The Armour Archive

Tibbie Croser

I rechecked Patterns of Fashion last night. The pluderhosen of the Sture brothers used leather as a foundation, with the other material being fabric. Nils Sture's clothing included a leather doublet, which was not a fencing doublet. Interestingly, the leather of the doublet was naturally light color...

Tibbie Croser

Is the situation better with medieval archaeologists? They're dealing with tangible objects.

Tibbie Croser

Rowan, is a competent blacksmith necessarily a competent swordsmith? Isn't swordsmithing much more specialized? Even for a blacksmith who makes knives, wouldn't a WMA practice sword be somewhat more complicated to make? What do the smiths on Sword Forum have to say about the subject?

Tibbie Croser

In Patterns of Fashion, there are the leather fencing doublets. Also I believe one of the suits worn by one of the Sture family in Patterns of Fashion is a leather doublet and leather trunkhose or pluderhosen. Further, a number of the craftsmen in Ammann's Book of Trades appear to be wearing leather...

Tibbie Croser

If fewer people are buying armor, or people are buying less armor, is it possible that armorers' queues will shorten? Also, will more armorers start considering underserved markets? For example, rapier/sidesword helms. Another market might be armor for women, smaller people, and youth fighters. I th...

Tibbie Croser

I think of armored fighters as "clanky-thwacks."

Tibbie Croser

How does the design of the helmet affect weight distribution? What factors can reduce the weight without affecting protection? What would be the ideal helmet, weightwise? Does rigid plate distribute the weight better than flexible mail, e.g., a buff or bevor versus a mail drape? Does an integral gor...

Tibbie Croser

There are very period ways for a woman to look sexy. Fitted gowns, low necklines, gauzy Roman draperies. Plus the period styles flatter a much wider range of body types.

Tibbie Croser

For gluing layers of blue camping mat foam together, the recommended adhesive is DAP or 3M Super 77.

Tibbie Croser

Thank you, Chef. I only said "allegedly" because I didn't want to say "Rene recommended" when I hadn't read the original work. I know very little of pre-1500 armor. I think also that the perforated armor and grillwork visor were for mounted tourneying with blunted swords and mace...

Tibbie Croser

Lord Brian, I'd prefer a Northern Atlantian so that I can more easily meet the armorer in person and show him the helm I want converted, or have him measure me for a custom helm. I don't travel much or go to events outside MD/Northern VA yet. Durasteel's another one I've considered, as he's nearby. ...

Tibbie Croser

I'm re-reading Martial Arts of the Renaissance by Sydney Anglo. The book mentions, and reproduces illustrations of, a perforated tournament cuirass in Rene d'Anjou's Book of the Tournament. Rene allegedly recommended that a tournament cuirass have large holes in it to reduce the weight of the metal ...

Tibbie Croser

Hi, Brian. Good to see you here. Regarding the additional armor, it was mentioned on the Atlantian rapier e-list that the Atlantian requirements for rigid joint armor might be reconsidered. I don't know when that might happen. Do you know any northern Atlantians making rapier helms or converting cos...

Tibbie Croser

There was a wool fabric called frieze that was rough and was used mainly by the poor, I believe. Is that what you're thinking of?

Tibbie Croser

Have you tried asking on Sword Forum International?

Tibbie Croser

I have an 18-ga mild steel Windlass "Scottish Burgonet" that I bought a couple of years ago and crudely modified for Dagorhir (cutting down the brims). It's basically a decent helm and I'd like to get it modified for SCA rapier/sidesword by adding a faceplate of perforated plate and extend...

Tibbie Croser

What do you not like about them?

Tibbie Croser

I read the older posts on the AA about the Black Diamond Metal Arts rapier burgonet. I'd like to hear how it has performed. How are visibility, fit, heat, ventilation, and so on? Any other issues to comment on?

Tibbie Croser

Just to clarify: Dagorhir does not allow plastic as armor, nor aluminum. There is no magic in the rules. Plate armor is not allowed to have projections of more than 1/2 inch. Most armor is mail or leather (thick but often unhardened).

