The Armour Archive

Tibbie Croser

Another link for your wife: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ladyrapier/ The SCA Lady Rapier Yahoo group. Great place for advice on female fencing armor and chest protection *from other women.* The message archives are public, so she can search old messages on "armor" or "protection,&quo...

Tibbie Croser

https://www.reconstructinghistory.com/rh211-elizabethan-feminine-doublet.php?s=&c=22&d=30&q=1&p=362&w=21

The link is to the Elizabethan Feminine Doublet pattern from Reconstructing History. Looks like it might be just the thing.

Tibbie Croser

Thank you for the link and the clarification. I'm sadly ignorant of armor before the late 15th century.

Tibbie Croser

Do you have a link to the Delft example? Is the Delft example 14th century?

Tibbie Croser

Which armor piece in the photos belongs to the 14th century? The plain breastplate on its own at the right of the second picture? Or is that a backplate? The seams are interesting on that piece. They look like the "princess" seams used in modern women's clothing to create smooth curves aro...

Tibbie Croser

Thank you very much for your explanation, Wade. Interesting that the second breastplate on the page is associated with low-end infantry armor. I'm always interested in the differences between munitions armor and the high-end stuff, just as I'm interested in differences between common and upper-class...

Tibbie Croser

Just looked at the breastplate page on Wade Allen's site. http://www.allenantiques.com/Armour-Breastplates-Collection.html The top 3 breastplates are the sort I'm referring to. The second one is quite rounded. It looks like another main difference between 16th- and 14th-century breastplates is the c...

Tibbie Croser

Thanks for the answers so far. I knew there were distinct differences, but I wasn't sure what they were. I'm pretty familiar with 16th-century armor but not 14th-century armor. The peascod breastplates of the later 16th century definitely don't resemble anything earlier, but there are some slight si...

Tibbie Croser

What are the differences in shape between the rounded breastplates of the 14th century and those of the early 16th century? I know the latter are often squared off at the top, and I *think* another difference might be that the bulge in the 14th century is higher up on the chest. I'm trying to decide...

Tibbie Croser

I agree that thumb protection is a Good Thing. If I get demigaunts for Cut and Thrust, I suppose I'd want the thumb knuckle protected. I posed the question because I'm looking at armor bits for Cut and Thrust that might also be usable for CA down the road. I suspect that the new Society heavy/CA rul...

Tibbie Croser

Hi, Cian. The Atlantia rules as posted say that we follow the Society armor rules. So if the new Society rules require thumb coverage, even for archers, then Atlantia would have to follow. What exactly is the "touch-kill" rule for Atlantian combat archery? Is it still valid under the new S...

Tibbie Croser

From the new Society Marshals' Handbook: F. Hand and Wrist Armor The outer surfaces of the hand, to one inch above the wrist of both arms and including the thumb, must be covered by one or a combination of the following: 1. A rigid basket or cup hilt with enough bars or plates to prevent a blow from...

Tibbie Croser

I've just finished the production pattern of a really nice Coat of Plates A full 15th century steel gorget (AKA spanish collar) is on my workbench but TBH its driving me nuts and will be a little while before I get it working right. I'm being very tempted to put off the arm harness (yet again) to g...

Tibbie Croser

Any suggestions/recommendations for upper body (chest/collar/shoulder) protection? Looking for ideas for low profile semi-rigid protection that can be hidden under the tunic of an 8th c. Saxon. Any help would be appreciated. Coenred Perhaps lacrosse shoulder/torso pads with the rigid shoulder parts...

Tibbie Croser

Thank you for the answers so far. No, I don't want to use animal fat on my helmet. But, if it was indeed a period practice, I'd like to paint my helmet in such a way as to make it look like helmets polished with animal fat.

Tibbie Croser

The Osprey book on the Border Reivers by Keith Durham has a B/W photo of a burgonet which is said to have gained a golden-brown patina from being regularly polished with sheep fat. (The burgonet was from the formed Museum of Border Arms and Armour in Teviothead, Scotland.) Does anyone know whether p...

Tibbie Croser

I second the Girlsclub forum. Very useful for all kinds of female-specific stuff and very friendly.

Tibbie Croser

How about steel cups from martial arts supply vendors? For example, http://store.titleboxing.com/title-mma-steel-cup.html.

