The Armour Archive

Kel Rekuta

Hmmm... not as bad as I expected! However, I am curious as to if half-tanned leather is simply veg tanned leather that isn't left in the tanning liquor as long. If so, I'd imagine it wouldn't be difficult at all for a North American tannery to just botch a few batches intentionally, have those stor...

Kel Rekuta

gaukler wrote:I don't think I've seen a 14C buckle like the one in the link.
mark

Ditto.

Kel Rekuta

This will probably drive you crazy trying to find the right ingredients... Cordwainers' coode was used to wax thread and apparently bowstrings as well. It is a blend of pitch, beeswax and one oil or another. Cod liver oil was used and is readily available. Same with pure linseed oil. (not boiled) Ev...

Kel Rekuta

Estimate has a four square foot piece at about $100. No surprise why nobody in N.Am. stocks it.

I ordered the largest piece they had uncut since I'm trying to reproduce a Persian shield. Good thing its an institutional client.

Kel Rekuta

As in not "attached to an helmet" - like on the Visconti equestrian monument. I expect that would attach to helmet like they do in manuscript illustrations above. They aren't always attached to something - as shown. Could this strap be just to hold a helmet once removed? Is it just that si...

Kel Rekuta

Bertus and Galfrid,

You beat me to it.

Len,

Yeah, that was my first thought too. But many of the instances where we see this strap its just hanging there, apparently doing nothing but looking good. Its still a bit of mystery to me, I'm afraid.

Kel Rekuta

Baron Alcyoneus wrote:Or a lance.

How would a helmet strap attached to the back prevent this? Or do I misunderstand?

Kel Rekuta

Hmm. I'll have to start saving the cutting slurry from the next marble tile job.

I've got a bend of partial tanned veg on order. No idea when it will show up but this is shaping up to do a long awaited commission.

This is going to be one expensive round shield.

Kel Rekuta

Jonathan, The repro nails are mild steel that has been headed in a press just like any other nail. Sometimes the shearing and heading work hardens the steel too much to clinch properly. Heat them red hot and let them cool very slowly, like any other ferrous metal you want to anneal. I usually narrow...

Kel Rekuta

Might that be the purpose of the ground glass or marble then?

Kel Rekuta

Or so one's neck isn't hyper-extended, snapping the spine? Say in a bad fall or when grappling. Such a strap on a sturdy helmet might have saved Christopher Reeve's neck, perhaps.

Kel Rekuta

Its not a proper repair, but if the hole is small I have found that using a bit of sinew to tie the hole shut is almost unnoticeable. Use dark sinew if your maille is blackened, and lighter colors if it is polished. This is a good suggestion for decorative mail. Since John will be stabbed with reba...

Kel Rekuta

Perhaps not of interest to you as you already have a plan... Waldeman's study of European poll weapons makes it pretty clear that fasteners used didn't penetrate both sides of the material but clinch on the inside from either side. This has the advantage of tightly drawing the fastener against the b...

Kel Rekuta

Kenwrec Wulfe wrote:
Russ Mitchell wrote:Be more than willing to go in on the scales and help you get stuff assembled.

I would also be willing to go in on scales....

+1

Kel Rekuta

There are two things that worry me about hog rings. The first is whether or not they will work properly having first gone through the scale. I wonder if the presence of the scale will interfere with the action of the setting pliers. The second is the fundamentally "round" nature of the se...

Kel Rekuta

The smallest rings I have found are called 1/2". These guys look like they have a pretty comprehensive line m here are the specs on their 1/2" ring m Has anyone reading this ever used hog rings? They are new to me. Mac I've used 1/2" ones in upholstery work, both in a strip fed air g...

Kel Rekuta

Unfortunately, no one seems to make really big "Tyvek" envelops. Mac Buy a short roll at a building centre. Fold and cut a piece to a convenient size and duct tape the edges. Matt, I make my patterns out of heavy bristol board-like cardboard. Small ones go in Tyvex envelopes; large ones -...

Kel Rekuta

"Plastic working of metals and non-metallic materials in presses" sounds like possibly the most boring book ever written. I bet it has a lot of really good info in there kept secret by the fact that most people are repulsed by such dull content. Hidden in plain site. It is easy to feel th...

Kel Rekuta

Aside from the 7mm option, their offerings look just like the CAS Hanwei stuff. Are there more than a couple places in India or Pakistan making this stuff?

Kel Rekuta

Charge extra if they tell you what they are going to do while wearing it. You'll want the 100-proof mind bleach. Sean Deeply awesome and 110% accurate. I sell stuff to the people who make stuff for the fetish market. That's close enough for me. Thank God I don't sell plush fabric... I still haven't...

