The Armour Archive

Maelgwyn

I would add some felt padding on the cheek plates to keep the helm off your nose. Then your existing chin strap will be all you need.

Maelgwyn

1/2 inch birch plywood is typically lighter and stronger than 1/2 inch pine plywood. With aluminum edging it will last a very long time, but the hose or rawhide over the edging will wear through when the corners of the edging get hit. I suggest rounding the edge of the plywood and covering it with a...

Maelgwyn

As I always say, I like to know what century it is when I get dressed in the morning. I wear a completely different set of clothing and gear for 16th century rapier combat than what I wear for 6th century armoured combat and I hate trying to switch in a hurry. In Ansteorra changing gear mid-event us...

Maelgwyn

Ahriman wrote:...I thought that romans used only locking scale, not lamellar... am I wrong?

Yes you are!

This idea has come up several times. It has been published by reputable authors. And it has been disproven by additional evidence.

See this topic for examples of Roman lamellar: http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB2/ ... hp?t=54537

Maelgwyn

No insult taken Dan, just some frustration showing through on my part. This would be so much easier if it weren't so far from Texas to Maryland. There are few enough of us actively working in leather and so little reliable information about historical methods that we need to share our knowledge as b...

Maelgwyn

Please post a source for that image! The collar looks just like the guys on this bone plate:
http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB2/ ... php?id=369

Which I found here: http://www.transoxiana.com.ar/Eran/Articles/mode.html

Maelgwyn

I realize that its a lot of work for an experiment, but my suggestion would be to do another one with slightly deeper dishing, particularly along the sides, and then soak it for 20-30 minutes in warm hide glue. Well, studying the original, as per the effigy and the origianl artist representation, t...

Maelgwyn

Or a light gluing with full penetration, followed by stouter surface glueing with white powder added (gesso), which would seem to produce the results observed by Chris Dobson on the surviving pieces.

Maelgwyn

...It did help the hardening process somewhat, but its still not quite as rigid as I would like it for SCA use. ...Perhaps deeper penetraion into the leather would rectify this. Maybe applying the hide glue to the interior of the piece? I realize that its a lot of work for an experiment, but my sug...

Maelgwyn

Thanks Gene! I just followed the recipe on the box...1 teaspoon per cup of water as I recall. I let it sit 24 hours or so to disolve and then warm it a bit to use. I hadn't considered refrigeration but it makes perfect sense.

Maelgwyn

Congrats on the new house! You missed melee practice last night but there will be more, starting with next Tuesday. 30 minutes of running 3 times/week will do wonders. Beyond that, review Duke Kein's paper on melee tactics and commands at m so you know what to do when Ysfael yells "Column right, fol...

Maelgwyn

I cut cords the length of my arm for easy lacing. I like to lace scales into rows fairly snugly and then connect the rows to each other much more loosely. With the loose lacing between rows I use knots more often because there is a much bigger risk of shifting. I keep a lit candle nearby while lacin...

Maelgwyn

oops, double post.

Maelgwyn

"True" lamellar entered the Roman empire with the Sarmatians before 175 AD and no doubt there was some of it in Britain when 5,500 Sarmatian cavalry were stationed there that year. Subsequent groups of Sarmatian and Alan lamellar-wearing tribesmen from the steppes fought with and against western Rom...

Maelgwyn

You mean, how it compares with HIGH-TECH INSULATION foam for retaining heat? I'm fairly sure the wool will do just fine. Also for wicking moisture away from the head and providing evaporative cooling. In my experience with raw wool stuffed in a linen liner it is dramatically more comfortable than fo...

Maelgwyn

Did you use an oven thermometer? 'Cause, oven thermostats lie. A lot. Especially at less than 300 degrees. Calibrate it with your thermometer to see where you need to set your oven to get 180-200 degrees and then your leather will be much happier.

Maelgwyn

That is a useful insight, Chef. What sorts of arm and leg armour, if any, are seen with the barbute and jack in 15th cent. Italy? I noticed none were worn in the picture posted, except of course by the riders in white armour. This despite the highlighted laces for attaching arm harness.

