The Armour Archive

T. Finkas

I was digging through a box of books from our trip to the Greek Islands a few years back and I ran across a photo of an incense burner in the book "Herakleion Museum Illustrated Guide" by J.A. Sakellarakis. I added the photos to the left for comparison. [img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v87/fin...

T. Finkas

It's really shaping up! Kudos!

T. Finkas

I agree with the comments to make the background even less busy. The overly busy background is the most common mistake that web designers make, IMHO. Consider a simple texture like a parchment sort of thing---if you need anything at all (other than a simple solid color). Consider achieving the "look...

T. Finkas

Great start! Some further suggestions: ⋅ Some of the thumbnails in the gallery look distorted, making the item seem less appealing. I'd suggest providing a cropped version for the thumbnails to avoid the distortion effect. ⋅ Shoot your photos on a plain white or grey background. ...

T. Finkas

Solid breastplates were popular in even earlier times. Consider the musculata breatplate of ancient Greece and Rome, and the predecessor of the muscled breastplate, the bell cuirass.

Cheers,
Tim

T. Finkas

I agree with the notion of sewing the scales onto a foundation of linen or canvas. It will save you money because the materials are less expensive. It will be a bit lighter. It would probably "breathe" better and have less of a tendancy to trap moisture. I also think it would be easier to sew rather...

T. Finkas

D. Sebastian wrote:IIRC, the Romans used small metal scale attached to chainmaile.

Wake up, DS...we're talking leather here.

T. Finkas

You guys are too harsh. At this price, this would be a superb suit of costume armour for the Ren Faire. If I was still doing Faire in So Cal, I'd buy it. Yes, it does appear to be a Matthew Cross piece. The spine bulge is a giveaway, if not the overall "finish". I wonder what's up with the short vam...

T. Finkas

...As far as I am concerned even swordseller31 has a good side to him, as I hadn't seen this forum before, and if it wasn't for him I might never have got here, ... Welcome! I first came to Armour Archive under similar circumstances---trying to deal with an armourer I thought was trying to cheat me...

T. Finkas

I already got mine. It's incredibly fab! Nice to have a helm that offers great vision, breathing, an eyeshade, and also sheds rain well (which I discovered at the Pennsic Bridge Battle---what there was of it before a nearby lightning strike put an end to the days battles).

Cheers,
Tim

T. Finkas

ALEXANDROS,

Hey, I noted you are from Kelso. My Dad's Family (The Finkas Family) is from nearby Castle Rock! Unfortunately, I have not been up to visit since I was a teenager

.

Cheers,
Tim

T. Finkas

Yeah, I agree on all counts, Ziad. Letter opener. As late as the 1920's. I have seen that same item before, so they were definitely "mass produced."

Cheers,
Tim

T. Finkas

Nice stuff, ROC!

T. Finkas

I sent him a very courteous inquiry (about an item on e-bay) and got back a spew of venom and profanity. This guy is a real piece of work!

T. Finkas

The dagger looks like the ornate stuff you see in the German woodcuts from the ---LATE--- 1500's so I'd stick my neck out and say that the style is accurate, or at least evocative, of the fanciest "Lansknecht" daggers of that era. As for Victorian, I'd say "why not?" That is certainly plausible. How...

T. Finkas

I repeat that I do like the grill Halberds came up with for "Grog." Furthermore, his creation made me curious about how I might design a grill, so taking my trusy Photoshop "in hand" I made the following design (based on his posted in-progress photo): [img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v87/finka...

T. Finkas

Somebody is going to be very proud to have that. Bravo!

Tim

T. Finkas

No comments other than "Gorgeous."

T. Finkas

Attago Spybeak. When I look around at SCA gatherings, the main thing that spoils the effect is that most people are not wearing any sort of headwear, and have modern hearcuts/hairstyles... I'm picturing legions of Canadian ex-hockey player vikings with mullets (and missing various teeth). ----Shudd...

T. Finkas

In the 13th Warrior, Banderas puts on some chain in the last battle there and closes it over his left shoulder..... is this anything real or period ??? I thought that was kind of neat. Hehe...almost nothing else in that film was accurate, why would you expect the mail construction to be? Cheers, Tim

T. Finkas

Here's one:

http://www.csun.edu/~hcarh001/496/armor.gif

I'll look for some more online...

Cheers,
Tim

T. Finkas

David, Your armour is beautiful. And it is refreshingly honest of you not to make some strained arguement that it is authentic or period when clearly it is not. Bravo! However, there are numerous examples of metal Celtic armor, from Bronze Age to the late 16th century. Many scholars assert that mail...

T. Finkas

Why not do a costume based on the Spanish Armada period? Your new morion would be perfect for that.

Cheers,
Tim

T. Finkas

I like the idea of buying one of the swords for a buck or so and then shine on the high shipping cost by requesting to pick it up.

T. Finkas

Polarus wrote:... And you have to admit that Val Kilmner was an *excellent* Philip...

Reeeeeeeeeallly...

So, do you figure Philip had an Irish accent? WTF was that all about? I guess Val figured if Jolie was doing Natasha's accent from Rocky & Bullwinkle, that he had to have a wacky accent too?

T. Finkas

That's looking good. Keep at it!

T. Finkas

Jehan de Pelham wrote:...to drink to a good buzz in a way that faire workers cannot.

Jehan de Pelham, squire of Sir Vitus

You have been sadly misinformed, Squire. That is exactly the duty of Faire workers...

T. Finkas

Wow, what nice work! I only question the choice of the coloration for the brow/nasal. If it were brighter---even bronze---it would stand out and allow the grill (beautifully made though it is) to recede a bit.

Cheers,
Tim

T. Finkas

Wil wrote:
StudBuckle wrote:Wombat's helm faces are too angular anyway, IMHO---it would be a pleasure to see somebody do a more naturalistic (if that's what you mean by organic) treatment.

Cheers,
Tim

Like this?

http://history.westkingdom.org/Year38/Photos/MSC21.htm

~Wil

Yep, that's what I mean. Is it an Ugo Seranno piece?

Cheers,
Tim

T. Finkas

Wombat's helm faces are too angular anyway, IMHO---it would be a pleasure to see somebody do a more naturalistic (if that's what you mean by organic) treatment.

Cheers,
Tim

T. Finkas

I can't believe that bone-head at Historical Stud and Buckle stopped making this set of hardware. Doesn't he see how popular this stuff is? I don't get it...

T. Finkas

This has got to be one of the worst films I have ever seen. Very poor story telling and just plain awful acting. I never though Anthony Hopkins could make me count the seconds till a scene was over! A few neat costumes, spectacular sets and special effects (and Rosarios Dawson's nude scene) doesn't ...

T. Finkas

The best would be wrapped wicker bands. That's how most of the originals I have seen were done.

Examples:

http://archive.liveauctioneers.com/arch ... 5_1_md.jpg

http://www.maryrose.org/lcity/cook/men2.htm

Cheers,
Tim

T. Finkas

Wow Grendel! That is the rarest as I only ever made one set of the white bronze hardware. Cool!

T. Finkas

First of all, avoid the most common dimensional lumber which means 2x4's and 4x4's. The modern eye identifies those readily. I agree with the idea of sanding away modern toolmarks. Consider using a belt sander to give the flat areas of the wood a bit of a "wobble". That might lend it the look of han...

Ancient Greeks in Gers (Yurts)?