The Armour Archive

Chris Gilman

Gethin, Sorry I finished these up a while ago, but was not happy with them for this armour. I like how they came out, but they are not right for this suit. I will shoot some pictures this weekend and post them. I did not alternate the scales, as it looked to me as if the non-ribbed scales where just...

Chris Gilman

Now you just need to authorize in "Blocking"

Chris Gilman

Chemicals are like keys, not like hammers. Only the correct key will unlock the lock, not the biggest badass one.
Naptha is the solvent for many tape adhesives. Naptha will not harm most plastics, but will disolve the glue.

Chris Gilman

Baa, ah.. I mean Ya

Chris Gilman

Thanks for the complements. BTW: I found a number of books by Istvan Racz on ABE book search. I plan on getting them soon. Thanks for the information. I also found a stash of Finnish sheep skins (Suomenlammas) that my father-in-law sent us. He raises this rare breed of ancient sheep in Lapland. This...

Chris Gilman

The two examples, I understand(one I photographed in the National Museum in Helsinki) where found in womenâ€™s graves. As for reference on Viking age in Finland, It is a bit scarce. If you search under "prehistoric" this is how the Finnâ€™s seem to classify the Viking age. You can also try...

Chris Gilman

I decided I was not going to complete my 1340's kit for Pennsic. (Without rushing it) so I decided to make some new things and some that people have requested I make more of. (I'll have these for sale at Pennsic.) For all of you with Finnish Viking age personas, I made some copies of a bronze bracel...

Chris Gilman

That looks like what I use. Is there a screw in the back brace? It may not need one but I put one at every "post". I alo do not fully weld and "blend" the tube joins, I just overlap the pieces and put a couple of strong "tacks". Again, these braces may not be 100% neces...

Chris Gilman

Maeryk wrote:I'd apply a minimum appearance requirement.

That requirement would be stronger for the Chiv, becuase the PoA requires authenticity at the highest level possible to be a candidate.

Hu ra!
and stop whinning, it's a game....

Chris Gilman

Great. For some reason, I feel drawn to LA... and it makes me feel dirty.... And what is this I hear Donnagal talking about a giant monkey? Roland You just have to Really look for the monkey... hes wearing some of the costumes... LOL Chris will we be seeing you at Pennsic? Donngal Ahhh that monkey ...

Chris Gilman

The width is 1/2. Having never looked closely at the blade (after some use) before, while measuring the blade, I too noticed teeth missing. I think we where using a finer blade at one point. Although even with missing teeth, it still cuts well. My guys forget, but I use a cutting wax to lubricate th...

Chris Gilman

Great. For some reason, I feel drawn to LA... and it makes me feel dirty.... Seriously though, great stuff! Now, if only we could get shots of the rest of the shop... Did I see an Commando Cody helmet in the library? And what is this I hear Donnagal talking about a giant monkey? Thanks for sharing!...

Chris Gilman

Oh that's worst than your mothers panties!!
Sorry, I just wanted to try (to) Dis-Mantling

Chris Gilman

I was planning on posting some pictures of our shop on the "show us your shop" thread, but havenâ€™t gotten around to shooting some. But we did get some new rent department photos up. I thought you folks might enjoy. (Arrow to the right of first picture will navigate to the next one) http:...

Chris Gilman

sha-ul wrote:Chris, what size& tooth count do you find to work best? also what type ie Bi-metal?

Sorry it took a bit to get this info posted. lowcost steel blade, 12tpi, saw is running at 400 (416) fpm

Chris Gilman

There's really no substitute for the Beverly. Just as their really isn't a good substitute for the Roper Whitney Punch. The Chinese knock-offs are just what you would expect, lower quality replicas. Do they work? Yes. Just not for as long. Ingelri Iâ€™m curious, how can you say that? Have you ever ...

Chris Gilman

I have a Harbor freight vertical metal cutting band saw and since I bought it, I almost never use my shear. It cuts stainless, 1050 with no effort and does not twist the metal up. I find it to be much better than the Beverly shear as it does a better job and is more versatile. The key is correct bla...

Chris Gilman

(Repeats look)

Chris Gilman

Dry Ice is much colder, but you get less thermal transfer than you do with wet ice. The main reason dry ice is used , for say shipping refrigirated items is it is "dry" and you do not need to worry about pakaging being water tight. However I do not believe you will get "longer life&qu...

