The Armour Archive

Strongbow

"Rough-out" leather can certainly look like suede if the flesh side is well finished. But in my experience, the two main problems with suede are: 1) How it's tanned. It's almost always chrome-tanned and it looks and feels like it. Doesn't behave at all like veggie-tanned without the grain side to gi...

Strongbow

Wow. He raised his prices a bit!

Well, I say if he can get that kind of money, more power to him! I think the top level armourers get paid ridiculously little for their level of skill.

Strongbow

I saw him at teh Fishers Rennaisance Faire near Inidianapolis last October. Check with the Sternfeld folks.

Strongbow

Congrats Patrick!

I want to see some newborn armour!

Strongbow

Yeah, the finger leathers are attached to the knuckle rider. The knuckle rider isn;t just cosmetic. It really helps function. A couple pics:

Strongbow

I ordered a Newbie kit from Halberd's last week and received it today. Service was incredibly prompt. Communications was plentiful and courteous. Not only was the kit top-notch and as advertised, but Halberd's even threw in a "bouge plate" as a freebie for being his first customer of 2006. His reput...

Strongbow

She's a little-un... but she's got guts!

BTW, your kit is looking spiff.

Strongbow

Interesting comments. Strictly from a beginning researchers point of view, Gravett seems to ground his ideas about armour development in the evidence a bit more than Nicolle. Nicolle, for example, claims in the Poitiers campaign book that the "elites" of that battle would have been using hounskull b...

Strongbow

Add to that the material used in the bows. different materials store the energy with different efficiencies. For example, yew stores energy more efficiently than, say, oak. But it's even harder than that: different examples of yew can have tremendous differences in efficiencies. Some work along thes...

Strongbow

The Torse and mantle on bascinets is pure SCA I think, but in the latish 14th century, you COULD see what's called an "orle" on bascinets. AN orle is a padded "donut" type thing. It's often embroidered and jeweled, so you can mek it very fancy. It's not too disimilar to torse.

Strongbow

At least one of them was found in Spain from the early 14th century. It's in Oakeshott's "Swords in the Age of Chivalry"

Strongbow

Cool shield, Highness!

Makes me proud to be a Midrealmer!

Strongbow

Those were fabulaopus gauntlets! I am sorry to hear some crass scoundrel stole them.. If I may ask, were they based on the Black Prince gaunts?

Who approved them for use without a basket? I have a not disimilar pair and want to get them inpsected for use.

Strongbow

I agree with that assesment generally Jehan. Though I think it might take an extra layer or two of linene to get the smooth look of the effigies. Guess I'll let you be the guinea pig and do one first.

Strongbow

Unless the book gets reprinted I don't think Dr Williams will benefit at all. The only copies being sold today are used and the royalties have already been paid on the original sale. I agree that it is a wonderful book and anyone interested in armour should at least read it if they can't afford to ...

Strongbow

My kit has been purchased. Thanks for all the interest!

Strongbow

well, if it was SCA standard butted rings, then I could see the rings failing...

Strongbow

But just WHAT does "jupon" mean exactly. The effigies and brasses seem to show a tight-fitting, sleeveless garment, with a smooth sillouette. If I had to guess, it's slightly padded to achieve the smooth look. Are they laced up the sides? These look very different from the French or Germen lentners ...

Strongbow

So far, I've been able to find only one or two depictions of knights NOT wearing some form of garment over their torso armour in the 14th c. Almost every one shows a tight fitting, sleeveless garment. Anyone have any they can point me to?

Strongbow

Wow... truely inspirational. Thanks for posting that pic. I can't wait to see the finished kit! I can't decide if it makes me feel totally stoked to learn how to do something like that, or totally depressed thinking I'll never be able to do it. Still, I'm so totally tickled folks are making such bea...

Strongbow

Well, to be fair Gwydion, that hat is more 1370-1380. Early visored bascinets would be side pivoted and relatively flat favced, or maybe somewhat globose in the lower face. Look at teh Flemish Alexander book for examples of 1340ish bascinets. You could also use a visored sugarloaf in that time frame...

Strongbow

I'm using the hemp canvas on the inside and a layer of nicer linen on the outside. Looks more "finished." I intend to wear a garment over the CoP, so I didn't go with a finer fabric, which I might have done otherwise. Seems to be working well so far. An advantage of going with two layers is that the...

Strongbow

Thanks for all the input; just what I needed! Until now, I've used OPT (Other People's Tools) for my armouring, limited as it has been. My job has a nice machine shop on site that I can use after hours, but it really is focused on CNC machine work and simple fabrication (welded bar stock and simple ...

Strongbow

What worth getting from these guys? A retail shop is opening here in Muncie, and they're having a grand opening sale.

Strongbow

Wow Gaston... that's spectacular!

Are you making this for your own use? How many hours work in a hat like that?

Few people have done early 14th century well... this is the nicest early bascinet reproduction I've ever seen!

Strongbow

I have the aluminum set.... perfect.

Strongbow

OK, nothing from Silverju8mp. ML, PM otw to you!

Strongbow

I did WWI stuff for about 5 years. Ultimately, though, I couldn't find the tremendous and useless destruction of WWI "romantic" enough to make me long for the experience. I came home from the weekends a little depressed sometimes. I couldn't get into the "game" of it. Still, it WAS incredibly immers...

Strongbow

I have a complete set of the DVDs - costs 100 pounds though (but it was worth every penny!). m Yeah, even though watching the show now, it is somewhat "cheezy" at times, there is such a cool feel to it that it really makes it a great show. I've tried ordering from them... my money just went into a ...

Strongbow

I love that show. I've been looking for the complete set on NTSC DVD forever....

Strongbow

Those look awesome! Very SCA appropriate while retaining a period "feel."

Strongbow

The Luttrell Psalter (c. 1345) shows a visored sugarloaf helmet.

Here's a link:
http://www.bl.uk/collections/treasures/luttrell/luttrell_broadband.htm

I LOVE that site!

Strongbow

Silver... If I don't hear from you by tomorrow, I'm moving down the list.

Mike

Strongbow

I know leather costrels are seen in the 14th century, but is anyone aware of leather drinking jacks in the medieval period?

Strongbow

I have an actual 15th century pilgrim's badge that is a plain ring with a fleur inside. It was Our Lady of the Undercroft at Canterbury.... not heraldry, but still....

Review: Halberd's Newbie KIt

English garments over armour in the late 14th century

Harbor Freight tools