The Armour Archive

Cap'n Atli

What? No splash?

Cap'n Atli

Very nice; you brightened my whole day!

Cap'n Atli

Oh and just incase you havent worked with a forge before, remember one of the most important rules, Hot steel looks like cold steel. The ends of the tongs you use to pull yoru steel out of the fire may not be glowing red like the metal you're working on, but they'll burn flesh nicely none the less....

Cap'n Atli

Another advantage to charcoal is minimal clinker (sometimes virtually none).The disadvantage of charcoal in a bottom blast forge is that when it burns down to tiny coals, you can get a breakout (or the "Mt. Vesuvius" effect). Lots of little glowing coals shooting up in the air and showering down eve...

Cap'n Atli

So, if youÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ve survived (or didnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t get to go to ) TFBO, come join us for HASTINGS XXXVII! Saxons, Normans, Vikings, (and visitors from other periods) are welcome, and time will be allotted for both the 11th century and later periods on the demonstration field. Historic encampments are a...

Cap'n Atli

So, if youÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ve survived (or didnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t get to go to ) TFBO, come join us for HASTINGS XXXVII! Saxons, Normans, Vikings, (and visitors from other periods) are welcome, and time will be allotted for both the 11th century and later periods on the demonstration field. Historic encampments are a...

Cap'n Atli

According to my best research (looking through a friend's extensive collection of copies of Anglo-Saxon manuscript illustrations) people in the early midieval period wore crowns, tonsures or halos. I guess if you're Saint Olaf you could wear a crown AND a halo.

Cap'n Atli

Wrapped a little looser and longer:

Cap'n Atli

Wrapped too tight?

Cap'n Atli

They need to be long, at least six feet. Be sure that the ends of the bands wrap around twice at the bottom and the top. I understand that if they're cut on the bias, they work better. Good garters- either light leather with buckles (rough side in); or cloth garters tied and tucked, and the garters ...

Cap'n Atli

Don't miss your chance for academic fame, if not fortune!

Cap'n Atli

What period are we considering here? Any competent blacksmith sould be able to make a pair, (especially if they understand punch work, like a coiner) but an example would be handy. Did they change radically, or were they, like fire steels and toothed trammels, pretty much stable in form for centurie...

Cap'n Atli

If you like boats and ships, (especially Viking ships) and don't mind a little travel once a month or so, there's always the Longship Company:

www.longshipco.org

You could always carpool and bring some extra oarsfolk with you.

Cap'n Atli

Seems to me like the "Bronze Buddha Rule" should apply; namely to avoid endless copies of possible unique artifacts. especially in the same camp or group. Also, one still needs to pin down location and time period. On the other claw, it does reinforce that there were a range of forms within the peri...

Cap'n Atli

Wafer irons are known in colonial America in New York and Pennsylvania. Sometimes for religious purposes, sometimes for holidays, sometimes with patterns, sometimes not.

So, Freiman; you need a wafer iron to perform your duties?

Cap'n Atli

The problem is not having a measurement listed It could be a hand and a half viking sword, or a knife with really nice furnature Except that I can count the number of double edged Viking knives I've seen on one finger; and it didn't look like that. Still, measurements would certainly be useful; plu...

Cap'n Atli

Abstracts for Longship Company Session at 41st International Congress on Medieval Studies (May 4-7, 2006) are Due September 15. Longship Company, Ltd. will be sponsoring a session at the International Medieval Congress in Kalamazoo, Michigan on the Ã¢â‚¬Å“Social and Technical History of Viking Vesse...

Cap'n Atli

I wonder if it was more of the traditional (at least since the 19th century) oxblood color? Sort of a dark purplish red. (Hmmm; I wonder how traditional oxblood colored sails are colored?) We also have to remember that colors and their descriptions are somnewhat subjective. Try "scarlet" some time. ...

Cap'n Atli

Individual genetic variation? Personal preference? Local fashion? Just another great example of why we have to be very careful with the use of the terms "never" and "always". Glad I saw it, because I'd be reluctant to believe it otherwise (despite the fact that hand-and-a-half was my favorite later ...

