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by Cap'n Atli
Thu Dec 09, 2010 10:14 pm
Forum: Historical Research
Topic: Spears
Replies: 27
Views: 840

Thank you, the tutorial on alternative spear heads is invaluable. May I ask you what keeps the tanged spear head from falling out? If properly burned-in (black heat, not red) and ferruled, the head will usually stay on. However, a good, modern waterproof wood glue does wonders. On the other hand, w...
by Cap'n Atli
Wed Dec 08, 2010 8:25 pm
Forum: Historical Research
Topic: Spears
Replies: 27
Views: 840

Spearheads:

You may wish to check out my tutorial at:

http://www.anvilfire.com/iForge/tutor/a ... /index.htm

found in the Anvilfire Armoury at:

http://www.anvilfire.com/21centbs/armor/main.htm
by Cap'n Atli
Sat Dec 04, 2010 7:56 pm
Forum: Historical Research
Topic: Santa's 'uniform' - possibly/probably NOT medieval....
Replies: 43
Views: 1799

A timely thread. I get to be St. Nicholas for church tomorrow. :D Alas, I have no proper beard, but in my regular vestments and with a miter and crozier, I do a pretty good job of being gaunt and stern.

Besides, any Viking would be proud to portray a patron saint of sailors and thieves!

:wink:
by Cap'n Atli
Wed Nov 24, 2010 11:51 am
Forum: Armour - Design and Construction
Topic: Video from the San Diego Union-Tribune, October 2010
Replies: 12
Views: 605

Well done! A very fine video; you acquit yourself well and the tone is just right (which is sometimes hard with the media).

Have you ever run into my old Vice Warlord, Barchan?
by Cap'n Atli
Sun Nov 07, 2010 6:44 am
Forum: Historical Research
Topic: Iron compared to mild steel
Replies: 36
Views: 824

"When I have a little money, I buy books. And if I have any left, I buy food and clothing." Erasmus of Rotterdam When we built Grey Havens at Oakley, my wif and I specked a number of floor to ceiling book cases and increased floor load for the living room and office. They filled up immedia...
by Cap'n Atli
Tue Nov 02, 2010 2:57 pm
Forum: Historical Research
Topic: How accurate is this movie?
Replies: 38
Views: 1178

Fun movie, BAD, really, really BAD history.

I liked the ships, but the figureheads looked like they were made from horse poop.

(Edited for ypographical terror.)
by Cap'n Atli
Sun Oct 31, 2010 5:23 pm
Forum: Interpretive Re-creation
Topic: Latest Longship Pictures
Replies: 13
Views: 554

Andrew McKinnon wrote:Coolness in the extreme. Well done man!


Well, after 41 years, we're getting a little closer to what we want. :wink:
by Cap'n Atli
Fri Oct 29, 2010 8:14 pm
Forum: Interpretive Re-creation
Topic: Latest Longship Pictures
Replies: 13
Views: 554

Here's a panoramic shot from the lighthouse at Calvert County Marine Museum, and Fred working the crowd.
by Cap'n Atli
Fri Oct 29, 2010 8:10 pm
Forum: Interpretive Re-creation
Topic: Latest Longship Pictures
Replies: 13
Views: 554

Latest Longship Pictures

I thought you all might like some recent shots from Hastings XXXXII and Patuxent River Appreciation Days
by Cap'n Atli
Fri Oct 29, 2010 9:38 am
Forum: Interpretive Re-creation
Topic: Motivation and inspirational reading? Viking help…
Replies: 12
Views: 274

Egil's Saga is my favorite- Viking, Poet, Sociopath! You may also want to round out your knowledge for the personna with some basic knowledge of the ships. (No vessel, no viking! Without their mastery of the sea, they would have been just another bunch of Germanic tribes mugging their neighbors.) Al...
by Cap'n Atli
Fri Oct 29, 2010 9:25 am
Forum: Interpretive Re-creation
Topic: Images from this weekends Battle of Hastings reenactment
Replies: 37
Views: 1086

Arngrim wrote:
chris19d wrote:I'm definitely going to be there for 2066 no matter how decrepit I am at that time (I'll be 82) hopefully I'll be able to make it out a couple times before then too.

I'll be 95. See you there 8)


Hmm, I guess 117 years of age would be a bit of a stretch. Cousin Demmie only made it to 111.
by Cap'n Atli
Thu Oct 28, 2010 9:19 pm
Forum: Interpretive Re-creation
Topic: Images from this weekends Battle of Hastings reenactment
Replies: 37
Views: 1086

I think the Virginia Medieval Association (or maybe they're the Vinland Vikings of late) are related to VNA. I believe that they are in Virginia Beach. If you have any interest in the ships, you can always come along with us in the Longship Company, in Southern Maryland. (Lord knows I've trotted dow...
by Cap'n Atli
Tue Oct 19, 2010 7:11 pm
Forum: Armour - Design and Construction
Topic: Society flail experiment??
Replies: 311
Views: 13727

Ceawlin Alreding wrote:The flail experiment is over, the SEM did not approve them.
I'm not sure as to the reasoning, we had great fun with them in the East.


