The Armour Archive

Mike F

Urine's a great way to clean blackpowder weapons, too. I'd go to the hardware store and say you're sealing a piece of metal and you'd like a clear satin (unless you want it shiny) coat that doesn't streak. They'll point you in the right direction with what they have. And always ask an old guy before...

Mike F

My understanding is you spray on water. Let sit overnight. Rub off excess with towel, spar with water, etc. You do that until you develop an even coat to your satisfaction and then you seal it.

Hope that helps.

Mike F

Wow. Now that's something I've never seen before (despite having seen the picture). Thanks, Duco

Mike F

Not to mention Tanc can spell . . .

Mike F

Paint? Cloth? Leather or metal scales on a maille coif? They knew enough to armor the head in something solid, so maybe it's a cloth covering. I seem to recall a ban on selling painted or covered bascinets in period (in England?) because they could hide shoddy workmanship, so I know it was done, but...

Mike F

I talked to a jewler, and he had some suggestions: First, rose quarts is really a rock, but it looks like a gem, and it's really tough. Also, you can put a base of wax, sawdust, or wax and sawdust behind the gem to form a shock-absorber. Lastly, you can form the plate in a way to protect the gem. It...

Mike F

I figured it couldn't be completely out of the question, or, as was pointed out, lances wouldn't have had warheads. It just seems an interesting thing to think about. We seem to be learning more about the middle ages (and history in general) and it's always interesting to see the humanity in them. A...

Mike F

I second the spring elbows, perhaps with a half rerbrace and half vambrace.

Splinted arms work as well. As does . . . Umm . . . Plastic. It's hidden, right?

I can't think of much modern sports equipment that isn't so bulky as to be prohibitive.

Mike F

I found it as schmied, not schmeid. Took me a bit to figure that out.

Mike F

If I was SEM I'd rip off Aaron's ideas. Personally, I'd say if you're a fighter, try your best for authenticity. For knights, I'd say nobody gets knighted with showing plastic, rabidly fantasy armor, or anything which is unbecoming of someone on par with a Laurel. I'd also make three rulesets for re...

Mike F

Vebrand, sticking up for someone you know who can't defend themselves isn't letting yourself down. I'd be more than happy to hear is explainations for his changes (historically and these) since several seemed very inconsistant. The gauntlet proposed changes seemed like a safety issue, as does the cu...

Mike F

I don't think you'd want a riveted edge. I think it'd be even more diffcult. The problem you're having is speed. You need to work slower and smoother. Baby steps to close the roll or flare the edge. If the steel buckles, you hit the ridge until it smooths. If it buckles elsewhere, keep moving until ...

Mike F

With all due respect to the peerage, this sort of thing should be posted for general consumption, due to the fact that a knight doesn't always know more about safety than a non-fighter. (One would hope they would, but sometimes the untrained think more broadly, etc.) If this <i>was</i> going to come...

Mike F

Emeralds are very heat-sensitive. Like if you (for example) wash dishes then pick up a cold glass of water, emeralds can sometimes shatter. Talk to a jewler to get costs. If you have replacable mounts and only replace the broken ones before events, maybe you can go with whatever cheap synthetics you...

Mike F

I don't know leather too well, but the spaulder could use more dishing. If that's all it'll do, then all's well.

Looks good. You may want to cut the lames longer next time and trim them into a line once they're formed.

Mike F

Hello, I was at Poorman's this weekend and got to talking with one of the blacksmiths, and we talked about horses and charges and the like, and he said through the books he'd read (particularly post period pre WW1) that most charges were stopped short about twenty feet, insults, thrown objects (and ...

Mike F

JT, that's amazing! Having met both of you, that's a great costume change. How'd you change you height that much?

And my chances of winning have ever so slightly improved now. Heh. BWA HA HA!

Mike F

Well, I sure don't feel too bad timeline wise.

I look forward to seeing it raised from a sheet. Sure, it'll look fairly similar, but it's always a nice way to go.

Is the "mouth" similar to the eyes, or is it more of a open-topped ridge?

Mike F

Thomas, that's a lie and you know it!

Mike F

I want it!

So . . . How'd you form the eyes and mouth? Information!

And do you have more pictures? I could use so many pictures it makes my hard drive weep.

Mike F

If you wanted to anneal the right way (metallugically, I mean) you might be able to do so with that. Mostly, if you can harden carbon steel with something else, you can use that to draw it. It'd be pretty nice. I'm rather jealous.

Mike F

As a general question to those who have/make these, I can only see two ranks of eyelets for the cuisses. Where are the third set of six on each hip? If you do come out with a late 14th c early 15th c setup, I'd get one. Otherwise I may get this one someday, as it is very nice. This is probably the f...

Mike F

Ooooh, pretty. Keep us informed, as we all love seeing what next year's fashion will be.

Thanks for posting stuff like this, Mykaru. It's helpful to see progress pictures so you can see how things are actually done, versus just the end product.

Mike F

I'd like to thank you for bringing this to my attention. While $700 is a bit much for me now (I'd be getting the voiders and many other neat options) when I get a harness that warrents such a nice doublet, I know where to get one. Also, it's nice to see a doublet to base one off of. Do you know if t...

Mike F

Archie: If you get it to work, tell us how. I can't really do much coal in the city, but propane shouldn't bother people with smoke.

I usually see a problem with temperatures getting to forgewelding temp with an open container. If it works for you, please, tell me.

Mike F

I KNEW someone else liked Wallace and Gromit!

Mike F

Unless my math is off, that's less than a dollar a pound. It's a good price for fresh steel. If it's rusty, it's good, but a bit much.

Mike F

Then get your arse over here! If I can spend $2k going to Tokyo for no good reason, you can come here for this!

I'm so in debt I can't believe it.

Mike F

My lady wrote "Eek, don't hurt me!" on the back of my shield. Hardly inpirational, except that she did it.

Mike F

Yea, it's a bit easier to find c1415 helms, but it's still not too easy to find good looking ones.

I should start making templates for shapes, but I think I have bigger problems than that to deal with.

Have you seen any other pictures of the Doge's? That doesn't get a lot of the shape in view.

Mike F

Interesting. Does that mean halfswording is in the works? I hope they take pity on people timeline wise. I'm trying, but sabatoons are -last- on my list. I'll have turnshoes and sabatoons eventually, but I'd rather not be bounced until then. I have a problem with getting on the field when I'm ashame...

Mike F

Personally, I have long hair for a handful of reasons, not the least of which being I used to think knights piled their hair under the helm for padding (Try it, I won't try it again) but the military haircut for Agincourt waas the Dumb and Dumber-style bowlcut. I refuse to do that to myself. If I wa...

Mike F

Shall I move this to the Research board instead?

Mike F

My understanding is they're experemental only in Northshield.

Edit: Sorry, unclear. They are experemental in Northshield. Not only in Northshield, but only experemental.

Mike F

Guy Dawkins wrote:SURE!
We can see Gruber and Mike and Otto...but not Ingrid!

Hey, it's not like the meeting was closed-doored.

Historic Charges