The Armour Archive

Richard Blackmoore

The "Leather helm for SCA combat" thread made me wonder whether SCA helms are heavier and thicker than their historical counterparts, for example, bascinets, sallets, and Norman conical helms. I understand that jousting helms would have been extra thick and heavy, and helmets in the age of musketry...

Richard Blackmoore

My first suit used in the SCA was in the 1980's, it was actually made in and for MSR in a rush so I could fight at Pennsic (my first SCA event if I recall correctly). The helm was loaner from my knight with a severely dented army helmet for the skill, and a bar grille the marshal's in the SCA failed...

Richard Blackmoore

perhaps it was mandrake's image on his site- i was just a whole lot more enamoured of Talbot's round vervelles than Mandrake's. thats an incredible kit Richard- your daughter is a very lucky girl. Talbot makes very nice stuff too and I've never, ever had a customer service problem with Talbot. I ju...

Richard Blackmoore

"Period vervelles were crappy iron or steel, not even pretty cast brass or neatly formed iron/steel. "

That was a typo. It should have said "Period vervelles were often crappy iron or steel, much less pretty cast brass or at least neatly formed iron/steel. "

Richard Blackmoore

Peter, several people included myself were interested in your armouring videosbut were hoping to wait until they were available on DVD instead of VHS. Are there plans for that any time soon? I've been a fan of your work for years, you may not remember meeting me but you were one of the people that l...

Richard Blackmoore

I'm surprised you did not like Mandrake's. They don't seem ugly to me at all. I'll admit that I polish them to a bright finish before mounting them, but that is my personal preference, not a requirement for authentic appearance. Period vervelles were often crude looking, especially if you are talkin...

Richard Blackmoore

I owe Leo a good ale for that one. Not Pabst. Good stuff.

Richard Blackmoore

Peter did a very nice job on this. If anyone wants to see the original suit he based this on, it is in the NYC Metropolitan Museum of Art, along with some pieces of the garniture. Some exchange pieces, an extra helm also and a couple lance vamplates are displayed along with it if I remember correctl...

Richard Blackmoore

At some point soon I am going to try an experiment to see what would be required to protect someone from getting shot by combat archers and still be able to fight. I will use archers for counterfire and big guys with pavise. Probably someone acting as secret service"take a bullet for ya" as well. I...

Richard Blackmoore

1. Put on armour. 2. Run up hill. (Big hill.) 3. Walk back down. 4. Run up hill. etc. Repeat #'s 2-4 until you puke or faint. Do this three times a week. Ahem... REAL SCA knightly types continue steps 2-4 even after puking. That is why we all use bar grills and not closed face helms. But try to tel...

Richard Blackmoore

You have raised the sleeping giant Nissan-san.... a feat not easily accomplished. I shall go forth and raise cry across the windswept tundra of the Northlands! Let all hearty souls who bear arms in the name of the Crown stand forth and meet these foes of all that is good and righteous with as much ...

Richard Blackmoore

I wonder how many knights are gonna array themselves in their finest historical armor for this. I also wonder if they're gonna fight with traditional 'knightly' weapons. It's not my personal thing but the pictures from that battle of the thirty where they look so goddam real its amazing just floor ...

Richard Blackmoore

bump!

Richard Blackmoore

The day is nigh I, Nissan Maxima, dread lord of House Clovenshield will raise in alliance with the dreaded tuchux, the men of the mountain confederation, the might of anglsey and kindred spirits a dark army of mercenaries, savages and those who bow to no king. I will bring this army to the field at...

Richard Blackmoore

A friend of mine called to see if I had the dimensions, especially the diameter, of the besagews that are on the CH31 German "Gothic" suit, that appears in the original Churburg book by Trapp. I have the reprint of that which includes a companion volume by Scalini, but neither has any of the besagew...

Richard Blackmoore

This is a fantastic book and I am glad I bought it. However I generally agree with Brian's comments. It is very, very useful to someone interested in studying actual medieval armour and the properties of the metal it was made from. As such it would also be of use to someone who wanted to make reprod...

Richard Blackmoore

Frankly I can't understand why people get in such a huff over a few hours work to make a garment or cover plastic. Is it really that big of a deal? My first armor had ugly legs that I covered with a long tunic. The covered plastic rule in Atlantia was like the Y2K scare, lots of hype, crying, and g...

Richard Blackmoore

I certainly admit I haven't done any test cutting against properly made norse round shields, but lots of experience splitting firewood tells me you can get a blade pretty firmly stuck. Reminds me of something I read in a WotR book somewhere. Said there was a discussion about handing out swords to t...

Richard Blackmoore

The only shields that are gonna last are aluminum ones from Mandrake or Ice Falcon etc. I would lead you to these vendors if you fight, fight, fight, fight all the time and don't care about getting to the next level of presentation. My shields are for people looking for something closer to reenacto...

