The Armour Archive

Mike F

I'm in the midle of an engineering school, so I'll take some free time this week to pick up a metallurgy text book and get you the numbers. You can get most of them from Machinery's Handbook, too.

And there's no place for rudeness if you have nothing constructive to add.

Mike F

That does have quite a spark of the middle-eastern. I'm not sure exactly how that would show a three-dimensional image, but I don't see a lot of fluted bowls.

Plus there's the cyclops thing it's got going . . .

Mike F

If you could afford a full harness, you wouldn't likely be wearing one 40-50 years out of date. Mmm. Point. I think Jeff has the right idea of about a 20 year limit. Even that's a bit much, as he pointed out. Do you think I can find a copy of Dr. Capwell's thesis? Do you know if he published anythi...

Mike F

Interesting. Do you have any sources I can take a look at to see a number of harnesses from the era?

Mike F

From what I've read, one way work hardening works is by minutely compacting the metal. I doubt this would be too major of a selling point, however. Grain lines are, of of course, of major importance. I met an exec from a company a few weeks back who makes huge forgings for jet engines and spacecraft...

Mike F

Would it be correct to do a persona circa 1410-1420 (around Azincourt) using a Churburg harness dated to approximately 1380-1390? I think those are the dates, anyway, I'm unsure. Would it be acceptable, if rather unfashionable? Also, and this is probably more important, would that be a real fun time...

Mike F

Harley's a nice place. You take care and be safe. And just remember, the armor doesn't do any good if it's not on. I'm glad you're used to wearing armor. I doubt you'll see any of my buddies, but if you get the chance, buy a 22 year old Marine a drink, will ya? There's a chance I know him and owe hi...

Mike F

Usually if it's thing enough to be rolled and sold like that, it's too thin to make armor. 18-16 ga is good for most armor. Don't have my conversion charts with me . . .

Bascically, I havn't seen rolls of steel thicker than 32 ga,

Mike F

And that image is getting saved!

Yea, I'd hate to be either man at that point. And I'd hate to have to deal with the armorers who had to fix it!

Mike F

I'm having trouble shaping the dishes to my satisfaction. What do you reccomend for stakes/dishes for the general curve in the belly area? I'm getting some really awful results with my lack of equipment. I basically have an anvil, some pine 1/4, and a mushroom stake. I've got other stuff, of course,...

Mike F

An hour fifteen minutes south of me . . . I'll make it if I can.

I look forward to meeting all of you who show up if I do. I'm quite interested in how those lance rests were made.

Mike F

Ah, yes, Saxon Squire. That's why I got mine from. Good dish, but it needed some cleaning and the like. No big deal, but worth mentioning.

Basically, it ame right off the bottle. If you an polish a rusty hammer, you can bring these up to mirror.

Mike F

Bob, you're in the right business, just many centuries too late.

I'd actaully like to see more armored people around halloween. It'd be so fun. We could go crusading for treats.

"Aren't you boys a little old to be trick-or-treating?"

"Umm . . . No?"

Mike F

Yup! And the center is just folded around the rivet. Then pointed, anyway. It's neat, after just a handful of blacksmithing work at Warriors and Warlords and I'm seeing how to do stuff like this! It's great!

Mike F

Seriously, I'm working on a $.50 dishing hammer. Flea markets. We're not kidding. Half the time the biggest challenge is keeping from cracking a smile when you see something so useful priced so low.

Mike F

Call local welding places. Sometimes they're willing to give them away. Make sure the tanks are empty, wash out with water, then find someone to cut to length.

Otherwise, I wish I could remember who I bought mine from. Nice guy.

Mike F

Karl, I owe you a beer. I've been trying to figure out how to make that stopping rib, and there it is, right in front of me! Some heat and a steel bar and I'm set. It's just folded, rolled and generally worked.

Thanks!

Mike F

The breaths strike me as a bit large, but vision and airflow would be great compared to most closed helms!

I really like the subtle crease at the bend on the faceplate. Very elegant.

Mike F

Thanks! We all apprecciate it.

Mike F

Master Talbot (Of Talbot's Fine Accessories) sells patterns with guides for something like $5 each. Well worth it. He also sells DVDs and VHS copies of armoring videos. Neat stuff.

Mike F

I've never much liked bar-grills, but that's personal preference.

Very attractive helm. Lines are clean, rivets are lined up and nicely shaped. It's very nice. Whoever ends up with it will have a quality helm.

Mike F

It depends on the case, of course, but there are exceptions. The armor from Jin Roh translates relatively easily, but that's based off of said armor from a live action movie, so it's pobably a horse of a different color. Of course, it's always easiest to take a real model (existant piece, resin kit)...

Mike F

Hal, the Canadians would call you a Yankee, too!

What exactly defines Yank, anway? North of Mason/Dixon or just said East Coast?

Besides, you're Texan.

Gotta respect a state that can split into five at will.

Mike F

I had no misunderstanding of your post (I think). This evolved from a topic response to a half rant half essay. I agree that things have to fit together, but I'm unsure of I'd even notice (which I didn't) the different collar on the sallet. To use the analogy, to use a 1996 style on a 2004 car may b...

Mike F

Well, as clarification, I didn't know Ugo's breastplate was based off of a real design. That makes it even more impressive, in my opinion. As far as the dead art, I still think so, but allow me to elaborate. The making of armor as it was in the middle ages is mostly dead. I say this because the days...

Mike F

I was posting in the Armor of the Month area, but that's not the place for it, so I moved this here. Something which I guess sometimes gets lost in all of this is the sheer number of pieces lost to us. We could probably (with enough time) catalog every existant suit of armor, and I'd put dollars to ...

Mike F

Gee, and I thought my helm would get polished.

I didn't forget to call you, by the way, I just called around 1:00, and you didn't answer. I assume you were under a hammer or something.

Mike F

Neat. I don't have a forge up and running yet, but I do have a rather obscene blower I picked up for $15, so either I can tone it down some or make a forge to weld whole cars together. We'll see how I feel that day. Do you have a nice place to get coke/coal, or is it a local place. There's a small p...

Mike F

Smart man. What kind of forge do you have running?

Mike F

Remember to get rid of the coating or do it outside while standing far away. Galvinization is zinc. Zinc fumes are toxic.

Mike F

The way I've seen it done is to wrap the now flattened ring around a mandril with the I.D. you want the rings at. Just a bit of squeezing and it all works nicely.

Mike F

Your work certainly has a nice quality to it. It does seem sort of plain, but that's the peril of plate like that, especially, as Ugo said, when it's mirrored.

Now work on your tact, and you'll be just fine here.

Mike F

You lucky little man.

If you don't start turning out some really nice stuff I'll . . . I'll . . . Be disappointed! Yea, that'll stick.

Mike F

One side is rather rounded due (originally) to wear on the anvil. As far as flatness, it's ideally approximately a 2:1 ratio of width to thickness. That's what I heard in the Midwest Armoring Guild get together this year.

Mike F

It probably won't be any different from filling the point in a bacinet if you don't do a self-contained bowl.

Use of Churburg armor for early 15th century English

Churburg 13 breastplate giving me trouble

On extrapolation of armor (Non-period as well)