Chris Gilman

Very nice

Chris Gilman

We had a good time. Got a chance to see some old friends and it was nice to try some cooking with our new 14th C cooking gear. The pipkins I made for Estrella but didn't get to use them and the brazier is fashioned after the one in the Bayeux Tapestry. Although it seemed to be a Viking dress weekend...

Chris Gilman

My wife and I thought we would make the trip. We will be there Friday in the AM till most likely Sunday. I plan on bringing some craft items to work on, so if anyone has a project, bring it by and we can swap techniques. Sir Gaston Bonneville de la Croix Baron of Atenveldt. Or Magnus DjÃºpÃºÃ°ga D(y...

Chris Gilman

Chris, My body armour fits quite snuggly too...but for some reason I keep getting my pauldrons stuck in my breastplate when I fight. That's a problem. -Aaron A suit is a complex thing. The proportions of your suit are off in many areas. Pauldrins getting caught can be a number of things from the pl...

Chris Gilman

My head is big. Is your head over 25"? With the size of that armet I could put over 1.25" (before compression) of padding and fit my 23.5' head in no problem. It looks like you have a huge amount of padding in there. http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=58876&highlig...

Chris Gilman

Here is a comparision between the two suits (Lonnie Colson has the better one IMO): Sadly I did not see any way to contact Lonnie Colson. I'd love to listen to what he has to say. With respect, -Aaron Iâ€™m sure the cuirass is too large for Lonnie. I asked him about this and claimed it fit fine, bu...

Chris Gilman

I'm afraid I have lost all of the photos I once had of these rubber weapons. I will talk with the guys in the shop to see if they want to make some up. The rubber Wheelock was molded off of my real Wheelock with RTV silicone so the detail was perfect. I just imbedded a piece of rattan in the rubber ...

Chris Gilman

These have been posted here before, and I'm not sure the SCA legality, but I made these for steel fighting in Europe a few years ago. They are titanium plates sewn to knit Kevlar glove with Kevlar thread. The plates are a bit crude, as I rushed them together. At some point I plan on remaking them. h...

Chris Gilman

Thaden's done some outstanding stuff, but does he count any more? I thought he was out of the business. Mac's stuff is stellar- I'd put him as the reigning champ, but I'm not sure when his last creation was released. It would be dishonest not to rank Jeff Hedgecock and Will West with them. If Ugo's...

Chris Gilman

hrolf wrote:
Hjlmr inn Danski wrote:Greetings,

For Duke proof SCA helmets, nothing beats a Knotwulf!

Hjlmr inn Danski

or a tearloch.

Under this definition I think this would work as well.
http://cache.wists.com/thumbnails/7/41/741cfd65f10a3782fc4e5b3800ba2c4d-orig

Chris Gilman

Cian of Storvik wrote:Most armor including mail was probably iron, not a steel alloy.)
-Cian

??

Chris Gilman

The common mistakes that are often highlighted in these tests: -Using foam or clay as a analogue to human flesh. A better alternative is to use a pig/hog which has already been slain and dress it in all the layers of common armament layers of the period (gambeson, chain, plate, what-have-you). -Usi...

Chris Gilman

Also in this case I do not have them. Plus they would be in moose size. (6'3"& 230#) I've been avoiding chiming in on this because it's Chris's suit so it's his chance to play show and tell, but if people are interested I have a pattern in my CAD station at work that I use for molding the ...

Chris Gilman

Funny coincidence, this is the part in my book I'm currently writing, Measuring and calipers. I have found if youâ€™re going to use them now and a again, many off brands are pretty good. But another vote for Mitutoyo if you want good at a reasonable price. I find Starrett over priced for many things...

Chris Gilman

I was going to suggest that "bar top" clear epoxy, you could put it on a cool plywood tourney table! Ok, perhaps a less "SCA" approach would be better... Having had a few things like this done, go to a pro that has experience with old documents. They will know the correct materia...

Chris Gilman

Thanks guys. I'm working on it. I'm trying to get some down every day. I'm on my second page. Just kidding Hrolfr, As far as patterns. I have a theory on patterns. Most are simple enough, that if you have the talent to make the piece, you have the talent to make the patterns. Don't be intimidated, g...

Took some time to make some new things (Finnish Viking)

Showroom tour (with pics)