The Armour Archive

Glen K

I wear my SCA sword that way. Though in truth, it is not actually a scabbard under there, just a slit in the hauberk, and the sword is stuck down into it. I had always thought one would discard a scabbard on foot combat assaults See, that's what I've wondered: Are we seeing a scabbard worn under th...

Glen K

Mirror, Mirror

The advanced, civilized beings can behave like their primitive ancestors, but it is beyond the primitive ancestor's capability to behave like the advanced, civilized beings. And it's obvious to everyone watching.

Glen K

Ernst beat me to it about Omdurman, but the fact remains it was being used by certain cultures in a military context quite late. Paul, I've read that the mail-palmed gloves were intended for changing hot machine gun barrels as well as laying barb wire. And, buff leather comes from regular cow's hide...

Glen K

I remember back in the days of WCW when Jimmy Hart came out for a hardcore match wearing a full set of Illusion's gothic armour, and he's wearing the pauldrons backwards too. I remember when that happened, they had rented the very suit I was jousting it. The problems were many and manifold, includi...

Glen K

Right, we can't wear them on foot, but we're still hoping they'll be acceptable if we do mounted. Allowing spurs for cavalry, what a concept.

Glen K

I said:

...it's the something anniversary of the Battle of Fulford

And Halv did the simple subtraction that indicates it is the 940th anniversary.

Glen K

I'm a historian, not a mathmetician.

Glen K

For those who are interested, it's the something anniversary of the Battle of Fulford, near York, where King Harald Hardraada defeated a force raised by the northern earls, the first of three incredibly important battles in the year 1066. Fulford is completely unknown in public circles, and is even ...

Glen K

I wonder what the likelyhood would have been of, for example, a hauberk with 6-in-1 body and 4-in-1 sleeves, coif, etc. ?

Glen K

Folks,

Here, for the first time ever, are some shirts to help you support your favorite interpretive/LH group!

$15 plus shipping, Paypal accepted! email me for details.

Sizes available are M to XXL.

Glen K

Folks,

Here, for the first time ever, are some shirts to help you support your favorite interpretive/LH group!

$15 plus shipping, Paypal accepted! email me for details.

Sizes available are M to XXL.

Glen K

My "if I ever win the lottery" project is to build a motte and bailey castle... I mean, there are already stone ones, both in ruins and in pretty amazing shape, but not a single all-timber Norman period motte and bailey anywhere. The biggest problem building it here would be sinking the logs int he ...

Glen K

If you mean modern French pronunciation: It would be Kris-TO-frah, with the "ah" in the "frah" being very, very soft.

I know there were some differences between modern and medieval pronunciation, and hopefully someone with more knowledge than I can contribute.

Glen K

Sorry, Eff, I still can't see it. But, let's give the benefit of the doubt and say that there is, indeed, a chequy pattern on the surcoat and shield... I'm not sure I'd be willing to go so far as to say that's heraldry... proto-heraldry, maybe, but not full blown "my family's coat of arms in perpetu...

Glen K

Doesn't "obverse" mean the "other side" of the seal? Could there be something else on the other side that we're not seeing? In this setting, technically "obverse" means "proper front", and "reverse" means "proper back". Thus, he's probably referring to the mounted warrior. In a mega-ditto with Egfr...

Glen K

This has been one of the best threads I've seen in a while... all the answers have been great! I'll throw in my "me too" with pretty much everything Mr. Finkas said, but re-emphasize that, for LH (i.e. interpretive purposes), it's really more desirable to have stuff that looks right than was made by...

Glen K

Maeryk ask a good question, WHERE is as important as WHEN. Really, too, it helps to think of history as a flowing thing, not as a set date/time when things "changed". As an example, in academic circles the use of the word "renaissance" is even going out of use, being replaced instead with the term "...

