The Armour Archive

Mike F

I assume it's saying you can't hot link. Click on the link, copy the address, and try to go there right from the addy bar, it should work.

Mike F

Very nice. I like the tiger. You've got a lucky kid.

Mike F

I think the length of chain or serpent in a knot is rather nice, yes. Perhaps if you had just a knotted rope (in a celtic pattern) but only had say, three repetitions (IE" [xx]")? Personally, I'd bounce it for the squint test (I'd just put it as, "If I can't tell what it is from a quarter mile, it f...

Mike F

You need to be more specific. Quite a number of armors are capable of jousting, historically. You need to find out what the standards of the group are before you even begin. I'd look into a modified early 15th century kit with a pig-nosed bascinet. That helm was literally made for jousting. A number...

Mike F

Creepily enough, Ugo, yes, it does feel sexy. I need to work both cops deeper, so that's gonna be a new day, but otherwise all is on-track. Dragos, personally I agree that it's not really lazy to do it in two pieces (I did my helm like that) but it's also not correct for period use. Neither is stain...

Mike F

To reiterate, I hate you.

It's good to see new and interesting projects, though. I could use some projects like that, but there are a large number of women in this town I'd rather not make these for.

Mike F

I just finished of a relatively rough pass on my first raised item. It's part of a pair of cops I'm making for my current harness. It's not very pretty, it was worked with red as the highest temperature but it appeared to work pretty well, as it's slightly smaller than the dished (and then "cold rai...

Mike F

But he gets to relist it for free, right?

That's priceless. Greed comes back to bite you.

Mike F

I have not built it, I've never seen it before, and I'm only a hack electrical guy, but I see some issues. #1, anything you build yourself would probably have a very short duty cycle (use vs. cooldown time) #2, the amperage is not adjustable (from what I can tell from the schematics) which makes it ...

Mike F

Guy's got some private auctions. That always worries me. Time was it meant "adult items" but now it's usually "fraud or dumb."

Personally, I think "Antiques to Antiques" is probably kicking themselves because of this auction.

Mike F

From what I've seen, there's a little evidence of greaves under maille for a time, but I don't think there'd ever be a breastplate under maille. Many of the fighters I know who do 14th century have solid breastplates. I fight with a Churburg-13 style breastplate (which isn't articulated in that dire...

Mike F

I'm with Agincourt. I have one of those, and it's a fun toy, but I can't get it to weld or even braze well. I can cut thin metal, but that's about it.

It's a fun toy, though. I guess I'll just have to get over my fear of oxy-acy.

Mike F

Good point on the oil, Owen. I'd assumed the oil would be completely absorbed. The wax lubrication would ring true as I do use wax on my jeweler saw's blades. It's certainly not a concern for most re-enactors, but it might be a liability in actual use.

Mike F

Actually, I heard (take it with a grain of salt) wax isn't a good idea, as it acts as a lubricant once a blade penetrates it. I always thought it was oil or water.

You should ask House of the Wolf, I believe it is. He knows his leather stuff.

Mike F

Hounskull? Oculara? I can't remember how to spell those, so I can't use them in the title. I'm currently making tools and practicing for my next harness (I'm short some tools for my current project, so I'm in a bit of a dead zone) and I'm trying to figure out exactly what to do to make the eye slots...

Mike F

You know, between you and ABHammer, I'm getting really jealous.

Nice work, though. I really like the edging chains; I would've never thought of that.

Mike F

It's very nice. I tend to error on the side of accuracy while losing any semblance of competative edge. I don't intend to ever fight in anything but a closed-face helm, and my next project will have authentic eye slits. I'll be lucky to see the ground.

Mike F

I do all my articuation work on the fly. But do work on scrap first, my first project was (and is) junk. It's usually easier to drill flat plates, yes, but you can also use a centerpunch and drill from the inside and it'll probably be just as easy. Also, if you're like me, you're both asymmetrical a...

Mike F

That's pretty funny, actually. Are these people for real? I mean, it's a toothpick! Sheesh.

I don't see this is fraud so much as laughable. I did enjoy seeing it, though.

Mike F

You could also do a very period solution. You could make a 16ga bascinet and put a greathelm over it.

Mike F

Eff: I love Japanese armor, but this stuff can take a hit a little better. Besides, I need less neat stuff to make a harness for Europe. Eventually I'll make you and Raito proud, though. Although I doubt I'd fight in it once I made a nice one. Unless it was spring steel. Hmmm . . . Anyway, the gaunt...

Mike F

Man, have you seen some existant codpieces? That's mild.

Although rather funny. I like the dishing, and spikes. Maybe some etching or brass trim?

Mike F

Well, I'm not overly proud of some of the pieces, but I have my first harness done. This is for SCA combat, and is unfortunately anachronistic. However, some bits I'm rather pleased with, and while the marshals bounced my gauntlets, both the arm harnesses and gauntlets will be replaced relatively qu...

Mike F

Welcome! I'm glad to see a silver lining come out of this!

Enjoy your stay, and we look forward to learning with you.

Mike F

Not gonna argue.

Mike F

My links are about that small or even smaller. I don't have a lot of them, and they're painful, but if you make a really clean mandrel, you can cold chisel the links.

Mike F

Interesting thought, Ralph. I havn't had any experience with those on armor west of China. It's very possible, but there are so many rivets on that piece that I'm unsure if they'd need more. The rivets for the tassets are only about an inch from there anyway. Do you think they'd let me check the ins...

Mike F

It's certainly a wonderful resource! I highly reccomend anyone interested in historical armor join. Not only are discussions quite well-laced with detail and links, but the information is only getting better! I myself plan on documenting what suits of armor I can during museum trips. I have a large ...

Mike F

Well, I'd buy it.

Very nice work, Hal. I'm quite impressed. I also think the decision to blue just the grill was a good one.

Mike F

http://www.budk.com Cheap, reasonably attractive, quick shipping, and when they say medium carbon steel, they mean it. I wouldn't fight with any of them, but some are fairly safe to swing. They make us a whole lot of money at our place. This is all low-end, mind you, but the gamers (our demographic...

Mike F

I'm making myself an Agincourt kit and I'm curious about the arms. The effigies I see tend to have a two dimentional curve (like a gutter vambrace) whle the Churburg stuff (Milanese, I know) has a slightly dished vambrace. Does anyone have any pictures of existant pieces or know if they're slightly ...

Mike F

Tool making. Excellent! I have a lot of medium carbon steel rod that's begging to become stakes and hammers.

Mike F

Shoehorn, I'm not sure what you'll get for that. It looks pretty if you're not an armorer or fan of historic armor. I don't want to chase you away, but perhaps you're better off looking at places where they want something armorlike for display. That being said, I'll pay $100 for it and the mannequin...

Mike F

Half of the fighters I know in House Grayfox have slat-back helms, and I've never heard of any problems. Just my $.02.

Mike F

I've seen a handful of poeople in my barony try it,and it looks rather effective. They end up holding the spear overhead like a javlin.

"Realness" of raising. Psychological question.

Pig-Faced visors - Eye slots

My First Harness - Warning, many pictures!

Late 14th C early 15th C English Arm Harnesses