The Armour Archive

Maeryk

THis is a good time to point out that shoplites have covers, some come with em, and some you can buy, either the steel grille type or the thick plastic diffuser type, and theres a damn good reason to use em. I have em on the lights near my lathe for that reason.. I have had 12 inch bowls come apart ...

Maeryk

Oh, I should add that I have a thin quarter size scar on my shoulder from armour bite (scrape?) when a well thrown shot pressed my ill fitting cop across my upper arm like a snow plow. I have a nice permanent divot/spider veiny spot on/in my right thigh, where my buddy landed a really nice wrap, wi...

Maeryk

Most of the examples of shields being used mentioned here and in other images from the 15th century typically involve pike men or archers. Art and Warfare in the Renaissance has a great image of a fully armored man charging a group of archers with a large shield and a short poleaxe in hand. There a...

Maeryk

But, even though this is o.k. insofar as combat conventions are used, I still need to hear that I not being excessive. Last night at practice I closed with one of our larger younger fighters. I tied up his sword and shield up high with the haft to prevent his wraps, then swept right and brought the...

Maeryk

Hmm. broken forearm, broken leg, (the first due to a lack of armor, the second due to a hole in the ground) sprained ankles and wrists, dislocated shoulders, smashed vertebra (another armor failure.. no neck protection) concussions (badly padded helmets) broken/crushed fingers, a ripped up nose (hel...

Maeryk

Also, has there ever been evidence of any cumulative brain damage, however mild, from SCA heavy combat, since it allows intentional blows to the head? Does a good helmet eliminate the risk or just reduce it? Read the posts here. Note how long people have been fighting. Judge for yourself. Maeryk

Maeryk

I would disagree with Maeryk on a point, welds can look quite nice when done properly Agreed. but for what we are doing, in most cases, it can still be ugly but "good enough". Didn't mean to say they were all ugly.. I have seen some gorgeous ones. But the shop I welded in ground and polished everyt...

Maeryk

BUtt weld? lap weld? edge weld? What kind? Most welds look ugly if they arent ground.. its what they look like after they are ground that is important.. I think I told you in chat.. do some practice welds and then beat them apart with a hammer, or cut through em sideways with a bandsaw so you can se...

Maeryk

The friday workout in Baltimore has been moving again. There's this kid that's started coming to fight. He cant be more than 18 or so. Nice guy. He's in the army, stationed at Ft. Meade. He's fairly new to rattan fighting but he's a real scrapper. Fights his ass off and I really think that over tim...

Maeryk

If you dont want to stink the house up with plastic in the oven, it can also be done with a blowtorch.. practice on a few pieces first, and you will learn how to draw the heat out to get a smooth curve, or heavily heat one spot to get a sharp angle.. with sufficient practice, something that approxim...

Maeryk

This isn't to be an asshole, or a snob, I am just pointing out the facts. This game needs money, if you donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t have any how can you play? What good does letting a guy on the field in a DV suit with a DV helm for about the same money as I spent on my kit, only to have them burn out spending mo...

Maeryk

Wonder how it got into a used book store? Hmm. Meaddrinker: Duke Sir Aonghus was a rather colorful character in the SCA who ran afoul of the law at one point, and has since passed on (in prison). You will hear him referred to as the "scottish duke" among other things.. kinda a sore spot for some, bu...

Maeryk

Speaking of odd laws, I know there was actually enumerated, a penalty (I think death.. but I could be wrong.. it was severe, anyway) to german pike units/Landsknechts who cut down their pikes... apparently they were quite heavy, and hard to carry, and some enterprising individual cut the end off his...

Maeryk

I have a bone folder that has a slicker slot cut into the edge.. I also have a nylon one that is much teh same.. and have used just about anything hard with a rounded edge to do it.. the single most functional "non intentional" one is the curve on a tape measure case between where the case rounds do...

Maeryk

Seriously, telling Dogs they can't wear T shirts under armor is akin to telling women they can't wear bras or shorts under those amazingly long heavy sweat inducing gowns. GET over it, How can it POSSIBLY we ruining your good time??? There are times when people are TOO anal. Lots of people fought S...

Maeryk

Bob Asprin = Yang the Nauseating, BTW.

Maeryk

Maeryk

I just don't think many Japanese mask makers had him in mind, maybe... :p

I suspect its the other way around.. that the GG and other comic-book masks may have been drawn from the (I think its) "oni" masks of Mempo and other artistic renderings.