Glen K

Tim, This is more or less what Steve Sheldon (of Forth Castle) did with his tent, though he went a little further... (ah, the great "how are medieval pavilions put up" debate ) He had rather solid pieces of of wood steam-bent into curves, I THINK he had about 8-10 pieces in all. They butted up end-t...

Glen K

Are you implying that Imperial Rome was imperialistic? That's a really cool article. Little poignant facts like these help make history resonate through the ages... it's the perfect example of how an understanding where we've been is the most crucial factor in understanding where we are and where we...

Glen K

I'm not sure about the legality of having that online, but.... I recently checked this series out from the library, and found it to be VERY good; I wish my live professors had been as engaging as this recorded one! The same lecturer also has a series on "Wars that made the Western World: The Persian...

Glen K

Cathal,

right now I'm wanting to sell it as a kit, but if I've got no other takers (I have it listed a couple of other places) in another week or so, I'll consider piecing it out.

GK

Glen K

Most monks didn't wear a belt at all, especially a rope one, until the Franciscans came along, which I believe was right about that time.

Glen K

http://www.1186-583.org/IMG/jpg/jb_expo_008_int.jpg

Suddenly, I find myself very much wanting a helmet like this, except w/o the black side-of-the-face pieces.

Glen K

Aonghus,

Email sent!

Glen K

Or, someone can make me an offer.

Glen K

Great googley moogley, Joust1, that's some impressive looking stuff. The personal kit is great, but I've never seen ANYONE do proper horse armour (other than plate, which is too easy

). Where do you do that, and what do you do with it?

GK

Glen K

I've got some camping equipment for sale, don't need it and the most use most of it has seen is going from the store to my car to the closet. Peak 1 internal frame backpack, never ever used. Peak 1 lightweight mess kit, never ever used Peak 1 backpacking lantern (single mantle), used but in great sh...

Glen K

Pete, No subdeacon, deacon, or priest shall practice that part of surgery involving burning and cutting. Neither shall anyone in judicial tests or ordeals by hot or cold water or hot iron bestow any blessing; the earlier prohibitions in regard to dueling remain in force. etc etc. My guess is that on...

Glen K

Michael,

If you've got time to post pictures of stoopid viking stuff you have time to post pictures of excellent Norman-type hauberk thingies.

(thought the viking stuff was very nice.

)

Glen K

The problem with doing it that way is that you have to unstrap your helmet to put the ventail in place, then strap it up again, whereas if the strap is done up with the ventail hanging open, it is the matter of a moment to tie/buckle up the ventail when you're about to go into action. True enough, ...

Glen K

The aim would be the same ...to keep some cover over the thighs instead of having the material droop down because of gravity. Perhaps the riders position in the Norman period would obviate the need. Thoughts? Justus has touched on this pretty well. Prevailing wisdom (and practical experience) seems...

Glen K

I guess the best way to describe what I mean is that if the lower edge is attached too high, then you get a fold of ventail hanging - like a turkey's neck. This does not seem to be evident in any of the period illustrations I can remember seeing. In my experience, the fold/"turkey neck" can be avoi...

Glen K

RE: the straps on the squares, Egfroth's Fig. 8 at m , etc... A pet theory of mine is that this figure, the first depiction of a fully armed and armoured man on the BT, gives us the most detail and is (obviously) the one the embroiderers spent the most time on. But, it is so detailed, and probably t...

Glen K

Nice looking kits... it's always good to see other Normans. It means 1) there's more of us, and 2) it keeps the "competition" alive and the bar being raised. Seeing these guys reminds me I need to improve several aspects of my kit! ...can someone please inform me on those curios "Breast patches"/"No...

Glen K

That stuff looks awesome! I was feeling pretty pathetic until I realized that you're playing and earl and brother of the King, so you're supposed to look a lot better than me. I can't wait to see you there, in all your cool stuff. I'm starting to worry that I'm not going to see everyone I want to......

Battle of Fulford, 9/20/1066

Fitzosbern/ Norman living history shirts

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