The Armour Archive

Kilkenny

Imagine a founding member [X], long time paragon of virtue, got knocked over in a battle by a relatively unknown novice [Y]. If X accuses Y of deliberately tackling him, and Y says "no, I didn't," would you be willing to believe that and let it drop? If rank has bearing, just the intent o...

Kilkenny

For the last prodject I did, I used a stylus to form letters directly on the wet leather. It has a nylon tip, very small, but nice and round. Take a look at it on my website below. It's the archery bracer. Oh and a bit of bad news, I ran out of leather the right size, so can anyone give me a few in...

Kilkenny

One element of the problem with your position is that you keep making it Peers versus non-Peers. Irrelevant, unless your agenda is peer bashing. Well, it's kinda hard to ignore in this example, isn't it? I admit it should be irrelevant, but it is appropriate, as Peers tend to have a lot more assume...

Kilkenny

What if I use light pencil? I also plan to paint over certain portions of it. I'll try and post some before and after pics of what I'm planning to do, and of course progress pics... Are you thinking of drawing on the grain side with the pencil? You can do it, but there's a reason that the people wh...

Kilkenny

End nippers are, imo, the best answer to this problem. I've found that tile nippers are very helpful too, but you need to grind down the stop that keeps their jaws from meeting. Tile nippers come with tungsten carbide teeth. With the end nippers, you just slip them in behind the head of the rivet an...

Kilkenny

As a new sca fighter, I also wonder about this. Is it considered bad form to stab my opponent? Obviously it is legal within the rules, however it seems to be frowned upon by several posters. No, just make sure you master the cut so you don't look like an idiotic out of control sewing machine. Tempt...

Kilkenny

...yeah, but that's not a sword in your hands. It's a rattan club. (Sorry to be harsh, but...) In between the padding on the thrusting tip and the biomechanics involved, I'd venture to say that a thrust is one of the least efficient ways to apply force with that club. Body thrusts lend themselves t...

Kilkenny

I apologize to everyone still reading this. I said it was not supposed to be about Flieg any more, but I got mad there for a second. I am sorry. Chivalry and honor are not dead, yet. There are those of us who still carry the banners and do our best to live to the ideals. But, it is indeed dishearte...

Kilkenny

That had a chance of flying if you had balanced it with similar comments regarding the plaintiff. If I were to do that, you'd accuse me of being pedantic. Isn't it obvious? If I don't automatically believe him, what makes you think I'd believe her? So.. still arguing the French system, but now addi...

Kilkenny

I think we're looking at a fluted plate cased greave, with lots of hinges. I don't think it's splinted, in part because the arms are very clearly plate. I think it's fairly clear from the shading that the narrow parts are ridges rising above the base. I don't see anything that looks like rivets hol...

Kilkenny

I actualy use a standard ball point on the flesh side and use a bevler to remove the ink line. A stylus works well on the finished side, with thinner crometaned garment or upolstry stuff I over size the patterns a little and cut just inside the ink line. For cutting patterns I do the same thing. Ho...

Kilkenny

Vitus von Atzinger wrote:Does it offend you? Do you openly show disdain for it?

No to both. But I don't pretend to be recreating the chivalric culture from the heyday of the tourney.

Kilkenny

So, yes, I support Marshals' Courts in theory; I only feel that the specific practice is flawed if it fails to first consider the reputation of either the accused or accuser. This is a modern concept, but as a medievally-inspired organization, we need not be constrained by such a soulless model. I ...

Kilkenny

So, Bob, are you espousing the French system of justice, wherein the accused must prove himself innocent? Where on earth are people getting that idea? I'm just pointing out that it's possible that faith might be misplaced. Some people say - without any firsthand knowledge of events - that Flieg mus...

Kilkenny

As the subject says, how would historically accurate splinted greaves look like from behind and the side? I cannot find any effigies that show this or have a satisfactory view of closure methods. Would they be made with a flexible enough backing to be of one piece? Or would they have a front and ba...

Kilkenny

I think we're looking at a fluted plate cased greave, with lots of hinges. I don't think it's splinted, in part because the arms are very clearly plate. I think it's fairly clear from the shading that the narrow parts are ridges rising above the base. I don't see anything that looks like rivets hold...

Kilkenny

One of the easiest ways to harden leather is to just soak it in acrylic floor polish. The polish saturates the leather and polymerizes. Won't mess up your artwork.

Next time, I would recommend starting with much heavier leather - I don't make armour from less than 13 oz.

Kilkenny

No need to invent the wheel here Optimally, you want your artwork on something waterproof and fairly thin. Why? Because you're going to lay it, right side up, on the grain face of your somewhat damp leather and then trace the lines with a stylus. The leather should not be wet, just damp. You can dip...

Kilkenny

Ahh. I've done a number of pieces using a trellis work pattern inspired by things I've seen in effigies. It works just fine. The simple geometric doesn't get destroyed by scuffing the way something more involved (say, celtic knotwork) does. Konstantin, he's not talking about piercework or slashing t...

Kilkenny

I'm troubled by this, too. I keep hearing about "reputation" and "never been known" and stuff like that. Maybe this is symptomatic of the increasing wretchedness of the the Society, but the phrase that keeps buzzing through my ears is, "So what?" Unless he's the Second...