Richard Blackmoore

" this sheild is a planned part of my fighting rebirth. after vitus offered to make me one to test drive i set the ball in motion. <snip> anyway, the plan is to photo document the life of this shield and see how well it holds up to the abuse my equipment goes through. i will put a page up on my hous...

Richard Blackmoore

The type of wood seems to make little difference, since it's the glue that holds the layers of 1/4 ply that fails before the wood fails. Sometimes I use cheap pine, or better stuff if it's cheap. I make the blanks and round the edges of the blanks. Then I put on a respirator, mix a batch of resin a...

Richard Blackmoore

I never thought these had a chance in hell of holding up without shield edging or metal corner, top edge and leading edge reinforcement. But the people that are posting about them are all saying good things. And they look very nice. Have these been used in hard hitting kingdoms like Atlantia & the E...

Richard Blackmoore

I just looked this up: m In the 1500s the Medici family thought to revive the competition, moving it to the bridge in the heart of town, and having the residents of the opposing banks (Tramontana to the north and Mezzogiorno to the south) compete for mastery of the bridge: thus was bornIl Gioco del...

Richard Blackmoore

Some other sources I've read said that the sport continued into the 18thC. They are neat helms... Another good source of examples would be Albrecht Durer's woodcuts, which Dover has a good edition of. I did not realize it lasted that long. Cool. I've seen helms of this type before, including the on...

Richard Blackmoore

The link below takes you to a nice 3D rotating picture of a late 1500's helm with a bar grill, from the website for the State Hermitage Museum. While late for my tastes as it falls within the very end of the SCA's cutoff of 1600AD, those with armour from that timeframe could use this and not worry a...

Richard Blackmoore

I'm glad I was able to be of assistance. Did you order any other titles? I have Tudor Artillery, The Blunderbuss, and I think a couple others... No. My budget is kind of blown at this point. The Tudor Artillery and Blunderbuss may be next though, they sound good. For the most part, my main interest...

Richard Blackmoore

don't want to seem like an ass but that is why america has the highest gun death in the world and don't use higher pop as excuse because it's way out of proportion to other countries. I know guns are nifty but I'ld rather beat the guy with a stick and go back to bed than call the cops and have to g...

Richard Blackmoore

About your bookselling 'friend': m No. 38. The Halberd and other European Polearms 1300- 1650 by George Snook. This is the first book in English to provide a comprehensive introduction to the pole arms of medieval Europe: from the simple pike through the halberd in its many forms, to the roncone, b...

Richard Blackmoore

I have a few things to say. I thought the SCA portrayed nobility, not peasants? (snipped for brevit) Grappling is not unsafe. The jackasses who have to prove how big of a man they are by hitting people as hard as they can, denting 12 ga. stainless helms and giving concussions, are unsafe. You are c...

Richard Blackmoore

Before my first fight practice, I read all the rules and regulations for the armour, weapons and combat. so I'd have a clue as to how it worked. At my first practice I showed up well prepared with all items needed including a cup and supporter. I also brought a case of beer and a cute brunette. They...

Richard Blackmoore

Hi Mord, I am not sure if you are responding to me the way that printed above. Yes, I would love to buy a copy if it is affordable. If you mean can I borrow a copy through a library loan, yes I would like to do that too. If you mean you can Xerox the book to make a copy, I assume there is a copyrig...

Richard Blackmoore

Hi Mord, I am not sure if you are responding to me the way that printed above. Yes, I would love to buy a copy if it is affordable. If you mean can I borrow a copy through a library loan, yes I would like to do that too. If you mean you can Xerox the book to make a copy, I assume there is a copyrigh...

Richard Blackmoore

Richard, Next time you visit Philly and the PMA, ask to see Kienbusch's library. It turned me into wide-eyed doofus the first time I saw it. Mord. I've heard it was very good. Every time I go to that museum I have to be dragged against my will out of the armour section. By the way, if I can't find ...

Richard Blackmoore

About your bookselling 'friend': m No. 38. The Halberd and other European Polearms 1300- 1650 by George Snook. This is the first book in English to provide a comprehensive introduction to the pole arms of medieval Europe: from the simple pike through the halberd in its many forms, to the roncone, b...

Richard Blackmoore

I missed this thread the first time around. Is this the outfit I made the chausses for? Gwen Yes it is! I posted on a prior thread all the vendors/armourers that contributed to the harness including Historical Enterprises. Unfortunately we did not get any good pictures, only video, with her in thos...

Re: SCA helm weight/gauge compared with historical counterpa

Re: Declaration of War

Churburg Suit CH31 - Besegew dimensions?

Authentic Bar Grill Helm Suitable for SCA Combat Late 1500's

Re: Keinbusch Armour/Daughter Invited In Armour/My Library G

Re: Keinbusch Armour/Daughter Invited In Armour/My Library G