Kel Rekuta

Jax works well, survives a long time. Its also easy to reapply. I use the steel and aluminum products frequently. m Pictures?????? Please?? Charles Jevons at Swordcrafts turned me onto the stuff. Here is one of his swords. AL blade and mild steel furniture - blackened with JAX products. He used to ...

Kel Rekuta

Lest we forget?

Kel Rekuta

Yes people would have died however the point was the taking of the pennon was an impromptu tourney during a siege and in many ways a deadly game is still a game and as such was play for these men...these were not modern people and they did not have the same sense of fun we have. Hmmm. An interestin...

Kel Rekuta

Lee Valley if you want a fair quality one fast.

Yard sales and auctions if you have patience and are willing to dress and hone the blade yourself. Not necessarily cheaper but usually better steel than anything made these days.

Kel Rekuta

Jax works well, survives a long time. Its also easy to reapply. I use the steel and aluminum products frequently.

http://www.shorinternational.com/OxidizerColorant.php

Kel Rekuta

Murdock,

Since you can't find enough Englishmen, you should hire some Germans. There is a precedent.

Kel Rekuta

This is not combat in earnest it is play. On that single point only, I disagree. The Douglas' and Percy's did not play with each other. The families were rivals and deadly enemies. They fought with weapons of war regularly since they were at feud for several generations. Had Percy gone to claim the...

Kel Rekuta

Thanks Thomas. Its a chore to remember to clean your hands and take photos between steps, isn't it?

I have to make a pair of rotella this summer. The plan is to use a very similar process for covering with parchment. I'll have to remember to take photos.

Kel Rekuta

N.B. * Modern shield production for rebated weapon combat. * Adapted from period process for modern materials. I've had good results with drywall compound and carpenters' glue at about a 1:4 ratio. Thin that with water to a paint consistency. Several thin layers are better than a heavy coat to achie...

Kel Rekuta

Yeah, Bob. So would I. Especially if you only want a brayette. Since its all made in India or Pakistan these days, I don't really see any reason to pay that much for an haubergeon. I think mine ended up a little north of $500 CAD, landed. Kult of Athena had it in-stock as cheaply as our distributor ...

Kel Rekuta

Thomas H wrote:For those that would like to see, i took a lot of pics of my pavise during the construction phase.

Need you ask?

Kel Rekuta

There aren't any readily available. CAS-Hanwei / GDFB (whatever) deems interest too slim. Same with standards. (Asked our source recently) I just bought an haubergeon to chop up, rings and pliers to reassemble. It was easier than going around in circles with them. These things are half the price we ...

Kel Rekuta

Get over yourself Drew. You're not the only one who's made shields from solid wood, rawhide, canvas, gesso, hide glue et all - with handmade metal fittings. Neither am I.

Kel Rekuta

Your argument is fundamentally flawed in that you presuppose warriors stood there toe to toe and hammered on each others' shields. Consider that they might have moved their feet and used their shields to deflect instead of absorb energy. Its a remarkable concept - that whole "moving around in a...

Kel Rekuta

Chamber maid?

Re: Hardened leather armour 15th century English recipe

Re: Brass Buckles

Re: arming point ratios

Re: Hardened leather armour 15th century English recipe

Re: 14th cent. back straps: or things that make you go hmm.

Re: 14th cent. back straps: or things that make you go hmm.

Re: 14th cent. back straps: or things that make you go hmm.

Re: Hardened leather armour 15th century English recipe

Re: Attaching Langets

Re: Hardened leather armour 15th century English recipe

Re: 14th cent. back straps: or things that make you go hmm.

Re: riveted maille repairs

Re: Attaching Langets

Re: St George - Hradcany Square - Body armour - Thoughts?

Re: St George - Hradcany Square - Body armour - Thoughts?

Re: St George - Hradcany Square - Body armour - Thoughts?

Re: How do you store and organize your patterns?

Re: Anyone want to show their press forms?

Re: Mail skirts/brayetts

Re: Helm Builders

Re: Blackening Aluminum?

Re: Just becauase.....

Re: Fighting at the Barrier.

Re: WTB a draw knife

Re: Blackening Aluminum?

Re: "ENGLAND" NEEDS YOU

Re: Fighting at the Barrier.

Re: The construction of an Elm Pavise

Re: Painting a shield, how much diffirence does gesso make?

Re: Mail skirts/brayetts

Re: pavise + crossbow

Re: Mail skirts/brayetts

Re: Need sources: shield durability

Re: Need sources: shield durability

Re: BED WARMER.....or chestnut roaster (lets get domestic!)