The Armour Archive

Jeff J

In the end, it's not when something was invented, it's a matter of if it's right for the application. Usually, it they didn't use something in an application, there's a reason (they weren't stupid) If you take a close look at this photo, you see no dovetails, so don't use them. The strapping really ...

Jeff J

I am a big fan of Fiebing Leather Balm with Atom wax on belts and bags. Two light coats, well buffed, rarely transfer any pigment. Its also a pleasant lustrous finish that doesn't look too modern. LBwAtom wax isn't sticky like beeswax based finishes. Give it a try. Yup - I have a bottle of it. Drie...

Jeff J

I need a leather sealer to go over an oil-dyed belt. Th belt is to be worn over a silk gown and Char would really have kittens if the silk was fouled.

Oh- and I need it ready to wear by this coming Saturday.

Jeff J

Might be nice offered in a thin leather - like goatskin. That might make it easier to do the same number of slits and thinner laces, like the original.

Jeff J

Looks like fun for all parties!

Jeff J

I hear the Navy is looking for sailors to crew the Constitution

Jeff J

You really aren't going to find any plans for decent timber-framed medieval houses. Especially if you want something that's remotely energy efficient and will meet code. A friend of mine just finished a timber-framed medieval house that's a real showpiece. What he did is lay out a timber structure w...

Jeff J

I'd like to take a look at the 6mm riveted. Will there be anyone selling at the Storvic unbelt tourney in July?

Jeff J

VERY nice.

Can't wait to see your next project!

Jeff J

I've never bought Kobalt. I have a dewalt 12" non-slider, which seems big enough for almost anything I'm likely to cut anytime soon.

Jeff J

Is it green or dry? Green works better. Essentially, you take a hammer and a few steel wedges to do the splitting work, and some wooden wedges (gluts) as place-keepers to keep the split wide when you get the splits going and need to move the steel wedges along. When you get it split into sections, y...

Jeff J

Basicly, yes.

The tops of the hose would likely have been held up by points (cords) attached to the tops of the hose and to... something. There's disagreement on this, but it might have been to the braes, a linen undergarment called a pourpoint, or to the inside of your doublet.

Jeff J

And I hate my office's firewall, 'cuz i can't see pictures.

Jeff J

Very, Very nice. And it's great that you all are putting this much effort into upgrading your camp.

Jeff J

I usually just scatter it about the woods behind the house.

Jeff J

My vote is for full arms. It makes no sense to have all of the plate elsewhere and leave the arms only protected by quilted cloth.

Jeff J

Until last year, I HATED jigsaws. I'd always used cheap-assed craftsman or B&D. Then, I bought a Bosch 1587. Whoah. Hyuge difference. I love my Bosch, and it was top-rated then, but I'm liking the look of that Freud. For other tools, Jehan pretty well captures the feel of the market to me as wel...

Jeff J

So... You're doing viking, now?

Jeff J

InsaneIrish wrote:
You can make a chest exactly like the one below with a crosscut saw, manual drill, and a hammer.

6ft 1" x 12" pine, bought cleat nails, bought handles, bought hinges.

$40, one day.

Jeff J

BaronConal wrote:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/medievalsawdust/

This is a good place for advice also.....
( not that the advice here is not good... )

Gee - who's group is THAT?

Ya - a useful list.

Jeff J

Given that it's you, Peder, the question is whether to be mildly disappointed with smaller events that you don't expect much from, or an event for which you have massive expectations which will likely result in massive disappointment. Seriously, though: you can buy stuff later. Missed experiences ar...

Jeff J

Yeah... I learned on an egg-beater, and they are fun to play with, but an inexpensive Craftsman electric rechargeable likely has a whole lot more utility for the casual user. Lord God Master Underhill is required reading for us Neanderthals who like to play with the primitive tools, but likewise, is...

Jeff J

I think I'd need to make some modern versions before I could do a period one. Anyone have good websites or books to recommend on woodworking for total noobs? I'd suggest you save yourself the trouble and go straight to a period chest. It's no harder to make a period chest than a modern one, and you...

Jeff J

Flittie,

You need to come down to one of our workshops. I've a full shop available and we'll help get you a proper chest made.

Ditto on the tremonts. I have a stock and can provide you just the few you need vice ordering them by the pound.

Jeff J

James Arlen Gillaspie wrote:How concerned are you with authenticity, and what's your price range?

He'd better be very concerned with authenticity if he's ever planning to wear them in Greys.

Jeff J

C'mon! It's obvious! Are ya blind? Use your eyes, man! Look at the wood grain - that's a new world species of pine! It's sawn the wrong way! And the color is too uniform, and the metal is fittings are wrong for that construction style, and the steel is blatently of the wrong carbon content. And it i...

Jeff J

InsaneIrish wrote:here

That second chest is a modern piece.

Jeff J

Nope.. the only "Furniture" books I have are Dan Dieh'ls books. Ewww... Those are for hacks - you're better than that. Get a copy of this bookl! ILL it, borrow it, get it for fathers day, whatever. It'll change your entire perspective on medieval woodworking. I laughed, I cried, it became...

Jeff J

You don't have the German Cloister book?

It's THE chest book - detailed drawings and photos of a couple hundred Chests, mostly clamp-fronts and arks.

Jeff J

In my Legio XX, the rules boil down to, "If you can document it, you can use it." Mind you, this means documenting the item in question for your particular impression, not just that such an item did exist somewhere on the planet at that time. So an alabaster canteen would be right out! Bu...

Jeff J

I think the point in question, that fueled this entire thing, is -NOT ONE OF US- is perfect. Not even close. Hell, most of us don't even do the trivial, and completely _free_ things that would improve our presentation as a person of time/place past. How many of us learn the language native to our i...

Jeff J

It's a rope bed with a weave on the ropes rather than a simple back and forth. No huge advantage structurally, but a tremendous drawback in difficulty setting up and re-tightening the ropes when they stretch (and they will stretch a LOT. I won't get into the scaling issues aside from saying that his...

Jeff J

Discuss.

Jeff J

New thread in the research forum?

Jeff J

Vikings used nuclear submarines, ya know.

Leather sealer? HELP!

Applications for USS Constitution

Absence of evidence, and evidence of absence