The Armour Archive

Adriano

A lot of guys here in Georgia are wearing those. I just got the loose version, which seems to help, but I'm told the skintight Heatgear is the most effective.

Adriano

I've seen the Adrian Empire guys at Pennsic; very nice-looking encampment.

Adriano

Possibly this thread from last year has what you're looking for? Nice-looking stuff, anyway.

Adriano

Hi, Knoch! In any case it's fun to watch the horsies; maybe I'll get to see some jousting (something I never thought I'd see in the SCA).

Matt -- I always have fun in Atlantia, but that's a little too far for me, at least until I get a regular job.

Adriano

I paint the inside of my helm with the Rustoleum "cold galvanizing" spray. The outside (this is an old, ugly but indestructible spun-top helm) I painted with gray Rustoleum "hammered metal" finish. Tried a cheaper paint and was not pleased.

Adriano

Hi, all; I was wondering if anybody here knew anything more than I do about the upcoming "Arts of War" event, on Memorial Day weekend in the Chattanooga area (Shire of Vulpine Reach, Kingdom of Meridies). The flyer for it ( here ) makes only one mention of "heavy" combat: "Featuring a regional war p...

Adriano

Authentic-looking warhammers are a welcome sight on the field. However... I once saw a guy using a hammer with a huge cylindrical head; it looked like a whole sleeping pad rolled up and taped.

Adriano

I really enjoyed the "Crusades" on tv, and got the companion volume. I started out reading about the Crusades with a strong anti-Christian slant, but upon study have developed a more balanced anti-religion-in-general slant, echoing the feelings of some contemporary observers. I'd also recommend Terr...

Adriano

I've got a couple of the Windlass swords -- the basic viking sword (with, I found, a plastic grip and screw-on pommel) and a nice-looking Irish-style sword. The blade seems good but I've never really used it. Had a beautiful "Sempach" hand-and-a-half from when MRL was selling Del Tin; lost it in the...

Adriano

Nice! I missed the show; will have to look for a repeat. Having seen Steve's work up close, I know it looks great. It would be great if we've reached the point where our complaint about movie armour involves the right kind of rivetted mail. It wasn't that long ago that major films would have guys we...

Adriano

I'm 28 years old. So, I started fighting when you were 4. Punk! (Just kidding, Dude.) Sounds like you're doing well with the heavy bag. Since you're so young, you have a golden opportunity to avoid the mistakes many of us have made. I was in good shape at your age, then let myself go, and now I'm a...

Adriano

Big Ridge State Park; a beautiful site, which Thor's Mountain has been using for decades. I usually go to May Tourney, but don't think I can make it this year. However, I recommend it to one and all.

Adriano

I'd say this topic works equally well on the Armour page or this one. SCA fighters come in all sizes, and one of the best I know, Duke John the Mad Celt, is smaller than you. We also have big hulking fellows, but the rules don't allow them to simply body-slam you and plant a flag in your head. In fa...

Adriano

Lots of good advice. I just want to add: take care of your body, because you don't have a spare. Especially your joints; if you abuse them in your youth, you'll pay for it later. And this will sound strange, but don't worry too much about winning and losing. Have fun, do your best, and you'll have a...

Adriano

Deliberately targeting the groin is against the rules here in Meridies, and not looked on kindly. I wouldn't do it even if that weren't the case. However, if you get hit there, you've got to take it.

Adriano

Wait a sec. Lord Bryan Kildonnan (called Mad Dog) in Thor's Mountain -- is he a squire? If not, then he's my pick. (Also been around longer than me, which is good.)

Adriano

That'd be me! Hmm. Maybe not. (Though I may be the senior unbelted fighter in Meridies, after 24 years.) Good question. We're lousy with knights and squires in my home barony, the South Downs. Don't pay much attention to belts myself; I was about to propose a dude, and then remembered he's somebody'...

Adriano

I never had the honor of fighting Sir Lee, but I saw him knighted by King John the Bearkiller. Never heard anything but good about him.