The reason is to not upset the status quo! :wink:

Anyway, you can come flail Marklanders all you want; they seem to enjoy it! :D
by Cap'n Atli
Mon Oct 18, 2010 2:16 pm
Forum: Interpretive Re-creation
Topic: X-Post LSCo & Hastings 42; Plan C
Replies: 0
Views: 103

X-Post LSCo & Hastings 42; Plan C

Alas; the tow boat needs some repairs which may, or may not, be completed in good time Friday, and the skipper has confirmed that he cannot make it on Monday. So, to cut our losses, and simplify our schedules, we are now on Plan C: Several LSCo members will be down early to the museum and get the sh...
by Cap'n Atli
Sat Oct 16, 2010 7:50 pm
Forum: Armour - Design and Construction
Topic: leaf spring crossbow
Replies: 15
Views: 796

Butch & Bruce and the Great Ballista Misadventure So, somewhere back in the early 70s, Butch and I decided that we would create a truck spring ballista, much like you outlined in the first posting. It was big, it was crude, it had wheels and a primitive release, it took two of us to draw it! Giv...
by Cap'n Atli
Fri Oct 15, 2010 7:47 pm
Forum: Medieval Combat and Weapons
Topic: Wankle shield- what period and what size?
Replies: 29
Views: 872

Actually, I think they started out as a joke in an illustration in the original Knowne Worlde Handbooke. I certainly recall seeing an illustration there, even then claiming it to be ahistorical.

There was a lot of fantasy and humor mixed in back then.
by Cap'n Atli
Fri Oct 15, 2010 8:47 am
Forum: Interpretive Re-creation
Topic: Hastings XXXXII
Replies: 0
Views: 150

Hastings XXXXII

Our 42nd reenactment of the Battle of Hastings, Saturday and Sunday, October 23 & 24, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Public Admission is FREE! (There will be a nominal site fee for the reenactors for porta-potties, etc.) Kings Landing Park, Huntingtown Road, Calvert County, MD m Normans, Anglo-Saxons, ...
by Cap'n Atli
Tue Oct 12, 2010 10:42 am
Forum: Interpretive Re-creation
Topic: X-Post Hastings 42 Longship Expedition, Plan B
Replies: 0
Views: 43

X-Post Hastings 42 Longship Expedition, Plan B

Please excuse the late posting of this information; I had meant to get it off shortly after the deadline of September 30th. However, I was trying to solidify "Plan B", and I still have not pinned down those details. Plan "B" is to arrange for a tow, with a power boat, there and b...
by Cap'n Atli
Wed Sep 29, 2010 2:19 pm
Forum: Interpretive Re-creation
Topic: Ravensborg Event Pictures
Replies: 22
Views: 749

Nice picture of the Yrsa on the link; she sure holds her trim well!
by Cap'n Atli
Wed Sep 29, 2010 9:10 am
Forum: Interpretive Re-creation
Topic: 6 panel chest help
Replies: 8
Views: 297

Do you actually extend the end planks to make legs, or is it just a "cube" box?
by Cap'n Atli
Wed Sep 29, 2010 8:42 am
Forum: Interpretive Re-creation
Topic: Why do you play a....
Replies: 38
Views: 1154

"There's nothing . . . absolutely nothing . . . half so much worth doing as simply messing around in boats." The River Rat, to Mole, in Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows I've been boating most of my life, and 38 years with the Longship Company (in one form or another); and these v...
by Cap'n Atli
Fri Sep 24, 2010 7:52 pm
Forum: Interpretive Re-creation
Topic: Ravensborg Event Pictures
Replies: 22
Views: 749

Very impressive, and it looks like a lot of fun. However, as I've learned, sometimes getting a project built is the easy part; maintaining it and running it, year after year, now that can be the real challenge. I hope to make it out there some day, and bring our faering. "We are the infrastruct...
by Cap'n Atli
Wed Sep 22, 2010 8:25 pm
Forum: Medieval Combat and Weapons
Topic: Awesome boat battle at Coronation last weekend.
Replies: 22
Views: 813

SNIP Cap'n Atli, Interesting proposition. I'll have to mention this to my Prince. Good luck keeping him though. Have you seen the man? He is 6'4" and weighs about 300 lbs and has a 46 inch chest. One he is a friggin' monster and he'll eat you out of house and home! Thanks God he has a huge hea...
by Cap'n Atli
Tue Sep 21, 2010 8:40 pm
Forum: Medieval Combat and Weapons
Topic: Awesome boat battle at Coronation last weekend.
Replies: 22
Views: 813

Any pics of the boat? This sounds really cool and as our soon to be crowned King is a viking and I think he would appreciate this idea a lot. SNIP Cheers, Of course, you could launch an expedition and we could take him out on our ship. We take folks out fro free as part of our educational mandate. ...
by Cap'n Atli
Mon Sep 13, 2010 1:00 pm
Forum: Medieval Combat and Weapons
Topic: Awesome boat battle at Coronation last weekend.
Replies: 22
Views: 813

So; could anybody fall/get pushed overboard?

