The Armour Archive

Russ Mitchell

Yeah, basically, I need to be able to use fabric and lightweight leather in various forms, and harden/stiffen the HELL out of it without increasing the weight too much. It's costume use, so it doesn't have to actually survive impacts like real armor would, but "casual hardness" IS needed. ...

Russ Mitchell

Working on something for a friend's costume, it's a faerie-type rig, and I'm finding myself in need of something which can be purchased easily to provide a hard shell onto a cloth or leather surface -- needs to be waterproof, as this may get rained on. Anybody got any ideas?

Russ Mitchell

It's seen in period artwork, so on that count, accurate enough. It's stainless, and the plates are a bit wider than I'd prefer for that, but it's reasonable in my opinion. That and 2 bucks will get you espresso, though.

Russ Mitchell

RJ, you'd need to look at the manuscript in its original context, but I wouldn't say you're far off.

Russ Mitchell

That folded brim is actually pretty common -- They show in Hungarian, Bulgarian, and Cuman (probably the folks spreading the design) artwork and artifacts as well.

Russ Mitchell

That's one theory, and it works just fine. If I were using paracord like a lot of SCA guys do, I'd *definitely* do it that way, since the stuff scissors and comes apart if you so much as look at it.

Russ Mitchell

Not only sieges. We have manuscript evidence of the "Iron Lords" of the Vltava district in Bohemia using them in battle against the Hussites very early on (I may be misremembering their district, it's been a while), but the fact that they did/would is taken completely for granted in the te...

Russ Mitchell

Those are indeed very deep overlaps -- I like the three-dimensionality of the end-product quite a bit.
Did you make your scales?

Russ Mitchell

Mark1-A1 BAttle pancake. My standard training tool to get people out of "stick mentality."
Get a cardboard box. Cut it in half so it's long like a really ridiculously wide sword blade.
Put a stick up its butt and tape it solid.

Twenty minutes with that and you won't cut flat for a month.

Russ Mitchell

cap-a-pie mail has no gaps. Rigid armors have gaps. That's why later on they kept using voiders, and why northwesterners who were exposed to Byzantine type armors seem to have *rejected* the stuff (imho). Interesting discussion, not sure I'd be sold on either side, though.

Russ Mitchell

Leather's wayyyy too thick. But I"m VERY interested in your result... could we get pics?

Russ Mitchell

Yes. Particularly the last-hardened half-tanned, which is just ridiculously hard and light for its weight.

Russ Mitchell

Thought about it, but this summer's gotten away from me. Still debating whether I want to be just that crazy.
I'd rather like to have the wooden lasts I'd need for the job, but I'm a horrific carpenter.

Russ Mitchell

It's "Arms and Armor in Southeast Europe in the second half of the first Millenium," by Gorelik, in Nicolle, David "Companion to Medieval Arms and Armor." Should be able to get it via the library.

Russ Mitchell

Much obliged, as they're something I've been looking for.

Russ Mitchell

How are you with libraries? There's actually a VERY good article on this period for Hungarians by David Nicolle... I can dig up the title. Basically, keep the "great moravian" type helmet, and feel free to use splinted arm and leg defenses along with your lamellar, hide the knees and elbow...

Russ Mitchell

If for some reason the shoes fall through, second-dibs, please.

Russ Mitchell

You see a number of varieties in paintings, but the safest bet, so far as I can tell, is that they've moved to a sort of brigandine approach similar to an armored surcoat. So what you're seeing is representation of plates showing under a fabric or light leather shell. You can, actually, even wear sc...

Russ Mitchell

He's enthusiastic and has excellent physical skills, but has a set of very romantic research ideas. The equipment is shiny but primarily Avar rather than Magyar (would still be usable, but much earlier than what you want). Okay, 11th to 13th you get a LOT of options, but if you want to stay with the...

Russ Mitchell

Knee and elbow stuff would probably have to be hidden. Splints are absolutely acceptable, though you'd want ones that were a touch wider than the straightline ones. For the heyday of that sort of gear, you're looking 8-9th century, before the conquest of the Carpathian basin. At this point they've j...

Russ Mitchell

Actually, Ulricus... I'm in here to help YOU with that question... what are you looking for? Splinted arms and legs are fine in this period for magyars, as is lamellar, shields either round or oval (or potentially kite, if you like, though it's rare)... gauntlets are, well, completely undocumented a...

Russ Mitchell

I've read this thread five times, and still can't figure out why everybody's panties are all twisted up. Decaf, folks.

Russ Mitchell

Well... I try not to go TOO far astray...

Russ Mitchell

Hi! Resident magyar-wannabe here. Married one, anyway. :) "Early" magyars absolutely used lamellar armor. After they settle in the Carpathian basin, it gets a lot more complicated, particularly as the Hungarians were one of the very few of these folks to maintain contingents expected to fi...

Russ Mitchell

Eh, thanks, but not worried about it. I'm a guppy at best in the pond of academia, and I know it: not even vaguely offended at the lack of cite, but rather just happy to have actually contributed something.

Russ Mitchell

Can't give a full response yet, as my wife is ill and I've only given it a first, rather than detailed reading. 1. Am very flattered that the KE vs M distinction "has legs," as I think it explains quite a bit -- including the effectiveness of the high-end longbows. Some of the data I've se...

Russ Mitchell

"Though there are clear changes over time...."

Exactly.

Russ Mitchell

Totally separate issue -- if you're going to talk about "stopping the Horde," first we gotta decide which horde we're talking about. Two tumen going after the Mamlukes? The kind of power that took down China?

Russ Mitchell

AND how are you defining the Mongol horde? The Mongols that Europe and Egypt saw was a pale reflection of their actual military power, which was on a scale at least an order of magnitude, maybe two, of all the European military assets put together (example: Batu trashed Eastern and Central Europe, w...

Russ Mitchell

Sigurd,

Most of the tutorials I've written have come from my having failed to find what I needed, stumbling through the solution, and then documenting what I've done for the benefit of those who came after me.

I look forward to reading yours.

Russ Mitchell

Based on this guy's various replies, I wouldn't touch him with a ten-foot pike.

Russ Mitchell

Not even vaguely "early," though.

Russ Mitchell

The Mongols themselves used a wagonburg against the Mamlukes when outnumbered. But during the *early* Mongol expansion? You're referring prior to their conquest of China?

Russ Mitchell

Yeah, I wasn't referring to actual fibre damage. But then, I soak the SNOT out of my leather (overnight is my absolute minimum, and I've done 24 hours regularly), and so generally have completely thru-hardened leather when I'm done.

Russ Mitchell

Reminds of me of that line from the early medieval rowing song (which I've now misplaced) "and deliver us o Lord, from the power of smiths!"

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Re: Scale armor

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Re: Thick mail rings

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Re: Reconstruction of late 13th cent. hardened leather vambr

Re: Reconstruction of late 13th cent. hardened leather vambr

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Re: Longbow Article in Journal of Medieval History

Re: Longbow Article in Journal of Medieval History

Re: Stopping the mongol horde..

Re: Stopping the mongol horde..

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Re: Stopping the mongol horde..

Re: Stopping the mongol horde..

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Re: Anglo Saxon Leather Armour