The Armour Archive

Uilleag

HotW vambraces appear to be unshaped tubes. How do they work in terms of staying where they are supposed to during combat and not interfering with hourglass gauntlets, couters, etc? I am definitely interested in picking a pair up, but want to make sure that they will stay in place and play well wit...

Uilleag

Good Sir, You honor me. Your words, and the kind words of others here set a bar for me that I am not sure I can always reach. This was the first set of 14c harness that I ever made as a matching harness. <IMG src="http://houseofthewolf.com/gallery/greaves/gl14cgreaves.jpg"> <IMG src="http://houseoft...

Uilleag

Here are pics of the first prototype. I was more successful with the shaping of this first one than I was with the pair I am currently wearing.... <IMG src="http://www.houseofthewolf.com/whatsnew/fitzralphrepro2.jpg"> <IMG src="http://www.houseofthewolf.com/whatsnew/fitzralphrepro3.jpg">

Uilleag

Audax, it will be until at least after Pennsic before I offer this style knee for sale. I want to wear them in several tournies, fighter practices and a couple of large melees before I make a final decision about them.

Uilleag

Sir Justus, Yes those were the knees I was wearing at Saphire. The shape actually needs a bit of tweaking I think. The dish is deep enough, but there should be a touch more curve, especially along the sides to help with rigidity. This first pair do meet the SCA's minimum "rigid material" requirement...

Uilleag

Robyn, I have to say that in the 20+ years that I have been fighting, I have never once been able to buy a piece of armour off of the shelf and have it fit perfectly. That is a very rare experience for most fighters, regardless of size. All of these beautiful artworks, illuminations, effigies, brass...

Uilleag

Leo, Thanks for the great review! I am glad that everything fits and functions well for you. I would love to see some pics of you wearing it, so post them when you get the chance. In the meantime, I will post pics that I took before delivery.... <IMG src="http://www.houseofthewolf.com/gallery/greave...

Uilleag

yes, that would be completely legal, but look at the pic of the original, the eye hole isn't that big...

Uilleag

Stretching the soaked leather over a wooden last and nailing it in place while you are baking them dry might work. Leave a 1/2" or so excess around the edge and then soak the leather until it is completely saturated. In this plastic like state, you should be able to stretch the leather over the form...

Uilleag

My good Lord Hedinn, I have to speak my mind in this matter. You Must put yourself to the hazard when sending the Couter on to the next Tennon. I understand the relucance of great men to challenge down, and that may be why the Couter has been in the hands of squires since it was sent forward. Good J...

Uilleag

Finally, we have cleared up the scheduling tangles and there has been some more progress on this project. Hopefully, there will be some pics of Athena wearing her new barding while jousting this weekend.... In the meantime, here are some pics of the finished peytral. <IMG src="http://www.houseofthew...

Uilleag

I have worn them to a few practices and Atlantian Crown Tourney this past weekend. I don't believe that I have taken a direct hit to the knee yet. Of course knees aren't legal targets, so this is a good thing, but I haven't had a chance to validate how safe they are. They have passed an armour inspe...

Uilleag

Neutral shoe polish hmm. So mink oil is not a good option? And with the shoe polish should I do the underside as well? Also if I use the protectant should I polish the leather firsth with the shoe polish then the protectant or vice versa? Or do I use 1 or the other? Aslo if I use the sealent and ge...

Uilleag

I would recommend wax paper, or better yet leather working tracing film. This will not get damged if it gets damp, and you can trace the pattern into the leather with a stylus, or other blunt pointed object you may have. Once the design is transfered into the cased, (or dampened) leather, then you w...

Uilleag

Cat,

Your progress with leather work is amazing! Your attention to detail in every step of the progress of this project is really great to see. Thanks for sharing!

If you lived closer to the DC area, I would be asking you if you wanted a job!

Uilleag

I sell 5-pc articulated cuir bouilli 3/4 legs for $165.00/pr. These come pre-strapped and are custom made to fit the client.

Please check out my web site.

Uilleag

Tandy / The Leather Factory has a great collection of Al Stohlman's books on all kinds of leather working. From tooling/embossing, braiding, finishing....just about any subject about leather working that you can think of. Al was the end all be all in leather working when he was living, and his books...

Uilleag

I made some water hardened greaves and half guantless, and they are functional but not as stiff as I'd like. I soaked the leather overnight, and then nailed to a last and baked at roughly 150 degress for three hours (stopped baking when the surface started to crack). During this time I applied libe...