Tibbie Croser

I suppose the condition of the artifacts would depend on soil conditions. Also, I suppose the artifacts were put through the conservation process before they were presented publicly. The accounts of the find in professional archaelogical journals should give the necessary details. Aren't there other...

Tibbie Croser

Thanks for the replies. Random thoughts: The Leeds suit posted in the Almain Rivet thread has strap securing the limb armor, though they're obviously not original. I suspect that the wide-collared, high-necked gorgets could support a fair amount of weight. Having armor pointed to normal clothing see...

Tibbie Croser

How often was 16th-century armor pointed to arming clothes as previous armor was? Did this vary among munitions armor, upper-class field armor, and upper-class tournament armor? For example, spaulders often fastened with straps to the wide collar of the gorget. How were the spaulders secured at the ...

Tibbie Croser

How often was 16th-century armor pointed to arming clothes as previous armor was? Did this vary among munitions armor, upper-class field armor, and upper-class tournament armor? For example, spaulders often fastened with straps to the wide collar of the gorget. How were the spaulders secured at the ...

Tibbie Croser

Having discovered Play It Again Sports, I've acquired some cheap used hockey and lacrosse gear for hidden protection in Cut and Thrust and a non-SCA game. It will be hidden under clothing, but I'd also like to cover it with thin leather or light canvas. What are good adhesives for gluing leather or ...

Tibbie Croser

Also try marco-borromei.com (you can also get to it from the MK Armory site). Marco retrofits the Indian import helms for rapier, but his site mentions that he may be making original helms soon.

Tibbie Croser

I'd like to add that his customer service is very good. I ordered a pair of aluminum demigaunts through his Express page. They seemed fine for quality, but they were too large for my tiny wrists. I returned them, and he gave me a full refund very willingly.

Tibbie Croser

It seems a shame to me that SCA fighters with top-quality armor and kit are still stuck using duct-taped rattan, same as the fighters in plastic and sports gear. Wouldn't it be great if some of you could develop an alternate SCA combat discipline of armored fighting with metal weapons and historic t...

Tibbie Croser

In that case, what distinguishes a coat of plates from a jack of plates?

Tibbie Croser

David, is "coat of plates" in this context another word for a brigandine? Obviously it's not the same as the 14th-century coat of plates we commonly think of.

Tibbie Croser

Drew, have you contacted Kass McGann at Reconstructinghistory.com? She has well-researched patterns for the late 16th and early 17th centuries, and she could probably advise you on how to adapt the patterns to your size. Also, Gardiner's Company of the Trayn'd Bandes (late Elizabethan/Jamestown era ...

Tibbie Croser

What exactly were privy coats and doublets of defense? Were they similar to the fencing doublets in Janet Arnold's work? I also believe there are references in Shakespeare to "buff jerkins." Were those in the same category, i.e., nonmilitary garments used by criminals and troublemakers? Ho...

Tibbie Croser

What makes fiberglass rods unsuitable? What about firm rubber rods? I suppose the major problem is that rods of whatever material must be 1.25" thick. Some materials that are too rigid and hit far too hard at 1.25" thickness might be flexible and more forgiving at, say, 1/2" thickness...

Tibbie Croser

*Accurate* wooden feast gear would be a good idea. For example, square trenchers. Check out the wooden ware and furniture in the Mary Rose book "Before the Mast: Life and Death Aboard the Mary Rose." Wooden lantern frames are another idea. Wooden chests, stools, tables, trestles, and beds ...

Tibbie Croser

I'm looking for lightweight, low-profile sports padding for use under garb in another fighting game. How do lacrosse gear and hockey gear compare in terms of weight, bulk, and protection?

Tibbie Croser

You might check some of the LARP armour sites (plus By-The-Sword.com) to see whether someone is already offering that suit in plastic. Some of the plastic resin LARP armour looks amazing. It's expensive, though.

Tibbie Croser

Have you been in contact with Marco recently? I'm waiting to hear from him about when he'll have the Scottish burgonets back in stock.

Globose breastplates: 14th c. vs. early 16th c.

Do demigaunts now require thumb protection Society-wide?

Polishing armor with sheep fat?

X-Post: Was 16th-c. armor pointed to arming clothes?

Was 16th-c. armor pointed to arming clothes?

Gluing leather/fabric to sports gear (and other questions)

Hockey vs. lacrosse pads (non-SCA fighting)