The Armour Archive

Malek

First, the armor: Overall, the look is moderately captured. The armor could use some more curvature, especially in the leg faulds. Also, the leg faulds were really long compared to the picture; is this due to him wanting to use it for the SCA? There really needs to be some sort of strap to the bott...

Malek

My friend wanted to get a costume together for an Anime convention here in Portland over the weekend: http://www.kumoricon.org/ He is also wanting to get out of the crappy SCA loaner armour he has been using for the last year or so. His decision - combine SCA functionality into his Cosplay outfit. T...

Malek

For my star-scale armour it's fairly fast off/on. I arrive on site with cup, padded shorts fighting pants boots and silk undershirt on. Buckle and tie knee cops. Put on arm armour and then don gambeson. Slip torso/shoulder/thigh armour all on at once (It's all one piece) - buckle all that down. Gorg...

Malek

When I am working with new people and move up to full "speed" against them, it's often commented "Man, you are fast!" My reply: "Speed is an illusion." Most of my apparent speed is mainly anticipation. Of my opponent and where things will move. I describe it as "If...

Malek

Actually, I realized I missed this in my initial post. What I was taught was that it goes back and forths for attack/defense. For example, I throw, you block, then you throw and I block. Repeat as often as you can for 1 minute (or 30 seconds, depending on endurance). It really enhances reaction time...

Malek

I was taught this drill as "Block/Strike" - the principal is the same, though. I was at a fighter practice this last Saturday with a bunch of new fighters, and showed them this drill. The sparring we did afterward showed an immediate improvement. Not all the new guys have armour yet, but t...

Malek

All this sounds like good advice. When I am working with new people, I tend to coach them to swing higher - for hips and ribs instead of intentionally for the legs. This adds a benefit of starting them off targeting higher, therefore less likelihood of a wild swing breaking a shin. My own philosophy...

Malek

Sent PM about the shield cage.

Malek

Good link! Silk is wonderful stuff. I'd never considered using it for an arming garment but I may give it a try. Thanks! Agreed. My wife got it for me thinking that I could use it under my del when I was not fighting. On colder days (she got it for me in Feb) I could wear a cotton t-shirt over the ...

Malek

I have gone the route of the natural fiber undergarments. My wife got me this shirt: Cabela's Catalog I used to use an Under-Armour shirt, and this felt much better for temperature regulation. Sweat dries from it quickly and I still feel somewhat insulated, even on a cold day and I just took my armo...

Malek

For mine, I used 10z black duck, DAP cement and forced myself to have the patience to wait until it was tacky. I first put my hand cage and strapping onto it. Then glued down the canvas. After painting the art onto it, I covered the canvas with lacquer (modern nitrocellulose lacquer). The first laye...

Malek

Yes, please post pics, or at least a reply with the helms that will go up. The wife is getting into heavy combat and is seeking a Central Asian / Middle Eastern type of helm.

Malek

Well that's nice. He seems like a decent guy, so I wish him good luck in this. Cheers! Gordon Sir Tiernan is a very decent guy. He is a very patient teacher and trainer, and good with a story around the campfire. When I first started coming out he worked with me to improve my game and is always rea...

Malek

Here is my new shield. The artwork is not as good as many others on here, but I thought I would show it just the same. Aircraft aluminum (don't know specs on alloy or thickness. Bought from friend who does this sort of work. ) Hand cage is from barrel plastic and a garage door handle. Front is cover...

Malek

One thing I have noticed when armouring up for the SCA is that most guys tend to put their cups on over their pants. This makes the cup sit too far out and in the WAY wrong place. As to cup design, I think it's more the strap that they fit into that can cause uncomfortable-ness. I have seen well-sha...

Malek

Some of my house's loaner gear uses those type of plates for both torso and leg protection over medium weight leather (about 6-8oz) The thigh ones get dented up pretty badly, but the ones for the torso protetction seem to do well when overlapped. I think they would do well for a CoP pattern if overl...

Malek

Here is a picture I took of Sir Rodrigo last year at An-Tir/West war.

Malek

As an update to this - Uncle Sam was nicer to us this year than originally expected. That and my bargain-hunting wife found us a really good deal on a period solution: m It's already on order and I'll be buying the wood for the poles today at Home Depot. Thanks everyone for all the suggestions. I th...

