The Armour Archive

Cian of Storvik

My suggestion would be a RUDDERBOWSARCHERY.com solid ash traditional "english" longbow. It's about as "period" as you will get in your price range. If you want to splurge, get the horn nocks added for another $30. Total cost $160 + shipping ($130 without the horn nocks). Email th...

Cian of Storvik

I'm not disagreeing with Insane (I mean, who in their right mind wants to disagree with an insane irishman), but I think it can be helpful to have a pell that you can strike blows with. It can give you the feed back that will help you discern telling blows and when you're shooting it flat, or when y...

Cian of Storvik

Michael,
If you're still lagging on this because you need to sell off another bottel, I'll take a second at the $55 cost. Just let me know how you want the $$ (paypal or money order).
-Cian

Cian of Storvik

Sir Sinclair, My suggesion is a 3 pronged attack. First, get a web presence for the household/barony/group. This will be your anchor. A web presense is usually easier to find then a listing in the yellow pages. And most people are web literate and can get to a web site to check things out. It's a go...

Cian of Storvik

You have a cordially open invitation for any Thursday night to come over and have a few beers with us in College Park (house blackspear activity night).
-Cian

Cian of Storvik

Yes. It's "collegium ruled". That's a joke... (But not a good one). A lot of illuminations have these hair like lines that are visible. It allows the illuminator to more easily keep things (especially written word) squared on the page. For panels, the lines usually just define the square t...

Cian of Storvik

..., and tapped in what would be, with rattan, liberally described as a 1 on a scale of 1-10 on blow strength.... As a point of reference, in Atlantia, this is what is known as a "1" on the CdF scale or "Corby scale". http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3164/3029173514_7072c102de_o.j...

Cian of Storvik

He he...He said ass AND homo.

You're such an ass-seat'al homo-polymer.
-Cian (age 38 going on 11)

Cian of Storvik

Really. The bottels and costrells I've seen from the UK (which compare to yours) start off around 50 gbp in the UK (about $90 us) for the small ones that look like flasks. For one this size, I figure it will cost me atleast $20 in leather + a pound of bees wax is going for around $12 last time I bou...

Cian of Storvik

Muussst reeezisst urge to....oh, screw it. I'll take one.
-Cian

Cian of Storvik

Cian of Storvik

I like the fact that none of the fights looked like push-overs. They were all well fought. And although, as is the tendancy, some of the competitors are probably feeling like they could have done better, everyone looked excellent in form. No one looked like an easy dance partner (certainly no one I'...

Cian of Storvik

I've used the "crapy-chrome" kit on some dagger hardware (brass). It doesn't put on a very thick coat of nickle. So it wears off in spots where you handle it regularly One item is; make sure it is clean (e.g. just because you just cleaned it doesn't mean it's clean. I've cleaned items unti...

Cian of Storvik

If it makes you feel any better, it looks like you may have bruised his rattan with your helmet.

Excellent videos, Sean. Awesome kit...but it could use the splash of a white belt to finish it off.
-Cian

Cian of Storvik

I'd buy that in a heartbeat (and it's not even my century), IF I weren't being layed off next month

Merry Christmas!
-Cian

Cian of Storvik

The most abundant imagry I've seen of maltese crosses are images of the Knights of Malta in the 16th century (formerly the Knights Hospitaller). Usually a white cross on black. I'm going to suggest that you spend a little time at a library learning about what impession you want to do, rather then pi...

Cian of Storvik

I meant that the restriction for laminated rattan that is stated under 2-handed weapons isn't stated under single hand weapons. Specifically: "Laminated or split rattan construction techniques do not require the 1/2" progressive give..." This quote doesn't exist in single handed weapo...

Cian of Storvik

Are you saying you are looking to be Scottish or English on the border? (the King's Scottish Borderers was a regiment, that wasn't created until the 17th century). If English, the Longbow was still in use at the time for military use, and was still required to be practiced by able bodied men by a st...