Overboard is a good place for your foemen! :twisted:
by Cap'n Atli
Fri Sep 10, 2010 7:17 am
Forum: Historical Research
Topic: Smoking a Pipe
Replies: 43
Views: 989

SNIP Cap'n, maybe you should plant a few around the house? I think it's lovely plant. And curing tobacco smells INCREDIBLE. Even if you never smoke it, you can still enjoy it. And you miss it anyway. I"m curious about these Norwegian and Saami iron pipes. Did they use them as hand warmers? How...
by Cap'n Atli
Thu Sep 09, 2010 8:52 pm
Forum: Historical Research
Topic: Smoking a Pipe
Replies: 43
Views: 989

Native Virginia tobacco was harsh until Rolfe came up with his hybrid tobacco in 1614. Actually Rolfe smuggled in seeds of the Spanish variant nicotiana tabacum from Trinidad because the Native specie nicotiana rustica was not marketable. He did not hybrid the native tobacco. But knew the commercia...
by Cap'n Atli
Sat Sep 04, 2010 8:04 pm
Forum: Interpretive Re-creation
Topic: Longship Company Summer and Autumn Voyage Schedule
Replies: 1
Views: 62

Next Voyage: Sunday, September 12th. Crew assembly at noon.

Viking Day at Calvert Marine Museum: Saturday, September 25th, 10:00 to 5:00.

Lectures, demonstrations, blacksmithing; come in your Viking gear and help out or do you own demonstration in your area of expertise.
by Cap'n Atli
Tue Aug 31, 2010 8:16 am
Forum: Armour - Design and Construction
Topic: the biggest balls and what to do with them, question
Replies: 47
Views: 1098

Don't weld it to anything, just use a section of pipe as a grommet as stated above I will sit it on a section of pipe, on the other end of the pipe a flange will be welded on to add stability. the estimated weight is 462 kg, not sure of what that is in Lbs but it will be close to 1000 I do regularl...
by Cap'n Atli
Mon Aug 30, 2010 1:55 pm
Forum: Armour - Design and Construction
Topic: the biggest balls and what to do with them, question
Replies: 47
Views: 1098

Don't weld it to anything, just use a section of pipe as a grommet (or rope or steel or...) and just put it on a stump of appropriate height (a strong, stable stump). Pre-heating the sucker would be somewhat tricky, given the mass. At nearly 1,000 pounds I doubt that it is going to go rolling along ...
by Cap'n Atli
Mon Aug 30, 2010 7:36 am
Forum: Historical Research
Topic: Ever try swimming in your armour
Replies: 14
Views: 1020

One of the oddities I observed when wearing mail is when I went from the deck of the longship to the elevated quarterdeck o f the Maryland Dove. Not as noticeable on the longship, but up on the Dove I noted that my balance was definitely effected. I felt considerably more top-heavy and less sure of ...
by Cap'n Atli
Mon Aug 30, 2010 7:10 am
Forum: Armour - Design and Construction
Topic: Convex Viking shield
Replies: 13
Views: 636

Bosses and rivets (as referred to before).

I can scan and post other illustrations, if needed.
by Cap'n Atli
Sun Aug 29, 2010 6:56 pm
Forum: Armour - Design and Construction
Topic: Convex Viking shield
Replies: 13
Views: 636

The rivets heads and roves (washers) on the dished shield bosses are also aligned for a convex shield. If they were attached to a flat shield, the roves would be bent at an angle.

I'll post an illustration tomorrow if I get a chance.
by Cap'n Atli
Sat Aug 28, 2010 9:33 pm
Forum: Interpretive Re-creation
Topic: Longship Company Summer and Autumn Voyage Schedule
Replies: 1
Views: 62

Longship Company Summer and Autumn Voyage Schedule

All voyages are now from the Calvert Marine Museum ( m ). We enter through the back gate by the boat shop. Please call to confirm voyage; subject to change due to weather and other conditions. All times are for crew assembly. Sept. 12; Sunday 12:00 - Voyage Sept. 25; Saturday; Viking Day at Calvert ...
by Cap'n Atli
Sat Aug 28, 2010 9:00 pm
Forum: Armour - Design and Construction
Topic: Convex Viking shield
Replies: 13
Views: 636

There is a lot of evidence for convex shields in an Anglo-Saxon context, but none that I know of in a Viking context. Whether you are stashing the shields in a slotted rail, as on the Oseberg ship, or lashing them on to the inwale, as in the Gokstad ship, flat shields work just fine, while dished sh...