Maelgwyn

As a blatant bump and attempt to drive up the bidding, what do these weigh?

Maelgwyn

Thanks guys! Great picture and a very nice SCA kit.

Maelgwyn

Was a 15th cent. Italian t-face barbute ever worn with styles of body armour other than a full plate white armour? Anything cloth-covered or fabric based would be ideal for my purposes.

Were any hardened leather tournament armours known to be contemporary with such a helm?

Maelgwyn

I see no difficulty with making a hardened leather helm equivalent to the hockey helms so long as adequate padding is used. I'm not sure I would pass the occularia helm without further face protection...I'd want to see it on the fighter. Meanwhile it is easy to attach a street-hockey faceplate to a ...

Maelgwyn

protective gear as long as it looks kool, next set of armour ill take up an era but something simple for now I'd like to challenge a couple of unspoken assumptions here: 1. You can look "kool" in a set of historically inconsistent gear. 2. Armouring for a particular era is not as "simple" as generi...

Maelgwyn

accidental duplicate post

Maelgwyn

Just out of curiosity, have you tried making such a shield with linen instead of fiberglass but still using the same resin?

When you add gesso, is that modern acrylic gesso or traditional rabbit-glue gesso, or some other kind?

Maelgwyn

Several people are mass-producing lamellar lames but none are doing so in hardened steel to my knowledge. Coat of plates or brigandine kits also seem viable for mass production and would be marvelously light weight. Churburg segmented breastplates or some form of plackart might also be viable either...

Maelgwyn

Picture? I use an unpadded glaive as a cutting spear but it looks pretty much like a q-tip. How do you work around the 2" stabbing tip without making the whole head look too wide?

Maelgwyn

I will forward your request to Max at North Star Armory. He has been cranking out some beautiful carbon-steel armour lately and his gauntlet designs are well-respected. I have no idea about his current turn-around time.

Maelgwyn

...I have followed those rules of construction that have ridgid definition as well as a refusal to offer the kit in 16 ga, though technically that is legal, I consider any helm made in 16 unfit to be struck. Even those intended for children or boffer only. I am considering offering this for boffer ...

Maelgwyn

If we are moving from art to engineering, what are the measurements that would define the "ideal" end result for armour? Rockwell hardness? Malleability? Will one specification serve for all armour applications? What testing equipment is needed to measure these properties? And does Krag have access ...

Maelgwyn

Irish wrote:What about moving the time period to 500-600AD?

See http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB2/ ... hp?t=43867

PS really nice post Tim! That one definitely needs to be on the "I want to be" forum.

Maelgwyn

For the "Celtic" lady, tell her that you approve of her choice of language/ethnicity group but need something a bit more specific for developing an armour plan. A year is good, a decade will usually serve, and even a century can be adequate, but "Celtic" includes everything from La Tene culture to H...

Maelgwyn

I would use about 8 oz. or a touch heavier. I would use a strap cutter to get the leather the right width and then if you can find a strap-end punch suitable to your desired scale shape I would use that as well. My lamellar shape doesn't match any available punches so I use a utility knife to cut bo...

Maelgwyn

Maeelgwyn, did you say for scales and lamellae, you soak them in a pan of hot rabbit glue? I'm looking to start a scale project or two. And I';m not asking in jest, but how do you clean the pan? I mean without clogging up drains and stuff? Not really hot, but warm. My best production setup for lame...

Maelgwyn

Personally... with the fairly recent deaths of at least a couple of middle-aged practitioners of heavy fighting... and considering my current age (41) and love of food... I think fencing is sounding like the thing for me. Allow me to respectfully disagree. If you are not in shape for it, any high-a...

Maelgwyn

..I got on the field with the armour I have spent almost two years putting together and I did terrible. I dont know what was wrong with me, I could not get the fired up at all. ... now I am at a loss at how to get that Fire back sort of speak into my fighting. I have not been training in a few mont...

Re: Today's progress

Re: Today's progress

15th cent. Italian t-face barbute, worn without full plate?

Reclaiming the Fire - A challenge