Cap'n Atli

...or Hiberno-Norse. You do find these little triquetras tucked away here and there in Norse artistic motifs, espcially in the British Isles. See The Dragon and the Griffin; the Viking Impact (on Celtic Design) by Aiden Meehan (c) 1995; Thames and Hudson; ISBN 0-500-27792-3. As always, a lot depends...

Cap'n Atli

Halvgrim wrote:...

Ships are more Atli's thing
I am a newb when it comes to them;)

...Halv

Aye, but you're learning fast I'll bet! (Poor lad.

)

Cap'n Atli

Some theoretical rules of thumb that our folks in the LSCo have developed: We believe the "diamond pattern sails, depicted in earlier picture stones, may represent woolen sails, which tend to stretch badly on the bias. Some have experimented with the cloth interwoven on the bias, or with strips sewn...

Cap'n Atli

Effingham wrote:

Two words: "Munitions armour."

Effingham

Already covered in original posting: "Even munitions grade would have an element of sizing and mix-and-match. "

Cap'n Atli

More ruminations on apprenticeships (from a blacksmithing point of view) from the Anvilfire FAQ:

http://www.anvilfire.com/FAQs/apprenticeships.htm

"As an armorer, I'm a pretty good blacksmith."

Cap'n Atli

Making an exact replica is good for the skill and the training, but continuous slavish repetition of singular historical artifacts is not historically accurate. ("There were no medieval MilSpecs!") Variations and adaptations are certainly within the scope of what an armorer of the time would have do...

Cap'n Atli

Dear Mal: "Nonsense" is easy, explanation is hard. I suspect you misread my previous missive. If not I'd be interested in further explanation and enlightenment; so please reread and consider a further response. I am, actually, curious; and this has been an interesting thread when it doesn't devolve ...

Cap'n Atli

So, in the matter of fighting from the knees, if not white belts; the answer lies somewhere between "never" and "always". Well, then it's merely a simple matter of establishing the frequency , and relating it, of course, to specific times and places and armors. No problem, you just... merely... ...h...

Cap'n Atli

Well, in the Hall of the Old, Old, Old Ones (next to Og's cave) you'll find the BEAKER PEOPLE'S LIBATION FONT. We'll meet there.

Cap'n Atli

"Then the knights bring them [the ones to be knighted] white belts with which they gird them, signifying that they should surround their bodies with chastity and purity of the flesh." from "the Knighting Ceremony" Geffroi de Charny, Book of Chivalry Ok, so here's a question: were the white belts on...

Cap'n Atli

Join the BEAKER PEOPLE LIBATION FRONT! Eject the Celto-Romano-Anglo-Saxo-Nordo-Norman-French-Carribea-Indo-Pakistani invaders! If we can't expell them, then let us all get gloriously inebriated for the greater glory of England, er, Britain, er, whatever. Right? Then there's the fellow in the south ...

Cap'n Atli

One of the usual Threads of Contention over at the Historic Research BB ( m ) and some recent correspondence with one of our Longship Company members has precipitated this post. The member is assembling a Viking kit of moderate to good quality, not because he has a deep interest in reenacting, but m...

Cap'n Atli

I understand sawdust was also used, and is considerably gentler.

Your reality may vary.

Cap'n Atli

so here is a question at TFBO i plan to do the forked limbs and a metal spit, like featured in the BT. my question is, how do you pound the forked limbs into the ground without breaking the fork? i just know this is simple and I am over thinking it but what the hell?;) Halv Generally, first we make...

Cap'n Atli

As it mentions in the third picture at: m Blackistone (Atli)' ...we made the iron tripod after one of wooden tripods burn't through and nearly ruined dinner. We've also had this problem with the "two forked sticks and a pole" set-up. It works fine (if you're paying attention) for one night, but over...

Cap'n Atli

I can't recall if it's from a photograph or squatting down at the British Museum, but the underside has four or six small wire loops on each half, gold as I remember. To me this argues against attachment to heavy leather, but certainly it doesn't totally preclude it. Also, my memory may be faulty, a...

(X-Post) Call to the Standards for Hastings XXXVII

(X-Post) Call to the Standards for Hastings XXXVII

Abstract for Longship Company Session at Kalamazoo due 9/15

Horse Before the Cart (or Research, then Buy):