Adriano

Destichado -- good points. I've got a couple of decent swords at home, and while they feel good and lethal, the idea of defending myself against a poll-axe with them seems silly. In the world of the SCA, though, the rules and conventions change the picture, and also the different physics of rattan v...

Adriano

Smithsonian Magazine had a write up on the Burro Creek war in the late 70s early 80s with some very good shots of freon can helms. If I recall, that was the June 1981 issue (bobcat on the cover). Good article. I think I wore a freon can helm at my first practice, way back in 1980. Actually, it was ...

Adriano

Seax, seax, seax -- it's all you kids think about! I've thought about this subject a lot, because I commonly fight two-swords in the SCA, and would wish to have some kind of historical justification. But I haven't been able to find it. Over time, I've formed the hypothesis that this is basically bec...

Adriano

Excellent account, Steve! I wish I could have been there to meet you in the lists, but I had an urgent appointment to go see Sin City with my brother.

Adriano

I guess you could order a human skull from a medical supply vendor, and fill it with ordnance jelly. Might be a bit expensive, though, so the the melon's probably a better idea. I know I've seen illustrations of jousting helmets that had a leather strap suspension system similar to that in a modern ...

Adriano

My cuisses are several layers of batting sewn into cotton fabric, with a few vertical lines of stitching. I put in metal eyelets to point them to a belt. The steel knee cops I've sewn to separate pads made of thick felt sewn into fabric; the pads then point to the cuisses. Very comfortable, but woul...

Adriano

Steve -- good to see you at practice the other day (especially in that riveted mail and kickin' helm). Welcome back to our odd game!

Adriano

Animal -- sorry for the delay. We use an entire array of weapons and techniques that would make a good portion of the SCA faint, scream and crap themselves. Knowing from years of your posts that you're a good guy, I wasn't actually offended. Just wanted to point out that we typically scream, crap an...

Adriano

Fun! When the paperback appeared in the 1980's, at first I thought it was a sort of in-joke hoax. Background: a few years earlier, Michael Crichton had published a book called Eaters of the Dead . It was clearly, a conflation of the Beowulf story, the actual memoirs of ibn Fadlin, and some stuff abo...

Adriano

The Agincourt Carol is also on the album "No More to the Dance" by the Silly Sisters (which includes the inimitable Maddy Pryor). Here.

Adriano

Victor -- I couldn't download the movies, but the pictures looked cool. If I lived closer to y'all I'd love to come by. Rock on, Dude (authentic 14th century expression, I swear; translated from Languedoc). Animal -- God knows there have been enough stupid hyperbolic insults exchanged between SCA fi...

Adriano

Kniggit -- rattan is a tropical wood similar to bamboo, which is used to make most of the weapons in the SCA. I buy mine from H.H. Perkins ( http://www.hhperkins.com/products/rattan_swords/ ), and often it's for sale at large SCA events. Although most of the spears in the SCA are made of fiberglass ...

Adriano

"Directed touch" works for me. If it's moving in the right direction and touches my face grill, I'll take it, and assume that my opponent is being courteous and choosing not to try and slam my face grill against my nose.

Adriano

I'd do it, but it wouldn't be the same. Fun sport, but there wouldn't be the "magic" I feel in the field battle at Pennsic. I don't think I'd feel the same determination I do now, to keep fighting as long as I'm physically able.

Adriano

I can't see the picture, but I'll assume the OP is a serious question. If you're talking about SCA combat, the short answer is "never".

Adriano

I think my two swords for Florentine are 39". Greatsword is 54".

Sir Rodger fights sword and shield with a 48" one-handed sword, which is unreasonable and annoying. (Rodger's about 6'6", which is entirely unnecessary.)

Adriano

Remember Philippe Petit? Back in 1974, when the World Trade Center was a brand-new feature in the Manhattan skyline, he decided that the twin towers presented an irrestible opportunity for tightrope walking. He used (if I recall) a crossbow to shoot a cord across the 181-foot space between the tower...

Anybody know about "Arts of War" event? (SCA)