The Armour Archive

Sean Powell

Considering that the helm construction standard never specified DIAMETER of the rivet, you can build something 100% legal that can be pulled apart by bare hands and another that is illegal but perfectly safe. As a marshal inspecting a kit helm I am more interested in seeing if the builder properly p...

Sean Powell

I use almost exactly the same technique as Chris except that I start my first pass on the inside with a rounded cold chisel. I find it easier to see the line and the tool at the same time and the location of the valley in the dishing stump is less important. Then I work on the outside. I'm probably ...

Sean Powell

Yes, 16 ga steel legs will dent but I honestly wouldn't recommend going any thicker. It could be you live in an area with someone(s) particularly strong or particularly efficient at leg shots. It could be that you need to move more and block better or it could be that your armor has been protecting ...

Sean Powell

I went through that room with a fine tooth comb and couldn't find it. Not as a stand alone piece and not as part of a full suit. I got plenty of pics of a solid breyette with nice engraving but it's not what you were looking for. Sorry, I tried. I'll post what I do have once I download them. Early m...

Sean Powell

Title says it all. I'm headed to NYC for a meeting with a surgeon and a product show and tell. I'll be killing an hour or two at the Met just because. Short notice but if anyone wants any pictures of something specific just ask. Unfortunately I wasn't planing on this trip so it's just a cell-phone c...

Sean Powell

The best plan, although not viable in the short term, is for someone else to get their marshalate and be a deputy KM or marshal at large. Our local practice had 5 regulars (but we were lucky to get any 3 per week) and 4 were marshals. Only one had the unfortunate job of paperwork. 2nd best plan is t...

Sean Powell

The question will be how well it fits. Do you buy suits off the shelf or do you get them tailored or is a baggy T-shirt more your style? A good armorer who has made other pieces based on measurements can usually do it again. A basic helm should be 3 dimensions, 5 if the patrons nose is large or it w...

Sean Powell

I used to deliver newspapers to the condos behind the Lynch building. I could ride there on my bike. I was probably doing so during the auction. It was the wierd store with all the cement animal statues out front... And I was too young to afford more then a hammer or two and didn't know squat about ...

Sean Powell

It's the lazy carpenter (or armorer) who uses sharp tools. Dull tools or tools that dull quickly are a lot more work in the long run. Files, chisels, drills etc are worth buying quality and replacing often... I'm going to miss my easy access to the prototype drill cabinet. Ti-Nitride short machingin...

Sean Powell

I do a 4-bend metal handle with 2 wood scales to build it up in thickness. 1"x1/8" bar stock seems right for what I do. I mark a width for the hand with a flove plus a little ease. I clamp the hand portion and beat both ends 90 degrees with a heavy hammer, Then I mark the offset, clamp in the vice a...

Sean Powell

Hello everyone on the Archive. As of the end of July I am on temporary hiatus making Corazzina kits. I have a new job with a different CAD system and will need to re-draft the basic patterns. Also my kydex is packed up with the sheet-metal and plywood for the moving company. It will be a few months ...

Sean Powell

Both the weapons AND the armor vary by division. I can't remember is age 10 is div 1 or 2 but if it isn't div-2 then she will be soon so you should plan on it anyway. I don't read WW so I'm not certain what the current WW armor looks like. If you can share a few pics we can give some pointers. The o...

Sean Powell

Panther does make a round with spokes. Not certain of an oval or not. They can also make 2 hubs and all of the poles. I had a custom 13x21 slant wall (16x24 at the ground) made by Tentsmiths but I built the hubs and poles myself. It was not a simple project for a novice woodworker. Let me see if I c...

Sean Powell

There are a number of construction holes used for alignment of spaulders and faulds but the un-used half of the hole is always (to the best of my experience) filled with a dummy rivet. I don't know what purpose a pair of holes would serve during the construction phase that a single hole wouldn't do ...

Sean Powell

Why the thread necromancy?

I thought this was answered months ago?

Sean Powell

flush-cutting end-nippers that Farriers use for horseshoe nails. I can cut a rivet smooth to the face or select exactly how much shank is left exposed. These are best but expensive. http://thefarrier.co.nz/products/tools/mustad-nail-cutter/ But you can pick these up at the local hardware store for m...

Sean Powell

You are also very close to Dave Rylak/Cet who runs rough from the hammer and is very knowledgeable about armor construction. He doesn't run classes but he can probably answer a few specific questions if you have them.

Sean

Sean Powell

I'm not certain when the "tap" was invented, but since it's basically just a thread with grooves cut through, I don't think it's a huge leap in tech from "cutting threads" to "making taps" CT, Strictly speaking, the tap does not even need cutting edges. A tapered tap will force up threads in a nut....

