The Armour Archive

Chris Gilman

Wow Gaston... that's spectacular! Are you making this for your own use? How many hours work in a hat like that? Few people have done early 14th century well... this is the nicest early bascinet reproduction I've ever seen! Thank you. IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢m making it for me. This is my first raised helmet, so t...

Chris Gilman

I am interested in this info as well. The helmet I posted on the repousse thread is going under a sugarloaf, so I would like to see any reference folks might have.

Chris Gilman

It should make you want to say, "So that's how he did that? I think I could do that, too!" The other way would be sooo much easier. -Gregory- Ahh, It's not that hard, I got a repousse by numbers book at Artmart. Don't give up. Remember after a couple dozen ashtrays you might get a helmet. Just don'...

Chris Gilman

DAVID01 wrote:Gaston, would you move in next door so I can just bother the hell out of you?

Find someone to buy my company and I will!

Chris Gilman

That's because this is pitch, for repousse. Not asphaltum.
I think Alcyoneus posted the wrong term for pitch. Asphaltum has pitch in it, but it is my understanding it's normally used as an etching resist.

Chris Gilman

I draw the design on the metal, or sometimes do it by eye. I have used a photo copy of the design lightly spray glued to the metal and traced with a X-Acto knife to transfer the design. The pitch ratio is: 6 parts pitch (Chaser's, Burgundy or Swedish) 8 parts Plaster or brick dust 1 part linseed oil...

Chris Gilman

No, Japanese silk cord.
At some point I will make a sugerloaf to go over this cap. I'm also planning on decorating the rest of the armour with this type of metal work.

Chris Gilman

Here is the helmet I am working on. The bowl is raised from .050Ã¢â‚¬Â

Chris Gilman

I just finished doing this. You can use pitch, which is cut with RAW linseed oil and plaster of Paris (dry) The amount varies depending on your room temp, more in winter, less in summer). Anneal your metal often and use .015Ã¢â‚¬Â

Chris Gilman

I believe this is a 18th or 19th century bed. Possibly a military campaign bed for officer use. Windrose had a very nice book on the subject.

Chris Gilman

I understand Blankenshield has 2 copies, library and a shop copy. Perhaps the $236 used one is Blankenshields library copy!

Chris Gilman

MilleniumLancelot wrote:The metal pieces, are the just flat pieces, are they curved to fit the torso slightly are they dishes at all?

Yes they are dished/ domed.
The Indian armour is illustrated in the Eyewitness book "Military Uniforms"
Page 11, boots on page 37.

Chris Gilman

Tying seems to be something that was done, at least in the 14th century. The Habergeon of Westwale has a flap in the back that pulls through the legs and is tied to the front. This flap has extra links to make it set nicely on the inside of the legs. The hasting manuscripts have a passage that says,...

Chris Gilman

Here is a rough idea of the pattern.
[img]http://globaleffects.com/Temp/indian.jpg[/img]
The "legs" you see in the photo are boots that come to mid thigh.

In one of the "Eye witness" books, (Uniforms, maybe?) there is a good photo spread of this armour

Good luck.

Chris Gilman

Yes, that is my armour, it is the armour I wore in Haunted Mansion, in fact, that photo is from the set of Haunted Mansion. The armour is made with 4 layers of canvas, with heavy upholstery velvet for the outer layer. It is all held together with stitching and 26,000 gold plated rivets. The plates a...

Chris Gilman

Rod,
....?Oh, other Chris, never mind.

Chris Gilman

I'd have to 2nd that, it's a "Train wreck!" But perfect for the SCA!

Chris Gilman

I have a real 1580's Morion that has 2 patches. Riveted in and hot planished to invisibility. It is amazing, one of the repairs you can't see from the outside at all, even under the closest of inspection.
I will try to photo them and post a picture for you.

Chris Gilman

Here is how I interrupted the drawing. (Ignore the breast and back)
http://www.globaleffects.com/C_pages/Re ... intedh.JPG

Chris Gilman

Very Nice.

Chris Gilman

I got side-tracked on some silver spoons for a wedding present.
[img]http://globaleffects.com/Temp/spoons2.jpg[/img]

As for video, I am planning some instructional DVD's, as well as some classes at the shop.

Chris Gilman

Here is an update on the shield. I have finished forming the steel reinforce around the oak handle and used small steel tacks, to secure it to the wood handle. I formed most of the metal before I fit it on the wood, however I finished forming it both hot and cold on the oak grip. Because it's oak th...

Chris Gilman

Thanks folks. I'll update this as I make headway. I'm making the iron handle reinforcement for the shield currently. I chose oak for the shield, because I'm going to use this in some living history fighting and was worried the bass or linden/lime wood not last as long. I also think most shields wher...

Chris Gilman

I don't think the cuff is wrong. I think to many people here think of "SCA only" use. Most real armour will not meet the wants of an SCA fighter. The black Prince gauntlets flair about that much. Some of the trim details look a bit "Soft" and could use some more detail, but I think the overall shape...

Chris Gilman

I thought I would share some of the projects I'm working on. First I finished a Finnish Viking age knife and scabbard for my wife Pia. It's based on a find in Finland and has been reproduced a great number of times. It's almost the Churberg 13 of the Finnish Viking world. I made tools to stamp the p...

Chris Gilman

at some point

Chris Gilman

Ceddie recieved his plaques.

Otto,
Crest sent

Chris Gilman

It's dead horse...Dead horse. Boy, some peopleÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s children! Hmmm.. "Wraithgaurd" is that a period name? Ok ok ok...I know I shouldn't have......But I CAN"T CONTROL, get conTROLL...myself...ha ha ha Sorry, I'm flogging myself now, I will not antagonize the children, I will not antagonize the ch...

Chris Gilman

Jehan, No, no ,no...It's not epoxy; it is in fact the finest quality "Vatican temperature stabilized Venetian glassite" An extremely rare form of enameling only used on the finest and most expensive articles. In fact its qualities have only recently been "re-discovered" and are now being applied to ...

Chris Gilman

Yes thank you,
Old thread lists options and prices, call the office here and an oderform will be filled out .

Chris Gilman

Thanks Guys you made my wifeÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s day. She is one of those silly girls who think she's not that pretty. The wedding was 9 1/2 years ago and we are happy as ever. For those of you who know him, the guy in the armet is Luke Apker. Any one know his where abouts these days? As for the main wedding o...

Chris Gilman

Good Sir, You are correct, we should have gotten the belt to you in the promised time. No matter how busy we where. Since we initially received about a dozen inquiries and promised orders, in order to get a better price, we jobbed out the casting to another shop that specializes in this type of cast...

Chris Gilman

Jehan de Pelham wrote:Sir gaston, you are the man.

John
Jehan de Pelham, esquire and servant of Sir Vitus

Ah, yes, I'm the one in the armour, My wife, the women is the one in the dress

Chris Gilman

Events like this are difficult to pull off. The more people you have involved in the designing and planning the worse it gets. My wife and I put our wedding together in only 6 weeks. But we planned it and didn't have "help" from half the family. We also hired people directly and didnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t hire a...

Chris Gilman

Nice looking, but I think they go to far back. All of the haute guards I have seen only go to the point of the shoulder in front of the helmet.

New projects, Viking, Vendel and Finnish items