The Armour Archive

Jacob

Very well done. It kicks the ass of my hot raised kettle helm.

He'll be the coolest orc on the block!

Jacob

I recently made some shoulders in this style, based on the silver alter of St. James. I have not made the hanging part yet, but my plan is to use either leather or fabric and pleat it to look like strips. This will keep them all attached, and will make it about 3x the material thickness. I still hav...

Jacob

Any preferences on what material to use for the face of a heavy non-marring hammer? The hammer I got is painted orange and has "Santa Rosa" both painted and burned into the handle. Apparently it's off of a ship. I used it the other day as a dead weight to help hold some wood down as the glue dried....

Jacob

Ashdown's book has a bunch of line drawings of them. I don't have any books of effigies specifically, but I've been meaning to pick some up. I know there are at least a couple on English Effigies.

Check used and rare book listings as well.

Jacob

I'm not Steve, but I'd like to hear his reply, too. I made one recently that just covers the chin based on a number of images I found and the fact that I will mostly wear it for demos. One problem it has is with the point holding it up. It needs to be pretty secure and in the right position to keep ...

Jacob

Looks pretty good, even though I'm not in the market.

I was wondering if they sold "thrusting tips", but I only see them in foam...

Jacob

I put up the page so that every time someone asked about CH 13 I could just link to it. I'm glad people are using it to make better armour. The original center plate may be a bit wider than mine, but mine is close if not the same. I think I found measurements for it, but I don't recall the source. M...

Jacob

Look at the original and bash on yours until it looks the same. The top is pretty flat while the bottom is dished deeply. I did mine all cold except for the stop rib. The center 3 plates are the hardest to match. It gets easier after that. I have some pictures here if you haven't seen them: m Don't ...

Jacob

Here's a quick write up I did on various methods of iron preservation. There's much more information available both online and in a library. Iron conservation is typically an electrochemical process. That does not address the wood fragments, though.

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/jselmer/iron_corrosion.htm

Good luck,
Jacob

Jacob

Is the 3rd image a profile? It looks like the plates are all either flat or simply bent. The bottom should be dished deeply. The pictures make it hard to see the details. You mentioned rolls, but I dont see any. The half roll on the top of the center plate would be a nice touch on the next version, ...

Jacob

I'd refer you to my webpage, but you seem to have found it. I didn't realize that it was also under the j/ directory. I always link to users/jselmer/etc You're right about the loops for the buckles. I used the 16th c spectacle buckles from Historic Enterprises. The ideal buckle would be the same sh...

Jacob

I've found a number of places where I can get the replacement heads in a variety of materials. I'm wondering what the pros and cons are for each material. Is one better than the others for dishing mild-medium carbon steel? Does one material last longer after blows to the edge of the metal? Thanks, J...

Jacob

I scored a weighted rawhide mallet from a junk/antique store yesterday for a couple bucks. The only catch is that it needs the replacement faces, and it's huge. It weighs about 5.5 lbs without the faces. It uses the 2.75" diameter faces. Any suggestions for what material to use? Does one material or...

Jacob

You guys are confusing me. Munition grade armor IS made from carbon steel.... Mild steel has some carbon in it, like .08% for example, but that's not enough to really talk about unless you're getting into the fine details of the material. Many people who talk about carbon steel around here mean 105...

Jacob

Research medieval and renaissance munitions armour. If you can produce that quality and level of armour, there is definately a market. You will lose some people with asymetry, though. This is the kind of armour that most people should be wearing/making in a medieval or renaissance context. The time ...

Jacob

Isn't admiral steel around there?

They're online at http://www.admiralsteel.com

Jacob

Jacob

Nice job. What size circle/oval did you start with? Did you use a torch/gas or forge? If you used charcoal or coal, I'd be interested in how you set it up and positioned the hat and how much fuel you used. I burned up ~40 lbs of soft coal in my first attempt at raising a kettle helm with a riveted b...

Jacob

I believe the use of sea-coal is a medieval practice, at least in England. I don't recall the reference book off hand, but I don't know of any comercial suppliers, either. I'm not sure what the property differences are. Charcoal was still the primary fuel for many things, even if wood would have ser...