Cian of Storvik

Hjlmr, I would check with your local marshal about the seax. The rule about laminated rattan is regarding pole/two-handed weapons. There is no mention or rule regarding laminated rattan on single handed weapons. And the key point about using adhesive is "does not substantially affect the flexab...

Cian of Storvik

Just a note of my own personal pet peeves; aluminum tends to be a real bugger to grind down. It gums up carborundums and cutt-off wheels, and can really be difficult to re-finish (e.g. looks like crap when you remove the cast surface.) I think making a cast out of clay is the best and most durable i...

Cian of Storvik

I would have to agree with Doug on the cappa vs. tunic theory. Both the encyclopedia Britannica and the book God's Warriors repeat this comment that papal bull didn't alter the code until 1240 anno domini. God's warriors is available in text only at Google books. You can read it online. I actually h...

Cian of Storvik

Do you mean "Anglo-Norman"? The anglo-saxon period in England starts fading around Hastings, and I think the occupants of England are sort of naturalized as "english". There was a big transition from west Saxon Kingship in England to the Normans during that 100 year time span. Th...

Cian of Storvik

Note the comment "children's armor was only comissioned by the extravagantly wealthy". If I become extravegantly wealthy, it might be less objectionable, but he also wants me to buy him a car (at age 11) and a motorcycle. Both of requests I've also denied. I'm a very hard task master. I ha...

Cian of Storvik

No. My bad. I was completely ignoring that artwork of the two templars at the top. Sorry for the confusion.
-Cian

Cian of Storvik

White baldrics are reserved for Masters of Arms. Be careful with belts in Northern Atlantia as well. Even though there are no sumptuary laws, whenever you wear a belt of any color other then black or brown, there is an irritation factor having to constantly tell people you're not a squire. Specifica...

Cian of Storvik

Brother Amos the Pious wields a great cross as a weapon (polearm). There are some pics of him at Pennsic with it. It's super cool awesomeness, especially when he pops his top and you see his tonsure (monk cut hair style <- It's not male pattern baldness either. It's a proper shaving of the top of th...

Cian of Storvik

Damn straight. He can play pretend without me investing $500-$1000 in armor.
-Cian

Cian of Storvik

Um...No. He's not even close to fitting in that helm or any other piece of your armor. As much as we dream of the day our kids will strap on some armor and fight beside us at Pennsic, you're jumping not just the gun but the whole battery. If you are really intent on getting him a kettle hat for play...

Cian of Storvik

I've never seen an example of that concial type hat though. The bowl type span from the battle of Hastings on. Some are spangen construction, where others are raised as a complete bowl. I'd suggest that you see if you can locate the manufacturer (Sussen sells the same hat, most likley made in india ...

Cian of Storvik

Cian..I believe that would be a "Latin cross". A Latin cross has the vertical leg longer then the horizontal arms like a lower case "t". The simple cross catholics wear on chains are latin crosses. "Patee" comes from the french word for "paw", meaning that th...

Cian of Storvik

That would be cool! Loose fitting tunics to hide your armor and floppy hats and overlarge hoods to reduce the obvious head protection helms. So much for field combat being a noble sport.
-Cian

Cian of Storvik

No gleaning from the ground. I've seen archers pickung up arrows that was stomped under the last charge, load t up and fire it without so much as looking to see what condition it was in. Bad mojo. Upping bow poundages would also reduce the rate of fire. Dilan As far as no-gleaning, it seems that yo...

Cian of Storvik

When I said Patee, I was thinking more like what is seen here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knights_Templar

But, I see what you mean. I tend to think of the maltese as being more Hospitaler style (but in white). There's nothing that says you can't wear whatever cross you'd like.
-Cian

Cian of Storvik

Small in quantity, enormous in quality.

-Cian

Cian of Storvik

You can wear a 17th century kilt, with a samurai sword, and a viking helmet with horns, and some army jump boots, if you so desire. Crosses were worn by many crusaders, not just the templars. My understanding was that templars most often used a splayed cross (crois patee), not maltese. But there is ...

Re: "hitting like the real thing"