The Armour Archive

Adriano

Wow! I've never seen a better demonstration of a product's value. Don't know if I'm gonna drop 50 bucks for one, though.

(Now I'm wishing I had registered the name Testikles of Thrace.)

Adriano

I've had a couple of herniated disks since I was your age (a quarter century ago). Even during the periods when I was having crippling pain, I found that getting in armour and moving around seemed to help. A large shield might be a problem.

Adriano

I think I've seen a 15th century picture (or it might have been a 16th century woodcut) showing a tourney bout with each man holding two short swords with rounded ends. They might even have been wooden batons. We know from SCA experience that if everybody's using sticks, then two-sticks definitely w...

Adriano

Sounds like big fun. Okay, I'm definitely going next year. (That hotel thing doesn't sound like a half bad idea.)

Adriano

There was a time when I used to hunt arms, then give up one of my own and, usually, win the fight when it got to single-sword. But then I imagined it from my opponent's point of view. If he won in that situation, he might feel it wasn't a "real" win, and if he lost, he might really feel em...

Adriano

Five minutes.

Adriano

After 26 years, I still love it.

Adriano

It'll be a while before I can afford such quality, but you've got a good website and great-looking tents. I especially like the "Soldier's Tent".

Adriano

Maybe somebody with serious money could reenact the 1839 Eglinton Tournament (without the torrential rain).

Adriano

Never mind -- apparently one doesn't actually download videos, one watches a stream using Flash. Sucks for me; I've got a slow dialup connection, and there's no highspeed connection available where I am. Screw it.

Adriano

Okay, so how the Hell does one actually download a video from this "youtube" site? I've been futzing around with it for half an hour.

Adriano

Just an FYI -- my girlfriend (who's not even in the SCA, but knows my interests) just picked me up a translation of Talhoffer at Barnes and Noble for $7.98, in the Bargain Books section. Under the title "Medieval Combat", about 300 pages. Don't know how complete it is, but there are many nice pictur...

Adriano

Thanks, guys. In a way, I've greatly simplified things for myself. I'll use nothing but a greatsword until I win Silver Hammer. Obviously, I'd be honored to cross swords with anybody here, my opponent using whatever weapons and style he (or she) pleases. This really is a unique place on the Internet...

Adriano

Corwin -- sorry, Man. After all that fuss, I wasn't able to go. I feel like such a -- well, maybe not a putz , but definitely a schlemiel . I was thinking about it all Saturday, picturing how things might be going at Big Ridge. I hope the weather was good. (I've been there in everything from hot and...

Adriano

Thanks, guys! Oswyn, sorry 'bout that, and I'll do better in the future. A good greatswordsman should have enough control that he hits no harder than he would with a singlesword; I'd rather lose a thousand bouts than injure somebody. I hope I can keep coming to Owl's Nest practice. Starting a new jo...

Adriano

Hi! Last November, as I was recovering from leg surgery, I said this on the AA: I'm going to make a declaration of intent now: I intend to win the Silver Hammer Tournament in 2006 (presumably in late October) in the barony of Thor's Mountain. I have a sentimental attachment to that event, and would ...

Adriano

That kind of armour -- a long hauberk with a surcoat -- has almost been my mental image of the iconic medieval knight. Maybe it comes from reading Prince Valiant when I was little. When it comes to concealed extra protection, I just thought I'd mention the account by Guillaume le Breton, who describ...

Adriano

Duke John the Mad Celt fights with a hinged knee brace; not sure if the sides are metal or synthetic. He uses leather greaves that extend to cover the knees. As for kneeling -- to be honest, I can't remember him ever losing a leg, so maybe the subject just doesn't come up.

Adriano

Leeds was my second favorite part of my UK trip last year (after the Welsh castles). Wonderful to see so many pieces I only knew from books, and think about the hands that created them half a millennium ago. Enjoyed the demonstration by a gentleman gradually donning full mirror-polished Gothic; espe...

Adriano

Congrats! A recognition of the qualities we might all strive for.

Adriano

It's a matter of my whim; I'm such a moody fellow. I don't care if you're a knight, a duke, or the sitting King; that's why I don't swear fealty. A peremptory tone will yield negative results. Ask nicely and I'm almost always willing to help, to the limits of my ability.

Adriano

Mine broke right at the beginning of Tarl's Little Polearm Tourney at this most recent Pennsic. Not from getting hit -- it just separated when I tugged on it. Tied the remainder to the bargrill and continued. Most of my armour failures have happened when I wasn't actually in a bout. My gauntlets did...

Adriano

Was this Sir Brucie a very large man? If he is the Sir Brucie I am thinking of, I have seen him win a tourney with florentine greatswords. He is a great guy. Definitely a large man. Seemed like a very nice guy (all the Aussies I met were friendly people). Forgot to mention something that made me la...

Adriano

Sir Angus, there was so much to be seen and done, it's not surprising we didn't manage all the appointments we wished. I did hear something of your deeds in the Quest of the Hourglass, and was most impressed. You did inspire me to enter two different greatsword tourneys, in both of which I gave a go...

Adriano

I don't know. . . given a rematch in the same pit with the same man, I was going to use a half-spin kick, something I used to be able to do with considerable power. I'm glad now that didn't happen. With the exception of a broken hand, I've never seriously hurt an opponent yet, and don't want to star...

Adriano

Tim -- I was a spectator at the Broken Field Battle, and spent some time with an older lady, new to the SCA, who was very interested in what was going on. I pointed you out as an especially good example of an authentic-looking kit.

Adriano

The bad first: my own body let me down. After dying a dozen times in the Town Battle, I was done for the day; started fighting really well, but then hit a wall. Throughout the War, I could only manage a portion of the fighting I wanted to do. Just not enough stamina. I'll keep trying to get in shape...

Adriano

I was in Pit #2 in the Tuchux tourney. Mixed feelings; it was exciting, but brought out something in me that doesn't belong on an SCA field. A gentleman from New York put me on my back with a basic martial arts move; I was filled with actual rage, and a desire to do harm. Not something that I want t...

Adriano

I'll help as I can. I have experience lifting and carrying things.

Adriano

Lord Alric -- I'll be arriving Friday afternoon, and should be getting inspected Saturday morning. I'd be honored if you'd permit me to commence my week of Pennsic mayhem by facing you in armoured combat. Adriano du Cabochon "Per chevron or and gules, in chief three crescents gules, and in base a su...

Adriano

Could be pretty wild. Sounds like close-quarters fighting; maybe I'll go with two swords instead of the polearm.

Adriano

Aaron -- I'll chip in, whenever we meet up (either at the Archive gathering or one of the tourneys).

Adriano

At risk of stating the obvious -- don't try to be a tough guy about it. The human body is a machine, and if it overheats it can shut down. A lot of us in the SCA are big, burly guys, and thus tend to retain heat; makes me think of the polar bears at the zoo in hot weather.

Adriano

It took me a while to understand that anybody can edit a Wikipedia article. Here's a nice Onion piece: Wikipedia Celebrates 750 Years of American Independence.

Adriano

Hey, Aaron, looks like we may meet at some of the tourneys. Just remember I'm old, and don't beat my ass too hard.

Hope you have a great time; just don't push yourself too hard, Man.

Cheap edition of Talhoffer

Silver Hammer Tourney, and my two impulsive vows