The Armour Archive

Richard Blackmoore

There is no right or wrong approach, it is a choice. The good part about the SCA being composed of all nobles, interacting in events based on activities appropriate to the nobility, is that we don't have to deal with the very real and often very ugly issues of social classes and the violent oppressi...

Richard Blackmoore

My braies are white linen, from Historic Enterprises. As much as I like them, I am tired of people telling me they look like diapers, so if colored braies were indeed used in the 14th-15th century, I'd be a lot happier to switch to those.

Richard

Richard Blackmoore

Hmmmm. And since they are neither knights nor nobles, you can shoot them with arrows if you really want to. Without fear of censure as you would for using such an unknightly weapon against a man of coat armour.

Richard Blackmoore

My lanyards are almost identical. The only difference is that I create a small loop at each end using a rivet or thread, as I did not trust slit leather not to rip over time.

Richard Blackmoore

Win crown, get laid.

Richard Blackmoore

If you are so intent on hitting him in the ankle, just aim lower. Ducking so low isn't knightly. Though it is amusing to watch

Richard Blackmoore

Great work! Before you get too far into this project, be advised that the original Wenceslaus helmet in Prague is a compsite forgery- the saw tooth patterned nasal with the figure of Christ is from considerably earlier than the helmet bowl. If you are using this for LH or reenactment, you may want ...

Richard Blackmoore

I never have and never will understand why someone cannot particpate in and enjoy study and practice of WMA in both the SCA's version of it (often very ahistorical but fun and close to full speed/full contact) or another group's or scholar's verson of WMA (typically more historically based though r...

Richard Blackmoore

I never have and never will understand why someone cannot particpate in and enjoy study and practice of WMA in both the SCA's version of it (often very ahistorical but fun and close to full speed/full contact) or another group's or scholar's verson of WMA (typically more historically based though ra...

Richard Blackmoore

"Although the blackened gothic armour, Ivo, is prominent in the Bashford Deane catalouge, I can't ever remember seeing it on display. " It was on display for many years and was the suit that got me hooked on German Gothic, as i loved the flowing tassets. I spoke to Dr. Helmut Nickel when the exhibit...

Richard Blackmoore

Nice job.

By the way, I think you mean Knut, not Newt. Unless someone turned him into a Newt. That happened to John Cleese once, but he got better.

Richard Blackmoore

"Just because he is out of your range, does not mean that you are out of his range."

Richard Blackmoore

The terminology on some of this stuff kills me. Is this technically a pourpoint? As someone mentioned the lacing and portions of it look a lot like the patterns seen on what many call instead lentners or even arming coats or gambesons. I realize modern usage is a bit scrambled, but what would this s...

Richard Blackmoore

The "Creative Anachronism" does not mean make things that are blatantly ahistorical. For a fuller explanation on what it does mean, see another thread. That being said, it sounds like it would be fun to look at, even if it would only qualify as a fantasy piece. Your point is well taken though that s...

Richard Blackmoore

Vermillion, if you want to visit, you can read my copy. I don't let my books leave the house anymore though; too many came back damaged or did not come back at all.

But it is a thick book, you would be better off with loaner through your library.

Richard

Richard Blackmoore

Cannon and large hand cannons. I have a small furnace suitable for smaller casting projects. 50 lbs of brass? Sounds like you can do a lot with that.

Richard Blackmoore

Mindwip, you might want to read a good book that came out not too long ago "The Knight And The Blast Furnace". It covers a number of pieces of medieval armour in terms of the materials used and the hardening or lack thereof. It is interesting to note that there is a huge variation from piece to piec...

Richard Blackmoore

This sad news appeared on several lists recently. I thought I would post it here since some may not have heard it yet. I don't have any details to add or information on services, etc. "Count Sir Steven MacEanruig (mka Steve Henderson) died this afternoon following a massive stroke this morning." Sir...

Richard Blackmoore

Vitus von Atzinger wrote:I am fairly sure that within a few weeks I will be able to offer nearly indestructable shields for my usual low price.

Cool. What is the new idea that makes them so sturdy?

