The Armour Archive

Maelgwyn

Duplicate post deleted.

Maelgwyn

For any scale or lamellar armour made without high-tech equipment, the labor costs are going to be so much larger than the materials cost that it makes no sense to use cheap materials. Why put hundreds of hours into a project that will look like plastic when you are done? Better to work a temp job o...

Maelgwyn

Knoch, I don't want to say that you were doing it wrong, but have you read the discussions of water hardening techniques here on this forum? Many of us are able to produce tough, resilient leather armour without wax using room-temperature water, baking at 180-200 degrees, and possibly adding rabbit ...

Maelgwyn

Thin is ok for the inner layer, but a medium 5-6 oz/yard linen will last longer for the outer layer. See
http://www.fabrics-store.com/first.php? ... =&weight=3

Maelgwyn

These "lamellar helms" are also well-documented in chinese art and archaeology as I recall. You might look there for further information.

Maelgwyn

There is some scythian-culture archaeology with amazingly vivid colors in textiles, but I don't recall any colored leather. I'll look up a good citation for you a bit later, but for now my impression is that you can find reasonable evidence for fire-engine red dyes in that culture if that's what you...

Maelgwyn

I would suggest a double layer of medium to heavy linen for your foundation layer.

But if you insist on leather for this I'd go with5-6 oz. latigo.

I agree 100% with Torvaldr, 10-12 oz hardened leather is plenty for the scales.

Maelgwyn

We are having a tiny tourney tomorrow night. Expect a big turnout including a couple of Bjornsburg fighters. I look forward to meeting you there!

PS Where are you taking I33 classes? In Fredricksburg?!?

Maelgwyn

Search for the words "rabbit glue". Seriously.

Maelgwyn

accidental double-post

Maelgwyn

I don't know how historical it is, google does not have a lot on it. Google! The world of information available to you does not begin or end with Google. Since you live in Texas you have access to professional research tools at LibraryofTexas.org . Get your password at your local library. Google is...

Maelgwyn

How did everyone do this week?

I got back on the program with fighter practice on Tuesday, strength training Wednesday, aerobic/cardio training Thursday and another strength session on Friday. How about you?

Maelgwyn

... fact is though that i take a lot of pride in my heraldry and wouldnt wear body armor over it. You probably wouldn't wear a wide kidney belt over it either then. Right? If you have put some thought and research into what a Duke from your time and place should look like and made an effort to give...

Maelgwyn

Clearly Duke Paul of Bellatrix is one of the most reknowned fighters and trainers in the history of SCA combat. His armour will serve as an example for good or for ill to many aspiring fighters. I'm not sure I can discern Duke Paul's chosen portrayal from the few pictures I have seen. Does he have h...

Maelgwyn

In an excelent post , Don Mateo wrote" However, "melees" with rapiers were fought. Not only in street brawls, but in actual duels involving multiple participants. What evidence do you have for street brawls with rapiers? I know of multi-participant duels among the gentry but I am unaware of any evid...

Maelgwyn

I think that you can get some useful information here, or in the armour forum, or in the R&A forum. I'll take a swing at answering your questions. You can armour safely and authentically for any time period, but some will require more hidden or disguised armour than others. Your late 13th/early 14th...

Maelgwyn

Is anyone in the austin area in contact with this individual? I don't know him by his mundane name. Since he's not coming up with the money, I wonder if he's active or not. Perhaps at this point he's amenable to just returning the armour. Not the best solution, but the loss for that would be no wor...

Maelgwyn

... actually, it isnt a katana, it is technically a no-dachi as it is about a foot too long for a katana. Ok, I'm glad to know the right term. I only meant to point out that it is a Japanese-style-hitting-stick and not a bastard sword (European-style-hitting-stick) . Whatever you call it, it left a...

Maelgwyn

Be uncompromising with your armour. It is tempting to take pride in gear you have made or to be satisfied with armour that is good enough to get on the field and be legal/safe. To progress as a fighter it is important to look for whatever is hindering your fighting and correct/improve/replace it. Ev...

Maelgwyn

Morgan, You read my mind, i was thinking of Centurians Tomas and Giotto, and maybe Tarquin (with bastard sword, since thats about all he fights with) who has been quite the hot stick for the last year or so. Don't forget Centurion Ysfael. If I'm lucky I'll get to fight Ysfael, Giotto and Tarquin to...

Maelgwyn

I've been out of regular training for a couple of weeks, partly due to job issues and partly taking some time to re-assess my goals. I'm going back to fighter practice tonight and resuming my training regimen starting tomorrow morning with a new understanding of where I'm headed. I hope we can conti...

Maelgwyn

What I want is a set of matte black Dwarvin scale armor. The problem with matte black Dwarvin scale armor is that by the time you bake the dwarf hide to matte black it is too brittle for use as armour. Elf hide is more resilient, especially when treated with hot pixie glue. (distilled from those ho...

Maelgwyn

I found TOMAR for 39.95 at Alibris by searchin addall.com:
http://used.addall.com/SuperRare/submit ... oreZVAB=on

Maelgwyn

...Is it possible that an Irish follower of foreign forms of fighting, like rapier, wore a doublet with removable sleeves like his Continental counterparts? Of course. But I wouldn't make a version of the Dungiven Jacket with removable sleeves. I would make a replica of an Italian or Spanish double...

Maelgwyn

I second what Uilleag said. Make sure your cutting board is clean or just use a pine board...any food oils may get too hot and scorch your leather.

If you want it to be even harder, use rabbit glue!

Maelgwyn

How about plates based on the Roman find in Somerset? That should appeal to your Romano-British side. 2.8cm wide & 5cm high oblong plates. I'll look at some pictures and see if I can derive a hole pattern.

Maelgwyn

I had thought that silk was the fabric of choice for a knightly tabard or surcoat, but I don't really know what varieties of silk fabric are most appropriate. Given the amount of impact on a tabard I don't think felt is what you want. See m for some black silk noil at $5.99/yard. With careful online...

Maelgwyn

I like the Roman ridge helm, but I'd like to see a front view and a back view.

Maelgwyn

I wash my linen stuff in the machine all the time...it just gets softer. Linen is strong fabric, it isn't delicate.

Maelgwyn

For your time and place, what should you be wearing on your hands? What should your sword guard look like? For me it appears that would be a bare hand holding a spatha that has no cross-guard, just a small oval guard between the grip and the blade. To make it safe and SCA legal I add a skin-colored ...

Maelgwyn

It looks great! I'm sorry I had to miss it. Maybe next time.

Maelgwyn

I second the endorsement. I borrowed this on Inter-Library Loan and found it fascinating. For someone with a War of the Roses personna it would be even more interesting, but the forensic analysis of the Towton find provides insights into weapon effects and the realities of medieval life that would i...

Maelgwyn

1. Be sure your liner is at least 1/2" thick. 2. Not all marshals are equally proficient. Find one who grasps the concept of "equivalent" before submitting your new helm for inspection. If in doubt, get a regional or kingdom-level marshal to approve it once and then you can assure any doubtful local...

Maelgwyn

See http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB2/ ... hp?t=32213
and http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB2/ ... hp?t=27815

Maelgwyn

Well, the only archaeological evidence I know about for leather lamellar would be the Roman site at Dura Europos, 3rd century. We do have literary evidence for leather scale or lamellar armour worn by Sarmatians...I believe that is in Cassius Dio's account of Marcus Aurelius and the Sarmation campai...

Monday Train-in, 4/25

Monday training?