The Armour Archive

Mike F

Does a Lorica Segmentata count?

Otherwise, no. I've never seen one.

Mike F

If you don't mind a small amount of work, find someone who sews (or learn) and buy some pre-quilted fabric, few a few layers of that between two layers of cloth and you have a cheap gambeson. Note, I said cheap, not inexpensive. That's largely what I'm doing, but I'm tempted to use up some of my whi...

Mike F

Why wouldn't you just use 18 hardened for the breastplate? Personally, I think it's better for storage and weight fluctuations. Thrusts would be well protected against, while side shots would hit fewer plates. Also, since the plates weren't rigidly attached, you get hit slightly harder (I doubt you'...

Mike F

I'd certainly buy one. I like the helm. Sinric suggested a steel reinforce much like you're talking about. I don't even have a center-line in my sugarloaf, so it's a matter of preference. I think it looks neater without it, anyway. Yours looks nice with it, though. Probably safer, too . . . More met...

Mike F

From http://www.midrealm.org/midrealm_calendar.phtml http://www.midrealm.org/rimsholt/rum/rumhome.htm http://www.iron-oak.com/Toys5/T5main.html If you head to an event like this, you can usually ask around the fighters waiting to fight or people selling wares, and they usually can point you to an ar...

Mike F

<b>Brian:</b> I was at the second get-together, and I was actually planning on picking up those DVDs. Just not right now. I have some free cash, but I want to sleep on it some more. Or just sleep more. <B>Gruber:</b> Yea, I've still got your number. I'll give you a call on Sunday a little after noon...

Mike F

So those Churburg patterns I pulled from the site would fit me correctly . . . I guess I have to lose the gut or pad it a bit better.

Mike F

Unless I would make a billet of four 16ga chunks and forge weld them with my oxy/mapp torch, I think the 1/4" is out of my cutting range.

Unless I learn to cut with that torch . . .

Do you think it matters considering it'll eventually be covered by an aventail?

Mike F

Any suggestions on material? A thick wire or a piece of steel from sheet metal might work, but I have trouble finding pictures of that harness without the aventail covering everything.

Mike F

The Archive has been quiet for hours (at least on this board) and I needed to have this answered anyway . . . I'm settled into my 14th century kit (the Japanese harness will wait, as it's less suited to SCA fighting) and I'm curious about something I read about the Churburg segmented breastplate. Wh...

Mike F

Lord Ogier wrote:
Unless it is your lady who is saying it....

Depends on if she's talking about all of me or just part. I could stand to lose some weight, overall.

Although ever since she started doing Shao Lin she's been a lot more sure on the rapier field.

Mike F

They even come in copper!

Avoid aluminum on steel, however. Corrosion like you wouldn't believe.

1/8" shank on them. Great for leather holding, too.

Mike F

How is he built? I know 300 pound guys who are very fatty around the midriff, and I know 300 pound guys who are built like a barrel and can lift truck drivetrains. As far as patterns go, you need to be careful on thickness if you plan to dish it to accomodate a larger fellow. I'd suggest making a mu...

Mike F

If I recall correctly, doesn't a woman's waist come up higher? I'm not very good at that, as I don't spend a lot of time looking at other men. I think the normal lines on a gothic suit would be fine if you adusted for the hips. And I think you should look into a helmet, as sallets just aren't attrac...

Mike F

Yea, people are usually over paranoid about lead, but I suggest buying a box of latex gloves and chucking them when you're done. Lead builds up, so while you may not have too much trouble right now, if you began casting weekly and getting careless, you'd have problems. If you're really considering t...

Mike F

Sounds like an interesting idea. I've never had too much of a problem going too fast, though. I'm coming off of a month-long break from armoring, and I can't believe how much conditioning I've lost in my arms. Of course, the occasional "I remember this object being far heavier . . ." is rather pleas...

Mike F

Great. Now my friends will have armored dogs and I'll get bitten more.

Sounds like the same size as my target chihuahua . . . Puppy or miniature?

Mike F

You can always leave strips of unpadded area in the helm so you get some cooling.

Mike F

Matte black is good. Also, if you're doing an Eastern Eropean persona, you can hang a maille veil in front of the face from the occulars down.

Mike F

Okay, I'm officially an idiot. Amongst other problems, I strapped things like it was a lower strap (which is too low, thanks) with an upper supporting it. It's really wiser to make two "Vs" and attach the chin strap to that as if it was the steel.

Okay, will try to fix it this weekend.

Mike F

1050 steel is steel which contains .5% carbon. It's responsive to heat treating far more than mild steel. It also costs $4 a pound at the cheapest I've ever seen it. It's very expensive (approx. 4-5 times) but you can use thinner material and achieve superior toughness. It's fairly commonly availibl...

Mike F

The helm was custom made for me (by me ) and it's a fairly good size . . . I'd go so far as to say it'd be unsafe if the helm circumferance was a half-inch smaller. I can barely fit my hands in to try to strap the chin. It has at least a 1/2 inch of clearance (before foam) so it's not too bad, plus ...

Mike F

Okay, so I've been strapping my helmet (using Mrks methods) and have succeeded in making it so if the top straps are riveted in, I can't get my helmet on, and when I put it on it either chokes me or moves the back of the helm into my spine and the font away from my throat. Now, aside from exorcism, ...

Mike F

I'd never actually hit your site before, and I really like your work. Mandy aside, even!

I'm a fan. Keep up the good work!

And keep finding good customers!

Mike F

Thanks, Mrks. That should help lots!

Mike F

I'd be sad too if I looked like that.

Maybe the bowl is a repro? That thing over the face isn't very . . . Indicitive of a lot of research.

Mike F

Let me rephrase that . . . What do I strap it to?

Mike F

I know I'm going to regret this . . . but what -is- that?

Mike F

This is more a synnergy for ideas, but the Japanese haramaki is reccomended for people losing weight because of the gap in the back. No, wait, it's pertinent because of the multi-plate Churburgs (I think they are). If you leave it on straps and close the back with buckles (with a kidney/spine plate ...

Mike F

Hey, Mrks, I've been looking for strapping stuff myself, and the things I'm unclear on is where does the strap connet to itself? I'd assume it has a buckle on one side, but I've been known to make mistakes. And it really looks like through the past two years, there have only been a half-dozen answer...

Mike F

Japanese Battle Caber?

I always wondered what the point was, but now that I know a bit more about Japanese armor . . . this could really ruin someone's day.

Mike F

Wow. Home made jet engines. I have a new project to think of when I think of the impossibe becoming at least doable.

I'll stick to parts with easier tolerances.

Mike F

Sounds like a version of EDM. Granted, like a firecracker sounds like a version of a 12,000 pound bomb, but similar nonetheless.

I'll have to try this sometime . . .

Edit:

Actually . . . Can I use this like an EDM? Can I burn through steel this way? I'm only talking about 22 ga here.

Mike F

I do really wish I had Photoshop on this PC. I'd do some nice stuff. And then I'd throw in a real one, blur it up a bit, and see who noticed.

Mike F

A broken image link?

After seeing the filename, I'm quite interested. Not only for watching Effingham organize the lynch mob, but it'd give me an excuse to look like a fool in full kit at Germanfest!

Churburg Breastplate (Stopping Rib?)

My chin strap is trying to kill me! (Helmet strapping)