Richard Blackmoore

Lets see how that knights vs. mercs thing works at AWP first, but I like the way you think. Last year at the war Tessa the huntress (Princess of Aethelmark) ran a small res woods battle that included combat archery. Easily the most fun I have had in a battle in ten years. The trees make killing wit...

Richard Blackmoore

I like the idea of everyone fighting everyone. Instead of an inner circle and an outer circle, have two parallel lines. You fight the guy across from you. When the whistle blows, everyone takes a few steps to the right. When you get to the end of your line, you wrap around to the beginning of the o...

Richard Blackmoore

Wow -- 700 fighters would have 244,650 potential one-on-one matchups. If you had 350 fights going at once, I guess it would just be possible to do it in a day. Quite an idea. At the end, would they all be better fighters -- or just really tired and spaced-out? Or both? I'm already jazzed about goin...

Richard Blackmoore

My suggestion from the 1980's when Pennsic was much smaller was the "I Fought All Day & Fought Every Single Fighter At Pennsic Battle". It only would have worked well back when you had 500 to 700 fighters max per side. 700 fighters takes about 12 hours to run with a half hour lunch break. Even up th...

Richard Blackmoore

Considering they have no training as armourers, it is a great start. At least they made it out of metal and tried to cover themselves completely with materials (metal) that are similar to period armouring material. The SCA has much worse armour than this on a regular basis, including suits made comp...

Richard Blackmoore

This is the only know survival of a cuirass designed for a short lived German style of stunt jousting consisting of a course run with twin lances against two opponents simultaneously. The matching rest for the left side is in a private collection. I was thinking something along those lines but as a...

Richard Blackmoore

Do you have the web sites I can check into so I can look into perhaps getting some made for sca. I like my armor nice. Thanks again,Paul Here are some that have done very good work over the years. James Gillaspie, Robert MacPherson and Eric Dube/Francois's armoury have both been reliable and exceed...

Richard Blackmoore

Looks nice!

Richard Blackmoore

Um... Melee is combat on horseback if you are talking about historical combat. When they refer to the tournament, they originally meant melee on horseback, fought with a variety of weapons including swords and other weapons, including lances at times. Though tournament could also include jousting ju...

Richard Blackmoore

Ah. You are looking at a suit styled after a late 1400's German "Gothic" harness. You should look at the Sigusmund of Tyrol or the similar suit worn by Maximillan for good historical examples of these. James Gillaspie can make you amazingly good quality versions of these with fancy piercework and hi...

Richard Blackmoore

I'd like it in DVD format. Just curious, but what about the other presentations from the conference, are you looking into putting those on DVD also?

Richard Blackmoore

For those who can't travel, are any of the museum publications on armour worth buying? m{45EE6D71-0E6B-4755-A416-7B13F19B35BA}/FromPage/catBooks/familyNo/6/catID/{A3207890-C0ED-11D3-936D-00902786BF44} Yes they are, and the prices for the second two are very good. I own all three. The Negroli book i...

Richard Blackmoore

[img]http://www.newsday.com/media/photo/2005-10/20211333.jpg[/img] I think my daughter's harness is pretty good, if we are talking SCA standards. Due to having to have it finished and in use, in less than two months from the date orders were placed with various armours, and on a limited budget, it i...

Richard Blackmoore

I am interested as to where the marshal found a minimum size for a shield in the Meridies Marshal's handbook... From the current handbook, here is the requirements for shields in Meridies. a. Shields shall weigh a minimum of one pound per square foot of surface area. (By using one-half inch (1/2") ...

Richard Blackmoore

As a general rule, given the surviving samples we have, SCA helms seem to weigh between 1/3 as much to almost twice as much as original specimens. I continually hear the argument regarding mass and concussion, but in regards to the heaviest helmets, it strikes me you aren't doing your spine and bac...

Richard Blackmoore

The only thing I would say is that not all earlier helmets are thinner, (not to contradict Richard at all ). I agree, I was just making one of those generalizations that gets me into trouble so often. But the lack of a large number of surviving early helmets makes it really hard to do anything more...

SCA - Sir Steven MacEanruig Has Passed Away

Re: armourer's