Maeryk

Maeryk

"Reasonable attempt" is really not that subjective--which is what James B. has been saying all along. Reasonable attempt also does not appear in corpora under dress.. "attempt" does.. which makes it much more subjective. I agree with everything said here, btw.. on the side of "better is better".. j...

Maeryk

Actually my device was shot down for the opposite. The SCA banned crosses as a divide 20 years ago, but there was no problem with my crosses in the background. Actually, I strongly suspect a lot of the issue is that most of it is based in interpretation, and that the "this is what I was told" netwo...

Maeryk

Can you and Maeryk take your BoD/religion-based argument to OT, where it belongs? At this point, it ceases to be based on research or authenticity into becoming more period and becomes (suprise, suprise) a political/personal beliefs. Bite me, glen.. its not a religion argument. The question was abo...

Maeryk

A cross is perfectly acceptable.

With the caveat that it totally depends on who is on the COH at the moment, and what particular or collective bug they may have up their butts.

Maeryk

Maeryk

Check out my avatar. That passed and I think it isn't hard to see that it is heavily influenced by the Knight's Templar beausant. IT was explained to me that the maltese cross is _NOT_ the "christian cross" and that the "christian cross" is what is not going to be passed like that. I know I have se...

Maeryk

I really can't wait until grills, spun tops and poorly made weapons and shields are banned. don't hold your breath. They arent going anywhere for a long, long time. What would you have someone who has a persona who wouldnt have worn an open faed helm wear? re: the dent in that photo.. wonder what t...

Maeryk

No malice, offense, stoopiditee, thread derailment etc intended here, but I feel that I must stridently interject: Our Troupe does exclusively full-contact combat jousting at Renfaires across North America. Never staged, never will be. We now return you to our regularly scheduled Prorgamme: I canno...

Maeryk

It is something that I have longed to try.
Am I over reacting or do I just not know enough about steel fighting?

From the poses of the people involved, I'd say that looks more like a demo situation (ren faire joust?) than like a live combat scenario.

Maeryk

Maeryk

Not an SCA member but that sounds a little stupid to me. If the SCA doesn't allow religious symbols, how come the Templars have their RED cross? One of two reasons.. either its a grandfathered device from before the COH got their hands into stuff, or it is a shield division. I know of one guy whose...

Maeryk

Little of each.. YOU can use pretty much anything you want, within the rules of offensive (dont run around with a swastika on). the COH (college of heralds) probably wont pass an obvious christian cross, or a star of david, or an islamic crescent as "passed" device. However.. a persona may be as rel...

Maeryk

As I said above I would only have approached and questioned if an existing rule about modern materials had been in place. If not, then I have no grounds to question. I would probably offer some helpful advise and offer to help him make a tunic to improve his look. S'all good then, eh? yeah.. I like...

Maeryk

Actually I am a marshal. It is my JOB to enforce the rules and the list and conventions of combat. Bully for you. I'm in the East.. no such rule. You aint the fashion police.. at MOST you are the safety police. sorry dude.. if theres a rule in place, then hell yeah.. go for it.. no rule, git outta ...

Maeryk

My comment was directly related to the part where you said that choosing a period look that hinders your fighting is "Cheating yourself in the game." Gotcha. Thats why my "Dress" stuff is much more "period" than my combat stuff.. even though the combat stuff is fairly evocative of the period I am t...

Maeryk

IF he had been SCA and I saw him on the field I would inquire as to why he had football pads on and had them uncovered. Had you done that to me, I would have looked at you bugeyed, laughed maniacally, and walked away from you. sorry dude.. its the self-appointed "cops" who feel the need to point ou...

Maeryk

On the other hand, if your the hottest stick around and you like like shit, you're still a dweeb.

Just saying.

Or, possibly, the king.

Maeryk

(who will take Minimal's look over sneakers on the throne any day)

Maeryk

Hmmm... That is one view of course, but I can't agree. Templar Bob's kit is certainly not optimized for SCA combat, but I think his kit adds so much to the field, even if it hinders his fighting. By your argument, everyone should be wearing plastic armor optimized for stick fighting. If this really...

Maeryk

Historical accuracy definatly serves a higher perpose to the intrests of the society. I'd agree with you everywhere EXCEPT combat. Period armor was specifically designed to work with certain weapons, and certain styles of combat. We neither use those weapons nor do we fight that way.. (very few of ...

Maeryk

...unless you're more worried about not looking like a D&D Larper dork instead of being worried about how well you play stick tag. But we each have different priorities. Doug.. we talk in chat all the time. I hope you will take this as a friendly comment.. you are definately barking up the wrong tr...