The Armour Archive

Jacob

From AAMK: (discussion first of Wenceslaus helm) "... Another helmet of this type is in the Vienna Waffensammlung; it is forged entirely in one piece including the nasal guard, a series of holes around the bottom rim indicating that there was probably once a reinforcing band. Others are in Polish mu...

Jacob

I dont know how long old burlap would last. Dishing causes a lot of abuse. The sand bags I've used were commercial leather sand bags. Even those had some lose seems. They're probably a bit less efficient than wood dishes (due to deformation) which are less efficient than metal dishes. However, they'...

Jacob

sure, just increase the thickness of all the tubing and cross brace the corners. The worst that can happen is that your welds rip at the forces required to form the metal. That's not so bad when you built it yourself and can reinforce and reweld as needed. That stinks if you spent a lot on a commerc...

Jacob

Gravett, Christopher. _The World of the Medieval Knight_ New York: Peter Bedrick Books, 1996.

As far as kids armour books go, I like this one a lot.

Jacob

Jacob

Thanks CLANG. http://www.armourarchive.org/ubb/smile.gif That was my first (and still only) kettle helm. The brim was a bit of a hassel to get it to fit. The flare also caused the rest of the brim to want to flatten out. I did finally get it together, though. Unfortunately, the helm is still sitting...

Jacob

I've used their floor model for thin AL. I even made a couple of dress spangen helms by cutting the pannels a bit large and then trimming them after forming. You can fit a very large piece of metal in there by lowering the bottom anvil, but that large piece of metal wont curve as you roll it back an...

Jacob

It's all about having the fire set up correctly with good tinder and kindling. Char cloth is great stuff, particularly for flint and steel. But definately cover up what you dont want to burn. Yikes! Checking grammer in subject lines can save some embarrassment, too. http://www.armourarchive.org/ubb/...

Jacob

So is the book available yet? I know it was supposed to be out in Sep., but I havn't tried ordering yet.

I'd love to learn more about the style. I've been playing with it from the pictures, but dont have a translation.

Jacob
SCA: Edric of Scardeburg

Jacob

I have a 13th century persona. I fight with both light weapons and heavy weapons using the I33 style. I wouldn't really call it a "light" style, though I do thrust more than many people. I haven't been fighting long enough to judge its effectiveness compared to modern SCA styles. My guess is that it...

Jacob

The "Library" section of my website has a list of armour related books, most of them cheap/easy to find. There are others referenced in the "research" section. Jacob ------------------ SCA: Edric of Scardeburg http://filebox.vt.edu/users/jselmer/ "Those who look upon a collection of Ancient Armour a...

Jacob

I made a cart for pennsic and really liked it. It worked great for hauling things around camp, picking up ice, and hauling all my gear (including a bench/chest) to the heavy field. Or rather, it worked great under a lot of abuse for over a week and then I got a flat tire (broken wheel). I made my so...

Jacob

Hi Rev. I've wondered that too. It may be that many of the black pots and cauldrons are copper alloys. Another picture to look at is "The Forge of Vulcan" by Breughel and Balen (c. 1620) It shows a number of pots scattered about. Some of them are obviously copper alloys, some of those are black on t...

Jacob

Thanks Jeff. It seems like the majority was probably bronze. The number that seem to be iron is suprising, though. For example, the large cauldron in the Maciejowski bible is painted black.

Jacob

The article, by the way, was written as a report for school. I had to fit it into the constraints of the assignment but it's been added to since. I'll add to it as I gather more information and as time allows. So I'm still on the lookout for good references.

Jacob

Jacob

I've recently been doing some research on cauldrons. I know how hard it is to make a helmet, and that cast iron wasn't used until the renaissance, so where did all of these large pots come from? Here's what I've found out so far. Any comments are welcome. Cauldrons and the Development of Cast Iron f...

Jacob

Many early cauldrons were definately of copper alloys (see the gundestrup cauldron for example). Later period cauldrons could be made by the same craftsmen who cast bells, but molds would have to be much different. Cauldrons necessarily have a very deep dish, and often a narrower opening than body. ...

Jacob

So here's the situation: Cast iron started being used in the 15th century in Europe. Huge cauldrons date back a long way before then. Helmets are hard enough to raise, so where do all these cauldrons come from? Early celtic cauldrons exist of decorated bronze pannels, The mastermyr find had a few ri...

Jacob

Cool. What size puches does that take (shaft OD)? I'm still looking for some to fit my PS&W 675-Improved punch. It's similar to that but OLD. Those square dies are funkey, though!

