The Armour Archive

Tibbie Croser

I agree that the armorers won't mass-produce fencing helms until fencers start asking for them en masse. Unfortunately, fencers won't ask for them en masse until they're more widely available. It's a conundrum. Getting the mass-market armorers to at least offer burgonets, morions, and cabassets that...

Tibbie Croser

Some of my favorite 16th-century "how-to" sites: http://freespace.virgin.net/f.lea/index.htm http://www.elizabethancostume.net/ http://www.reconstructinghistory.com http://www.lepg.org/patterns.htm I do early 16th-century lower class, which is much easier than later 16th-century upper clas...

Tibbie Croser

The small local practice I attend is mostly free play, with some one-on-one instruction. We have a small ratio of advanced fencers to relative newbs. I'd like to hear of Atlantian practices that have more drills and regimentation. I think much depends on the local marshals. In my area, I don't *thin...

Tibbie Croser

I've asked similar questions on Atlantian RapierNet, both about helms and about Cut and Thrust. It's been difficult to get enough good answers. When I asked about the Marco-Krieger conversions of costume helms, I saw both positive and negative reviews. The information isn't necessarily for me; I'm i...

Tibbie Croser

Winterfell, I'm also in northern Atlantia and interested in Cut and Thrust (I'm a recently authorized fencer). Would you be willing to compile a list of Atlantian armorers willing to make fencing helms or convert the Indian-made helms to fencing helms? Could you also compile a list of merchants *cur...

Tibbie Croser

Some really good responses in this thread. I took the survey and voted "no" on everything, I think. I strongly agree that most of the non-rattan combat disciplines need far more time to evolve and mature before they are ready for a peerage. A premature peerage might cause these disciplines...

Tibbie Croser

At Jamestowne Settlement, the reconstructed houses had some chests with boards laid over them serving as beds/benches. Is that plausible, at least for that setting?

Tibbie Croser

Is "pavise" the only name for those shields? I thought they might have had another name. It would be handy to distinguish them from the big static pavises used by archers.

Tibbie Croser

Sean, have her check out the Girls Club forum for female heavy fighers in the SCA. It's in Audax's signature line. There's a subforum called "The Brain" which deals with mental issues like the one you're describing. You can go there yourself, too; there are several men on there who train f...

Tibbie Croser

Is twill usually a worsted? I've found twill/gabardine in all sorts of colors, both online and in better fabric stores (G Street Fabrics in the Washington DC area and Needle and Thread in Gettysburg, PA, for example). In fact I'm making a long-sleeved jerkin out of a turquoise (like watchet?) lightw...

Tibbie Croser

Using historical massed archery tactics would be a cool thing. I was reading recently of the archery tactics of the English in the Hundred Years War: using massed archery on the flanks to "funnel" the enemy troops toward the dismounted men-at-arms, who would engage hand-to-hand. A question...

Tibbie Croser

Baron Alejandro, could you explain your view in detail? Your comment in another thread prompted me to start this one. Sir Vitus, could you explain your pithy but cryptic comment in more detail? Does it have any relation to some of your posts about the Combat of the Thirty, which were so eloquent? I'...

Tibbie Croser

Is SCA armored combat for everyone, regardless of size, strength, conditioning, motivation, and toughness? Should reluctant people be encouraged to train and authorize? Is it worthwhile for knights and marshals to recruit and train people who don't seem to have the necessary physical and mental qual...

Tibbie Croser

This place (http://www.hatsupply.com/woolfelts.htm) seems to have good prices and numerous colors on wool felt hat blanks.

Tibbie Croser

Just stumbled across a promising site: British History Online ( http://www.british-history.ac.uk/Default.aspx ). It includes a number of medieval and Renaissance-era records. Much of the material is free; some is available only by subscription. Any reviews from people here who are already familiar w...

Tibbie Croser

Thank you, Karl. Which thread are you referring to?

Can you tell me what Bokalo's "landsknecht" breastplate actually looks like, even if it's inaccurate? I might well cover it anyway. Does it have the squared-off top and some kind of dishing?

Tibbie Croser

Since Bokalo's Express is back up, I ordered a pair of the aluminum demigaunts for Atlantian Cut and Thrust. Anyone have opinions on them? Are they fairly light? Also, has anyone seen Bokalo's "Simple Breast and Back, Landsknecht, Unstrapped, Dished" cuirass? He doesn't have a picture of i...

Tibbie Croser

How does it compare to the "Imperial Austria" book (which I have)?