Uilleag

Robyn asked: "but IÃ‚Â´ll give the method a try oswynhaddox described. Is there more detailed description on the net?"

Yes, there are a couple of tutorials on my website to help with that exact process. I will try the link: http://www.houseofthewolf.com/shovelgreavetutorial.html

http://www.houseofthewolf.com/bauzubandtutorial.html

Uilleag

These will run $140.00/pair.

Uilleag

Greetings all, This is my interpretation of a mid-14c, hidden splinted, cuir bouilli shynbald. <IMG src="http://www.houseofthewolf.com/gallery/greaves/llshynbald5.jpg"> <IMG src="http://www.houseofthewolf.com/gallery/greaves/llshynbald6.jpg"> <IMG src="http://www.houseofthewolf.com/gallery/greaves/l...

Uilleag

Water treating, with work hardening and then applying low heat for a long period is a much better way to go than wax. Wax makes leather easier to cut, so it tears up faster than water treated leather. Wax softens in the sun, even parafin and carnuba mixtures, or parafin and sterin, these will soften...

Uilleag

I'm not sure if this will give you the look you are talking about, but I have gotten fairly good results by using a similar method to what metal workers do, to "rope" the edges. It does require some tooling / embossing like Sir Justus has stated. I will look and see if I have any examples already ph...

Uilleag

I really like your concept, with one exception. I would steer away from alternating colors on the arms and legs. I would go with straight red. The red is documentable, whereas black really is over done with cuir bouilli splinted armour. Not to mention that the red really looks beutiful when it is po...

Uilleag

I stayed up late painting. Still need to assemble the buckles and straps, but these are almost finished. I am especially happy with the shynbalds. The shaping just feels right to me. <IMG src="http://www.houseofthewolf.com/progresspics/llshynbald7.jpg"> <IMG src="http://www.houseofthewolf.com/progre...

Uilleag

You sealed them before you painted them? Do you mean with rabbit glue, or something else? The brown on those schynbalds is gorgeous. Is that a stain, or an oil? Can't wait to see the set all done.... Thanks, Christopher They were sealed with brown wax polish before they were painted, yes. The proce...

Uilleag

I still need to paint the antique gold border and the vine work on the sides, but here are the shynbalds so far.

<IMG src="http://www.houseofthewolf.com/progresspics/llshynbald5.jpg">

Uilleag

Frieman, As you may know, I offer a hardened leather musculata that includes breast and backplate, both shaped, hardened and strapped ready to wear and custom made to the client's specifications For $200.00 USD <IMG src="http://www.houseofthewolf.com/gallery/bodyarmour/jjcuirass2.jpg"> Different nec...

Uilleag

Great now I'll be "Fish boy" whenever I wear them oh well they are still cooler than a cats a$$ Cheers, Leo Well, I am done working for the day. They have been shaped, hardened and sealed. I will probably sit in front of the tv and paint them this evening. Leo, I will be finishing up the gorget and...

Uilleag

I drove down to Caer Mear's practice in Richmond, VA last night from just north of DC. To get there on time, I head to head out just as rush hour was picking up, (4ish)....it took 2 1/2 hours to get there, but for me was definately worth the trip. It was the first fighter practice I went to where th...

Uilleag

Here is today's progress so far. <IMG src="http://www.houseofthewolf.com/progresspics/llshynbald2.jpg"> <IMG src="http://www.houseofthewolf.com/progresspics/llshynbald3.jpg"> <IMG src="http://www.houseofthewolf.com/progresspics/llshynbald4.jpg"> I hope to have the vambraces finished being tooled and...

Uilleag

No. If you asked every fat knight or duke, definitely including myself, we would tell you that the weight is a hinderance. Experience and technique make up for poor physical conditioning. Another piece of the puzzle is mass. But I will assure you that muscle mass is much better than fat. If I had t...

Uilleag

Cat, From the effigies that I have seen and the brass rubbings, illuminations, etc. I think that you have the shaping down pretty well on your pattern. The representations of splinted cuir bouilli cuisses that I have seen have a simple elegance to them. Not a lot of compund shapes, or fancy lines / ...

Uilleag

What do ya'll think of this pattern? Could it be adapted in leather and then splinted? (I think so but seek the advice of those with more experience for help.) Regards, m Audax, Please leave a space between your name and the link. With them connected the link doesn't work, but it worked fine when I...

Uilleag

Here is today's work on this project.

<IMG src="http://www.houseofthewolf.com/progresspics/llshynbald1.jpg">

14c splinted greaves