The Armour Archive

raito

Some years ago, I did win a sword and buckler tourney up at Haire Affair alternating hands each round. I don't think anyone noticed.

And I can use chopsticks in either hand.

raito

Dishing is more or less hitting the metal in the middle of the piece. Raising is more or less hitting the metal at the outside of the piece. Functionally, there is no difference. I've raised pieces that ended up thicker at the edge than in the middle. I've raised pieces that ended up thicker in the ...

raito

Not complaining, because I've not been rated at the top of any Royal list I've won (and I don't have time to sprain my ankle ). In fact, I'm pretty sure DA placed me about where he has me the last couple times I've won. The form of the tournament is double-elim, each matcha single bout, bring whatev...

raito

Actually, I'm working on a pair similar to Gaston's (where I got the inspiration). His I wouldn't trust to SCA, due to the flexiness of titanium, and the non-paddedness of the metacarpal. But they weren't made for that purpose anyway. Mine have a single-piece padded metacarpal, and are (will be...) ...

raito

12:1 Sir Ivar Idthrdrengr Dang. I var has come close sooooo many times, I am beginning to think that he won't be able to close one out. Actually if both Edmund and Dag are in the tournament, I am not sure he will be able to this time either. He is looking really good since switching back to two swo...

raito

The basic blows I teach are 10, with 2 thrusts added since thrusting was added to the basic S&S auth. They are: Straight shot to the head Vertical shot to the head Straight shot to the leg Scoop to the leg Backhand to the head Backhand to the leg Long wrap to the head Short wrap to the head Long...

raito

Fearghus Macildubh wrote:English has become the lingua franca of most of the world.

You do realize the irony of that statement, right?

raito

Up here, I failed to/was rejected/etc to get it into experimentation. The KEM is familiar with similar, and I guess he figured he'd made up his mind already. Really, it's just a plastic stick. And I still get to hit my pell with them.

raito

asbrand wrote:Great Googeley Moogeley....

I usually have sticks last for years... How do you manage to destroy one in 8 to 10 days????

That stuff gets expensive at that rate!

I blame aluminum shields. They chop the hell out of rattan, even with the stupid car door edging.

raito

The blue plastic is likely to be HDPE, which doesn't much like to take a new bend. It'll bend under heat, but has a tendency to want to assume it's original form.

raito

Nissan, d'ya think? I'm figuring probably Yama Kaminari is going to be on that side, too. I'm willing to take the white. So, if you want to lead the red, and figure you can judge kit, you've got it.

raito

1) I new that a lot of very skilled knights and dukes, whom I respect, were watching and I wanted to impress them. What impresses them is fighting well. Keep that in mind. 2) Alot of people were offering me very fine advice, but when I'm fighting I can't focus when I'm constantly adjusting to try a...

raito

I'm with both Steve and Dmitriy on thos oddly enough. Steve's right that the medievals all hit for the arm. I haven't seen a single manual out there that doesn't target the arm and hand. On the other hand, Dmitry prefers to play within the quarters, which is also legitimate for certain places and ti...

raito

OK guys, the request is in to the Pennsic Battlefield scheduler guy (Gilebert). And looks like I'm on the hook. I'm thnking that it might be well to find another captain for this. Any takers? It would keep me form making all the decisions on kit. I'm further thinking that the sides will be nominally...

raito

Kenwrec, do you mean (A)mps instead of (V)olts?

raito

I know it's a stretch, but what about using the skin as a covering decoration say atop the breastplate? (sorry, I don't know the names of the Japanese parts) That wouldn't be to garishly inappropriate if subtly done - even if it was not 100% correct. There's no way for tiger skin to be subtle (unle...

raito

Guillaume Beauvin wrote:-Guillaume (who hopes that there is a late 15th century equivalent of the COTT by the time he gets his kit together)

Why hope when you can do?

raito

Gads, how did I end up on the other end of this argument? First off, last weekend's reading was very enlightening. (For those of you not following Robinson's Oriental Armour). I only wish I had writeen the entire passage down. Anyway, first read this: http://www.era.anthropology.ac.uk/Era_Resources/...

raito

Though I figured it would be mostly Hollywood induced, or fantasy, I thought it would be cool to have a mempo worked to look like an animal face. I doubt I would ever be able to bring myself to wear it in SCA combat, I still think it would be cool. Wanna move here? I'll trade the West for the guy w...

raito

That weapon I mentioned is posted over at:
http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=1047658

raito

On the madu thread, I mentioned that this is what DA would use, if he used a madu...

mid-16th century, Italian, but in a German collection.

raito

This weekend, I ran across a passage, possibly in Robinson's Oriental Weapons And Armor (Oriental as in east of Europe)(and I was eyes deep in a bunch of books at the time), stating that the madu (which he spelled maru) was used by Maratha warriors, which may or may not (it was a short passage) indi...

raito

Did our friend make that phone call? What was the outcome?

raito

Maeryk wrote:Hey Sir Raito.. is that a Kuji mempo?

No.

raito

Don't put in padding, do put in vaseline (or shave your legs first). Do cast into the mold, don't form to the outside of the cast. Also, keep in mind that the plaster will heat up. I didn't use a saw, so I can't comment there. I cast mine with concrete, instead of plaster. Possibly lost some resolut...

raito

Ah, well. Murdock, my friend, though I was committed to the English cause this spring for the love I have of you (though having to appear in the ditch with my King prevented me from seeking deeds on my own), in the summer I support the French, as I promised to do last year.

raito

Hey, I love those kids (though not the stovepipe jingasa). They acted the part of ashigaru to my samurai very well.

As far as that Sir Raito guy, he's on the left in the second pic.

The key to not having the baggy pants look is to wear greaves, which you and I do.

raito

Uh, guys, she's not knighted yet...

raito

You don't.

Humility isn't not saying "I am good at this".

Humility is saying "I have much more to learn about this." Or even "The other guy is good at this".

The further you go, the further you see.

raito

Once upon a time, the Mid had a bad King, as all Kingdoms do from time to time. But this was the Mid, and so, in a poor attempt to keep it from happening again, a Law was made. The Law said that only those on the List could fight in Crown. Every 6 months, the List was published, Crown was held, and ...

raito

Matt,

Even those who, by preference, yield each and every time they can WILL be hit sometimes. This is something to consider when deciding to play on the field. To say it a differnt way: there is no way to be certain that one shall never be struck during SCA combat.

raito

Plaster bandages filled with concrete. Thankfully, no pictures survive.

raito

Bump. Restored the shitagi instructions (though I really, really want to replace the last picture). Thanks Kenwrec for pointing it out.

raito

Kilkenny wrote:He kept going with the list... Picking a fight with a merc ?

Like Nissan says, few get Wulf's humor, and nobody (especially my wife) gets mine.

As for fighting with a merc, that's pretty easy because you can buy them off...

raito

Nice. But as you mention it in conjunction with the SCA, how does it stack up against: 2. All joints or seams shall be constructed in one or a combination of the following ways, with all welds sound and rivets secure: a. Welded on the inside and outside. b. Welded with a single bead that extends thr...

Re: Getting in the "Zone", or how to calm the hell

Dark Apprentice's Madu