Jacob

It can be ordered online. People use it for casting bullets, fishing weights, etc. Shipping might be ugly, though. I got a lot for free just by asking around at auto shops. They use lead weights to balance tires and usually throw all the old ones into a bucket. They may try to sell them to you for a...

Jacob

Ball hitches work fine. They just need some prep work. I made a few by cutting the ball off and welding them onto new shafts. You can also grind the flat spot away, it will just be a larger radius. I also found a big tractor trailor ball hitch that I used to raise a helmet. large bolts work for smal...

Jacob

I keep a supply of nuts and bolts around for holding plates together. They're mostly #6 or #8. Eventually the threads get bashed and the bolt gets thrown out. This also helps squeeze things tightly together when using fixed rivets (like on a helm) or they can be slightly loose for an articulating ri...

Jacob

I'd probably overlap right to left or left to right all the way around. Do you have a picture of one or more that you're basing it on? That would be the best place to start.

Good luck,
Jacob

Jacob

For coal, you're looking for bituminous coal (AKA soft coal, blacksmith's coal, metallugical coal). The first thing that will happen is that all of the crap burns out (nasty green smoke, sulfur etc) and it lumps together as coke. Keep coal along the sides of your fire slowly turning into coke. Make ...

Jacob

Roanoke, VA is in the Barony of Black Diamond in the SCA. Over the last couple years I worked with a number of others to build a baronial armoury. There is a decent setup there for blacksmithing and armouring. The woodworking aspects are not as set up currently, but many of the tools are there. Many...

Jacob

Use a grinder for any stock removal or really rough spots, like you've already done. Then finish with hand files. File it so that you'd be willing to grab it and slide your hand along it in the dark.

Jacob

Do it hot. Not just black hot, bring the end up to orange and it will be easy. Take 2 peices of thick angle iron and put a thin piece of cardboard between them (or business card). Clamp it in your vice like a jaw protector. Drill a hole straight down, centered between the angles (a drill press being...

Jacob

If you're looking at smoothing out typical SCA weight armour (mild and stainless in 16+ gauge) make it heavy duty. No, REALLY heavy duty. For example, use structural steel sections for the body and make it a fairly shallow throat. Also, do your best to keep the wheels in good, clean condition. As so...

Jacob

Mine has a tendancy to tighten up on her own. I just oiled her again, so we'll see how it goes. Anyone else have the tightening problem? It's better than the first B3 I worked with, though. It was loose and fell freely. A few guys called "Good!" after being hit in the head or shoulder when manuverin...

Jacob

James has a few pictures of the I.33 tourney from last year's pennsic. I'm the guy in the 13th century kit. It was fought as if unarmoured (anything reasonable is good, yield if hit in the hand). The second fight I was in, with Sir Gereth? (sp) lasted a long time. We both kept range fairly well, exc...

Jacob

I'll be there in 13th century armour.

Edric of Scardeburg

Jacob

Get a corizzina. Do whatever you feel safe with for the gorget. It'll hide under the aventail. You didn't mention your helm. If you're still looking for one (I assume you're looking at basinets like everyone else) get a German one. I like the pointed ones like the one from Coburg. Historic and bad a...

Jacob

The pictures work for me. I wasn't impressed by the armour/look of the few I looked at though. That's the only part I was interested in since I don't know anyone by sight out there. I'm sure the quirks will get worked out with the site soon enough. It's cool to see other areas, though. Thanks! Jacob

Jacob

Some jigsaws also oscillate forwards and backwards and that setting can be changed. Use a cutting oil on the blade to keep it cool. As soon as you heat it up too much, it will dull. A dull blade will heat up the metal and melt it. The melted AL clogs the blades and only makes the problem worse. Slow...

Jacob

Slowly but slowly I'm nearly finished with my full hauberk. 17ga 1/4" links, butted because nice riveted maille from India was a pretty new idea when I started. The attached coif and ventail are finished except for the ties. I'm thinking of a leather browband sewen or laced through the maille and a ...

Jacob

I like history. That may seem like a dumb statement (or opinion depending on who you ask) but I like to feel as if I am gaining some sort of historical experience. I've been to pennsic twice. Each time I fought in a few battles to have the experience of being in a large scale conflict. I also fought...

weighted mallet face material

maille ventail on attached coif?