Sean Powell

Yeah... seen that. It doesn't address anything harder than 304 stainless. At $30 CAD each I hate to waste the die if someone else has already experienced this situation. I am very new to working with tempered medium carbon steel. If possible you might want to go up one size on the lower die. In sof...

Sean Powell

Get one of these: http://shop.reebok.com/us/content/CheckLight Dude, You and I both know people who will see those as a challenge. "Hey Dave the dick-head is actually armoring up today, and he's got a checklight!" "Cool! I've always wanted to knock Daves head into a solid yellow." "Not if I can kno...

Sean Powell

Thanks all, a hardened bit, some engine oil and a slow drill'n did the trick! Cheers, Filip you're NOT drilling that fancy new helm are you? lol Got to mount a chin-strap somehow!. The number of times I see a production helmet from an armorer that has no way to strap it astounds me. That a minor is...

Sean Powell

Me? I bring it in to work, give it to the prototype shop as a challenge and let the experts with the expensive tools do it. For home use: Carbide drills if you can, Titanium Nitride if that's the best available. Set the depth stop on your drill press where it will just cut into the sacraficial wood ...

Sean Powell

Hello, I'm cleaning out my shop of scrap wood and incomplete projects. I had some 1x12 that was going to turn into some basic boxes but warpage and bad knots have left me with less useable material then wanted I'm considering 1 Viking/Oesberg chest for my daughter as her camp stool and toy-chest. I ...

Sean Powell

Sean, if you give the fist of fury to ten different marshals, you will likely get ten opinions that don't match. and then when you ask them how another point compares, you're not going to get the same answer from all of them. Subjective remains subjective ;) Which is why I like an exemplar product....

Sean Powell

I'll add that in Rene de Anjous manuscript on holding a tourney there is a man in a brig wearing an identical helmet (gorget unknown) riding away from the mounted melee once they head out into the field for more space to play. From memory he is wearing a light brown brigandine with poofy shoulders o...

Sean Powell

Looks like they are making a spearhead shape now. This is good. Much better than a bunch of people running ariund with guantlets on the ends of swords and spears. The nice thing about 'standard' designs with controlled manufacturing processes is it allows us to have a consistent scale to judge home...

Sean Powell

I'm going to have to download this and read it at work tomorrow. Legitimately that is. I work at a farm museum and am the resident "Blacksmith" (though I make no claims myself). :) Say that too loudly in these parts and you might find someone puts a hit out on you they day they send in their resume...

Sean Powell

the pommel of a great sword is just silly. to think you could end a fight by butting someone with a pommel is as bad as face thrusts thrown less than full force or punching with a hammer or an axe. period technique? sure, you could convince someone to try something other than that which they were t...

Sean Powell

Ah, thanks for the regional term clarification. I tend to think of pikes as 15-20' long.

Still interested if anyone has used one.

Sean

Sean Powell

Hello, This recently poped up on the EK marshal list. It is labeled as SCA legal for 'pikes' and sword tips. Seeing as we don't use 'pikes' I'm already a bit concerned. I think it's fantasticly cool looking and I'd want one for the cue or back-spike of a halberd or pomel of a great-sword but I've ne...

Sean Powell

You would post this right AFTER my wife buys a new spinning wheel and Pennsic registration... Damn it. Let me see what I can afford. Does this need to be a 'before you move' purchase or will the offer still stand after the move?

Also, any rough idea on #nails/pound?

Thanks,
Sean

Sean Powell

I want to thank Wade (and Tom) for a wonderful and informative weekend. I'm still suffering from information overload but it was definitely an eye-opening experience with some wonderful people to hang around with. If all goes well, see you next year.

Thank you,

Sean

Sean Powell

And after all of that it turns out the the Solothurn office has a federal holiday today and most are taking tomorrow as vacation for the 4-day weekend so I can't get any commitment. I told my boss it was stupid to waste 2 days travel time for 3 days of work with our schedules so tight and he finally...

Sean Powell

Tell me/us when you know. Wade End of work today for resolution. Need to give our Solothurn office time to respond. They also re-scheduled a teleconference with manufacturing for my drive down. Debating leaving after the phone conference or talking while driving. Days like this make we want to hit ...

Sean Powell

Boss asked if I can fly to Switzerland to work next week. I'm not driving 8 hours home in one metal can to spend the next 8 hours flying in a different tin can. Looking into triangle flights PHL to RDU to Zurich to PHL. Tempted to tell my boss to pound sand. Will know my travel plans by the end of t...

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