Tibbie Croser

The link to Bokalo's Armoury is very useful. I see that he makes (steel) burgonets. I may ask if he could make one for rapier/sidesword. He also has stock armor bits in small, medium, and large. I wonder if the small size would work for women. How does aluminum work for blow calling? Is it easier th...

Tibbie Croser

We boffer with our riding helmets (not bike, equestrian). They are well ventilated and very light. Might make a good base for a more enclosing helm. I believe equestrian helmets are designed to absorb one single impact. (I used to take riding lessons and still have the helmets.) Have you considered...

Tibbie Croser

It looked to me like the guy who got hurt had a knee brace on his other knee. What the guys were doing wasn't fundamentally unsafe, and the move that injured him was pretty standard judo stuff. Folks are going to get hurt when they fight occasionally. Doing everything humanly possible to keep our s...

Tibbie Croser

Draven, the website in your signature is down. Do you know when it will be back up?

Tibbie Croser

For linen, http://www.fabrics-store.com

A variety of weights and colors. Good customer service. Free swatches.

Tibbie Croser

I'd have to check with the senior rapier marshals in Atlantia about the allowability of concealed plastic. Not because of the prohibition on visible plastic, but to check whether they define "rigid" differently for C & T joint armor than they do for fencing masks and gorgets. I need to...

Tibbie Croser

How does one contact Blue Monkey? Do they have a website?

Tibbie Croser

Where can I get hardened leather demigaunts in small sizes? Stonekeep fanless knee and elbow cops look like an excellent choice. Stonekeep also has small-size leather demigaunts, but I don't know if they're hardened. I'll have to ask him. I know Torvaldr has hardened leather demigaunts.

Tibbie Croser

DeDoc, do you have any personal experience with the Marco-Krieger helms? I'm strongly considering one, but someone on Atlantian RapierNet reported on one of their helmets being very poorly made (not by them but by the original makers in India) and needing a lot of work. What do you all recommend for...

Tibbie Croser

My original thinking was that since I'd be wearing a helmet with a perf plate face and a gorget anyway, I might as well wear pretty, shiny armor on elbows, knees, and wrists and wear a padded jack, buff-look jerkin, or light unhardened leather "cuirass" with it. But it seems that some peop...

Tibbie Croser

These are the relevant rules from the Atlantian Book of Policy, section 3.11, which includes the rapier and cut/thrust rules. "3.11.2 Rapier Combat Weapons and Armor Standards Atlantia will follow Corporate Rules for Rapier in the Society for Creative Anachronism, Incorporated (found at the Soc...

Tibbie Croser

I'd like to eventually assemble a kit for Cut and Thrust. The Atlantian rules require rigid protection for elbows, knees, and wrists. I'd like to get knee and elbow cops and demigaunts that would be suitable for the first half of the 16th century. I do a lower-class Scottish Borderer of the 1540s. M...

Tibbie Croser

I'd like to eventually assemble a kit for Cut and Thrust. The Atlantian rules require rigid protection for elbows, knees, and wrists. I'd like to get knee and elbow cops and demigaunts that would be suitable for the first half of the 16th century. I do a lower-class Scottish Borderer of the 1540s. M...

Tibbie Croser

Let me try cross-posting my request in Classifieds and Medieval Combat and see if I can get other answers.

Tibbie Croser

I'd like to eventually assemble a kit for Cut and Thrust. The Atlantian rules require rigid protection for elbows, knees, and wrists. I'd like to get knee and elbow cops and demigaunts that would be suitable for the first half of the 16th century. I do a lower-class Scottish Borderer of the 1540s. M...

Tibbie Croser

Jester, maybe what you've seen are the blades that are approved for both heavy rapier and cut-and-thrust? However, there are some blades on the June 2006 approved blade list that are legal for C and T only, but not heavy rapier. I believe these include Darkwood's sidesword and backsword. I have hear...

Perforated cuirass in Rene's tourney book?

Seeking MD/DC/VA armorer to convert helm for rapier

Black Diamond Metal Arts fencing burgonet?

X-post: Cut/Thrust kit advice for petite Atlantian

X-post: Cut/Thrust kit advice for petite Atlantian

Advice on Cut/Thrust kit for petite Atlantian?