Jacob

I do some training in the I33 style with a buckler. I haven't fought many tournies outside of pennsic so I dont know how I would stand against the rest of atlantia with it. I'm still a fairly new fighter, though, so I die with any form eventually. http://www.armourarchive.org/ubb/smile.gif Some idea...

Jacob

In the future, when filling holes, use a plug from the punch. The little round disk that falls out of the punch will fill the hole (you may have to use a size smaller punch) and give you most of the material you need. Then you just have to do a small butt weld around in a circle and grind off the ex...

Jacob

I want to be the smith who can make the suit regardless of complexity. http://www.armourarchive.org/ubb/smile.gif My dream suit would be said full suit created by me. Authentic down to the arming clothes and shoes. My other dream suit is an original complete suit (not composite) http://www.armourarc...

Jacob

For cutting heavy steel, you want an O/A torch. Use a plasma cutter for AL or stainless or non-ferrous metals. With proper settings and good control, both methods can leave nice clean edges. If you want a straight cut, often a heavy bandsaw is better. I admit to also having a fasination with plasma ...

Jacob

Look in the section "Carolingian Times" in the article I wrote here: http://filebox.vt.edu/users/jselmer/technology_article.htm It looks a bit at what a contemporary source says and what is actually realistic. ------------------ SCA: Edric of Scardeburg http://filebox.vt.edu/users/jselmer/ "Those wh...

Jacob

I'm against it. I think they would look rediculous and not add to the atmosphere. If I were to make one, I'd look into firing crossbow bolts. Not all early firearms shot balls. Tennis balls are too big and too goofy looking (think of the size of this thing). That said, I do have an early 15th c hand...

Jacob

http://filebox.vt.edu/users/jselmer/images/Blacksmith/Stake_plate.jpg http://filebox.vt.edu/users/jselmer/images/Blacksmith/Stake_plate_2.jpg I added 1", 1 1/4", and 1 1/2" square holes to the center. Some of the original holes will eventually be filed out to 7/8". Steel sleeves were added to a cou...

Jacob

That has potential for being a huge project. Put it up online when you're done and I'm sure people here will comment. I have a list of books on my site which I own, as well as a paper I wrote on the topic. I ended mine before the 14th century, though I hope to add a second part some day. Good luck, ...

Jacob

I've posted pics of my armour a few times already. It has less parts than you list because the gambeson is the main armour. It's thick enough to protect the shoulders and arms (though I perhaps should have made it longer for the forearms). The armoured surcoat is mostly to qualify for rigid protecti...

Jacob

I would have but I read the post before mine. http://www.armourarchive.org/ubb/biggrin.gif You know, for being such a small barony, we have a high percentage of historical elitists around here. Maybe next year I'll actually manage to kill someone in the I33 style. http://www.armourarchive.org/ubb/sm...

Jacob

Great start. I see no blatent hammer marks/lumps and it has a nice finish. Next time, try to dish the elbow a bit more and work on the rivet placement. Right now it looks like it hyperextends a lot and gaps with the elbow bent. If you tighten up the rivet placement so that the arm will just go strai...

Jacob

I think there are surviving claw hammers from roman times. They look much like current ones.

Jacob

I have a few pictures that I'll try to get up soon. They're also low res and from a low quality camera. Cory got some nice pictures of the earlier tournies. THOSE are definately worth seeing. Thanks to everyone who came. I had a blast. These and one castle battle are all I bothered to fight in. http...

Jacob

I had a good time, there were lots of good things to see and some good discussions. I left early with some friends to bring them to the wet chemise contest so I missed a number of people who showed up later. I look forward to going again next year. maybe I'll even bring something. Jacob (SCA: Edric)

Jacob

Here's my first heavy fighting kit. I made all of it but the pumpkin hilt and that half gaunt. I have my own steel half hour-half gaunt, but was trying out a borrowed leather one that day. http://filebox.vt.edu/users/jselmer/images/Fighter_pics/Buckler.jpg The surcote is an armoured surcote to meet ...

Jacob

10 years is a long time to be a storm trooper. If I saw a couple storm troopers beating on each other I would watch for amusment for a while and then leave. If the storm troopers told me they were a medieval reinactment group, I'd leave right then. I am a poor college student. I knew that when I sta...

Jacob

I like the book so much that I occasionally have to remind myself to look for other documentation, too. http://www.armourarchive.org/ubb/smile.gif I wish there were more like this available. I heard there was one or two of the Lutrell Psalter, but when I went looking the prices scared me away. Anyon...

New article on medieval cauldrons

Looking for references for cauldron article