Malek

I guess I will have to feed my ego on this too. Especially since the armour pictured here has been replaced by my star-scale armour. These pictures were taken at a tournament for the (then) Incipient Canton of Hauksguar sometime in Sept '09. My wife gets credit for all of these pictures. Me surveyin...

Malek

Just a few thoughts from someone who also is working to improve his "body by cubicle" There is a lot of good information here. My 2 bits on this is: I brought a 10lb dumbbell with me to work. If I am waiting on a reboot or process to finish, I stand and do some basic exercises with it. It'...

Malek

I know the construction style you're talking about. There's also the rumor that at some point one of those failed very badly and...well, someone got shot with an arrow. I'm not sure of the truth of that, but there you go. The game I used to play had a modified version of that, where a plastic bottl...

Malek

Thanks everyone for the information. I think I have a good idea of the direction I want to go with this now. http://rajtents.com/Tents/Pergola/Pergola.html This has some examples of what I would like to do. The link to the canvas from Harbor Frieght was most useful. I won't be going for the reds and...

Malek

For my next project, I am going to attempt at making our modern, aluminum-framed pavillion look period. (or at least not so glaringly modern) I know it won't be the same as a true-period tent or pavillion. I was unemployed for 8 months last year and although I have been working since last August, we...

Malek

I was able to take my armour for a test drive at the local fighter practice. I did a little sparring last Sunday with a friend who had a free day. We checked it out -he hit me across the chest, ribs, in the thigh guards and a few wraps. All worked out well. On good blows, it stings some, but does no...

Malek

I have a couple of quick questions for you. 1) Where did you get the vice bending brake? 2) How rigid did these end up being? Thanks. The bench vise bending brake I got at Harbor Freight. I originally saw it on the website a long time ago, but found it in my local retail HF store. I think it was ar...

Malek

The armour is complete! I will break it (in) at fighter practice next week. (Have a music gig this week same night as fighter practice.) So here are the general notes: Front and back plates: Laser-cut scales in 18g mild steel, coated in lacquer and riveted to 2 layers of heavy black duck cloth canva...

Malek

For all the lefties, what shield set up do you use and why that particular set up? I'm considering possibly picking up a new shield while at Estrella and I'm looking for some inspiration I guess. I currently use a center grip heater and am switching to a much earlier persona for heavy fighting and ...

Malek

I have an update to this progress thread. I figured out a solution to my wondering about what to do about making the shoulders with the demon faces. The suggestions I got (that I remembered) were: Learn metal raising and repousse. Layer leather and then carve the faces Leather mask making Fiberglass...

Malek

Here is my bit of perspective as an Amtgard crossover myself. The culture of Amtgard is mainly fighting focused. No special safety gear is needed to get into your first fight, just get handed a stick and have at it. Having to don all the gear needed to do SCA heavy fighting can be daunting to those ...

Malek

I counted a total of 202 of the star scales for the front and back plate--98 remaining, by that count. Do you intend to make upper arm protection and skirts as well? That would look positively awesome! A few brass ones would make the look stand out even more.... http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1407/...

Malek

More progress on my star-scale project. I have some blue-dyed chrome-tan leather I used for the edging. I stitched it into place with some wax-impregnated black twine. I still need to make rib protection and shoulders for it. I am still puzzling out the best way to make the roaring faces for the sho...

Malek

More progress: Got all the scales put onto the front piece. Still needs edging and how to attach other bits. http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2608/4090885185_3bc72e5089.jpg Here I am holding it up to my belly to show how it will kinda look http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2425/4091651172_45d89ff124.jpg ...

Malek

More progress pics: Front Progress http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2464/4085270174_5c6ea8628c.jpg That's the panel for the front. It's coming along well. I did notice some issues as I was fitting the scales row-by-row. First is that as I was fitting more rows onto the backing, all the scales caused a...

Malek

Gaston,

As a lefty fighter your instructional videos are most useful. I saw that you were teaching nearly exactly what I have been doing for years. The extra refinement of technique I think is just what I need (that and to get to fighter practice more often

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So thanks for the videos.

Malek

Tatsuo, That is the pattern I used. I, too think I am a little nutso for making this, but I think it will look good in the end. I will say this - the local knights are REALLY looking forward to dent-proofing it when it's finished. The only one that I have seen is here on the Archive. m

Cosplay / Fantasy armour

Making a modern pavillion look period

New armour in action!

Re: Lefties and Shields

Re: quandry over new fighters drive