Kilkenny

You can use 4-5, you could go even lighter, because it's backed by the plastic. Konstantin is right about gluing it down thoroughly. The problem is, no weight of leather is going to keep your tooling work from being damaged when you fight in the armour The damage will come from abrasion and duct tap...

Kilkenny

Valgard Jarl, What I draw from your post is that might makes right. I think, then, that you are drawing poorly. Take the entire discussion away from a field of physical contest. Consider a wildly different scenario. An event occurs that could be interpreted to be potentially harmful and the "i...

Kilkenny

Cool! Thanks for the info. By 13-15oz., you mean that thickness for normal veg-tanned (not half-tanned) leather, no? I'd imagine for half-tanned you could get away with thinner... Yes, I'm referring to normal veg-tanned at 13-15. I'm uncertain whether the half-tanned would benefit from going lighte...

Kilkenny

Wow. Awesome thread. Well, I am going to necro this thing with a few questions: With regard to the original leather armour the OP was trying to emulate, did that thing have a separate upper and lower cannon? Also, has anyone tried this with half-tanned leather? And, lastly, what thickness of leathe...

Kilkenny

Dr. Jackson's Hide Rejuvenator comes well recommended and is available from Tandy. Some patience is called for in the process, whatever product you wind up using. Apply, give some time for it to be absorbed (hours, not minutes ), apply some more. You can get a saturated surface that won't take any m...

Kilkenny

wow.
You're misinformed regarding the weight of hardened leather versus steel, but you probably won't want to hear that anymore than you've wanted to hear anything else people have had to offer in response to your request for their input.

Kilkenny

Wulf wrote:Gavin, if it was reasonable then everyone would do it and it would not be awesome.

well, duh!

Explains why you're so awesome though....

Kilkenny

Mac, did you try the other address listed there on the page? terafan AT greydragon DOT org Interesting stuff. Gavin, A couple of other folks have suggested that to me. I missed the "cryptic-email-address-thing" when I tried to contact him months ago, and did not think to go back ant searc...

Kilkenny

Thanks Kilkenny! Do you think 2-3 oz would hold up for the fauld as well? By covered breastplate, I meant something like Ralph de Knevynton (1370) . The Munich breastplate (which I can't find any pics of atm) is of the same type, and I'm pretty sure there are other late 14th century representations...

Kilkenny

I think it's amazing that people think a £25 fine for NOT using a vehicle you own on the road is reasonable. I think its amazing that people think fighting to the death over a £25 fine is reasonable. I believe you are mistaken. Not a single poster has suggested it is reasonable. Awesome, yes. But n...

Kilkenny

Mac, did you try the other address listed there on the page? terafan AT greydragon DOT org

Interesting stuff.

Kilkenny

In other words - pretty consistent. . Yep. And it really has been for quite a long time. Pennsic 21 we actually prepared the various plans required by the commonwealth in the event our attendance exceeded 10,000. As I recall, we came close but did not pass that number for 21. Over the next 19 years...

Kilkenny

Regarding tournies at Pennsic. There's a certain amount of drama almost inherent in the whole concept. Someone has an idea for a tournament they wish to sponsor. For it to work they need a variety of support, both in terms of people deciding to show up to participate and in terms of people providing...

Kilkenny

Balin, You were entirely right in bringing this issue up as it is obviously, your Worst Pennsic XL Moment. It may have reinforced your distrust of "eastern" kingdoms and their ways - or it may have just pissed you off. Either way, getting into a pissing match on the Archive or any other i...

Kilkenny

Recorded Pennsic attendance has never exceeded 13,000.

31 was a bit over 11,000.

Re: Worst Pennsic XL Moments!

Re: Starting a new leather project

Re: Worst Pennsic XL Moments!

Re: Starting a new leather project

Re: Ok, I Drilled out the Center of the Rivet....

Re: Thrusting in tourney.

Re: Thrusting in tourney.

Re: Worst Pennsic XL Moments!

Re: Worst Pennsic XL Moments!

Re: Splinted greaves: how do they look like from behind?

Re: Starting a new leather project

Re: Thrusting in tourney.

Re: Worst Pennsic XL Moments!

Re: Worst Pennsic XL Moments!

Re: Splinted greaves: how do they look like from behind?

Re: Splinted greaves: how do they look like from behind?

Re: Opinions/Suggestions on Leather Demi's

Re: Starting a new leather project

Re: What weight leather to use?

Re: Worst Pennsic XL Moments!

Re: What weight leather to use?

Re: Worst Pennsic XL Moments!

Re: Reconstruction of late 13th cent. hardened leather vambr

Re: Reconstruction of late 13th cent. hardened leather vambr

Re: OT question for the leather workers, restoring old leath

Re: Wanted - Bazubands for SCA combat.

Re: Sir Vitus .... was this you or one of your cohorts?

Re: tent in Madrid

Re: covering a globose breastplate with leather

Re: Sir Vitus .... was this you or one of your cohorts?

Re: tent in Madrid

Re: Worst Pennsic XL Moments!

Re: Best of the Best Footage- Where is it?

Re: Worst Pennsic XL Moments!

Re: Worst Pennsic XL Moments!