriano

Sweet; you do nice work! Well, I'll do my best. The website for the event ( http://net-connection.com/mgt/ ) describes the Armatura thusly: "Bear Pit Tournament - 3 person, random team melee, limited field. Winner will be the individual with the most points at the end of the time." And tha...

Adriano

Rock on, Eldric. (As if being Vitus' squire wasn't tough enough . . .)

Adriano

Great idea! A lot of the guys (and gals) who come into SCA fighting are bookish sorts who may not be in the best athletic shape. (That was certainly true for me.) If they really get into it, they're likely to push their bodies too hard and have some serious pains and exhaustion. So I'd include some ...

Adriano

DeCalmont, that looks great! I'm gonna make some ailettes before Meridian Grand Tourney so I can look cool too. I made my COP with vertical overlapping plates making up the girdle; it's worked well. Unlike DeCalmont, I sacrificed authenticity for utility, and essentially wear it backwards, with the ...

Adriano

I saw that kit in the Woods Battle back in 2001. Funny idea.

Adriano

Conal -- great paper! Gave me the creeps.

Adriano

I know Northshield looks good on the field.

Adriano

I've seen a guy wearing a short cape catch his sword tip on it and flip the cape over his own head in a tourney. That got a good laugh.

Adriano

Just beautiful. I'd like to see that stuff in a fantasy movie.

Adriano

Glad he's getting treated. Please get back to us when you can.

Adriano

Maxntropy -- nice site, and thanks for the links. You might want to change "undershit" to "undershirt", though.

Adriano

I'm certainly no expert, but I think they're pretty. Looks like they each come up a little higher on the outside of the knee than the inside; nice touch.

Adriano

Can't wait to get home and take a look at it.

Adriano

How is it in hot weather?

Adriano

Thanks for the heads-up! I made the mistake of using polyfille for a gambeson, back in the '80s; like fighting in a parka.

Adriano

That tourney -- which I did pretty well in -- was what led to my ongoing vow to use nothing but the greatsword at events until I win the Silver Hammer Tourney, which I intend to do in October.

Man, wish I could teleport to Pennsic for that.

Adriano

Looks like a good price. Is it worth getting the upgrade to stainless?

Adriano

I fought in the Calontir Greatsword Tourney at Pennsic two years ago. The Calontiri were very gracious, it was a lot of fun, and if I recall they had a couple of loaner swords.

Adriano

Seriously, one of my best memories from last time I went to Pennsic (2006) is the Archive gathering. Have fun, guys.