Tibbie Croser

If Sir Mord doesn't reply here, PM him. His specialty is Icelandic. I suspect, at least for the earlier personas, that much of the armor is going to be hidden, except for a helmet and perhaps mail shirt.

Tibbie Croser

Thanks for the replies. My question was theoretical, as right now I do only rapier (and hope to do Cut and Thrust sometime). I have a 22.5" head and a longish, skinny neck, so I've wondered if there are ways to have a lighter helmet without compromising safety. I think 14 gauge mild is consider...

Tibbie Croser

It's often said here that the protectiveness of a helm depends on the weight and mass of the metal. I was wondering whether thick, dense, relatively heavy padding can increase the protective value of a comparatively light helm. For example, if you padded a 14-gauge mild steel helm with thick sheepsk...

Tibbie Croser

Stonekeep, I was looking at your site earlier today. I may be ordering some small things soon. What are rerebracers exactly? Where do they go on the arm? Also, what kinds of helm styles are you adding? Do you have any plans to do demigaunts in full metal or full hardened leather, as well as the stee...

Tibbie Croser

By the Sword also sells mass-produced predyed, prepunched, but nonhardened leather plates. Prices are higher than Torvaldr's, I think. Unfortunately, there's more demand for these things than Torvaldr can meet, especially with his health problems. I'd be interested in getting scales or plates from T...

Tibbie Croser

Mark, is your Tudor reenactment group still active? My interest is the early to mid-16th-century Scottish Borders. Thanks for the pictures. I recognize Marietta Mansion. Was this picture taken at Marching Through Time?

Tibbie Croser

In Historic Enterprises' defense, that item (the split undergown) isn't claimed to be based on anything period. It's given their lowest "historical authenticity" rating. It's for women reenactor equestrians riding astride instead of sidesaddle, I guess. Gwen posts on here a lot; maybe you ...

Tibbie Croser

Hisselint, a few observations. I think the person who put up the female armor design that you like put it up as a joke. I think that the armor design is for a costume or movie prop, not for real women's armor. However, if you like that design of armor, how about making a 15th-century-style breastpla...

Tibbie Croser

Hisselint, is this armor for SCA armored fighting? If so, I think (and others here, please correct me if I'm wrong) that the breast cups *cannot* be separate; they must be attached to other parts of the torso armor according to the armor rules. Before you start working the metal, please ensure that ...

Tibbie Croser

I accept the idea of mail without quilted or padded defenses for Western Europe in the Hastings era. I had been confused by a comment in the "Pimp My Kit" thread and by a comment from Chef, which he later clarified. By the way, Audax, I think you've mentioned that you wear hardened leather...

Tibbie Croser

I have a link for a vendor that sells inexpensive wool felt hat blanks in three styles and many colors. If you want a brimmed hat, you could try experimenting with one of these. I believe tall crowns and narrow brims fit in with the late 16th century. http://www.hatsupply.com/woolfelts.htm I haven't...

Tibbie Croser

Why boots rather than shoes? Why tall boots rather than ankle-height boots? Are there any illustrations of Landesknechts on foot wearing tall boots rather than shoes?

Tibbie Croser

Spinoff from the "Trellis Coat" thread in Classifieds. The Bayeux Tapestry shows mounted figures wearing garments that could be interpreted as quilted, padded coats. Are these being worn over mail? Instead of mail? Is there other evidence for quilted defenses in Western Europe in the 11th ...

Tibbie Croser

Chef, many people (like Oswyn above) assert that quilted or padded defenses don't date as far back as the Norman invasion. What proportion of scholars believe that the Bayeux Tapestry provides artistic evidence of quilted/padded defenses? What other artistic evidence is out there? How far back does ...

Tibbie Croser

Dweezle, your kit deserves a far better helmet (unless that's not your regular helmet in the photo).

Tibbie Croser

If not Aaron, how about something similar such as Alan or Adam? Those names might be easier to document for 15th-century English nobility.

Tibbie Croser

My suggestion wasn't serious, and I wasn't thinking of reenactment (though I do wish we had more 16th-century reenactment groups in the US, at least on the East Coast). I was thinking more of "Renaissance-era SCA sport combat," since some SCA folks don't like post-1500 stuff, especially ra...

Rapier helmets/Atlantian C&T (for Winterfell)

Is SCA armored combat for everyone?

British historical records online

Questions about Bokalo's Armory pieces

Helm weight, padding, and protectiveness

Evidence of quilted defenses in Norman era?