The Armour Archive

audax

Salut cousin Gaston, I think a skilled poleman can give sword and board a run for the money. It's just that EVERYBODY does sword and sheild, so it is the most common weapon system. The other issue is most polemen try to stay at range rather than getting in the S+S guys faces. Give me a few years and...

audax

That's very helpful, thanks. However, I must dispute/debate/whatever on one point. You said that whatever social strata a Spartan was born into was the social strata a Spartan died in. While this is partially true, it is my understanding that it was possible for a freeborn foreigner, bastard, or ev...

audax

Thank you Gordon, The moving blanket material is one excellent idea. I have to consult with my friendly seamstress. How about the Leg Harness? I have read about "Gamboised Cuisses" but never seen them used.... Thanks!! Rowan Welcome Rowan, Gamboised cuisses are just padded thigh armor. Heres a pic ...

audax

Moi aussi, s'il vous plait.

audax

Lately, I've become thoroughly fascinated with the Battle of Thermopylae. I'm almost through with Steven Pressfield's excellent book "Gates of Fire," and I've been doing quite a bit of reading on Spartan culture in general. Then... I saw the the trailer for Zack Snyder's 300. The first thing I noti...

audax

Greetings all, In Jess's sword position/power generation/sheildwork thread, I said I find it counter-intuitive to use a sheild set up for a horseman while fighting on foot. Another archiver sent me a PM asking me to elucidate my thoughts on that and i thought it would make for an interesting discuss...

audax

Also do a search on the Archive. This has been the subject of some, uh, spirited discussion on occasion. Some folks have done some shooting at maille encased pig carcasses with interesting results.

audax

audax

Because all one has to do is step into the attack and it becomes useless. This is magnified if you are in the air. I was taught to step into attacks in my Tae Kwon Do classes and low kicks were emphasized over the high, flashy kicks, and flying kicks were actively discouraged. The point I was makin...

audax

Specifically, I'm looking for artwork from Italy, Spain, Latin Greece, Crusader States, etc. What I'm looking for is anything other than English or continental French. I prefer stuff before 1350 or so.

I appreciate any help and references, including books websites, etc.

Thanks,

audax

audax

David Blackmane wrote: I'm sure the leaping thrust is poppycock

I don't see why it would be poppycock. I use jumping punches all the time when I spar in karate. It's always a nice surprise for your opponent.

I see no reason why a jumping thrust couldn't have been used.

audax

Audax, What is your sword position as part of your stance? What shield position do you use at rest in stance? Are you big? Thank you for your post. Jesmond I am about 5'8", 190 pounds, so bigger than the average woman but not huge by SCA standards. (not sure if it is clear to you that I am female)....

audax

Greetings Jess, One problem you may have is that you have not developed the field of vision that you need to pick up your opponents shots. Get with someone you trust and get them to throw slow shots at you, especially to areas you are having trouble blocking. Do this early in your practice times. Pa...

audax

[quote="Zweihammer"]Greetings All, These are pics of the original SWAG prototype I made for patterning. This is just to whet your collective appetites. I am putting together a beta version from the patterns developed from this one this coming weekend. I have evened up the scallops, deepene...

audax

Oswyn_de_Wulferton wrote:Audax, sorry if I came across as harsh. I started wearing contacts about a year before I found the SCA, but know several people around here who cant for the same reasons that Shaul posted.

No worries, Oswyn.

audax

Sport Glasses. Enough said. I would suggest something that can sit farther away from your face, so you have room. Audax, I know several people who wear prescription glasses inside their helm, and havent had a problem. The glasses they wear tend to look like raquetball goggles, with prescription len...

audax

I googled topfhelm and found this: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topfhelm but most of the pages I found were A) in German and B) greathelms in the style of the von Prankh example. This was the only one with the profile Zweihammer is making.

audax

Don't wear glasses in your helm. Get contacts or learn to use the Force. Seriously, your glasses will take a beating in the helm. I suppose you could do it with a sturdy pair of glasses. I'd also be concerned a chance shot could break the glasses and send pieces into your squishy bits.

audax

I hope this one's clear enough... http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v696/Destichado/Spear2.jpg Noticed a similarity to a spear in the Book of the Hunt. Now, I've never seen an original spear from this era with construction like I described, but the illumination suggests something quite a bit more s...

audax

House of the Wolf wrote:Well, Audax, these are mine, so they aren't for sale! I haven't decided what I will charge for them, probably somewhere around $75.00 / pair.

audax

Right! I also remember seeing similar spears in... I think they were illuminations, second half of the 15th century, but I couldn't say what they were from. Much more plain, and at least fifty years earlier than the gilded ornamental weapon I saw, obviously. It goes without saying that "what I reme...

audax

Oh, there's interest. Pics please, sir.

audax

audax

Those are terrific, Uilleag. What will you charge for them?

audax

I believe the Greeks called the people they came in contact with from north of the Alps "Keltoi". Did not the Roman refer to those in Italy and in France/Switzerland as "Gauls"? The area of modern Turkey occupied by groups of Kelts who had passed through Greece was known as "Galatea" in historical ...

audax

M. eversburg III asked if Romans called Northern Europeans celts. No, they called Gauls, Gauls and Germans, Germans. German and Gallic tribes were almost constantly at war with each other for more or less the same areas of land in northern Europe, which helped the Romans keep them under some degree ...

audax

Ok, I changed my mind and i am wondering what type of armor a 12th century English Knight would use. From what i have seen i presume it to be a leather gambeson followed by chainmail and then a tabard. Please correct me if i am wrong and what type of helmet did they use. Well, I don't know about le...

audax

Leaf shaped spear heads were common to alot cultures at one point or another. Greeks, Celts, Vikings, Saxons, Carolingians, etc, etc.all had them. All the boar spears I've ever seen had lugs to prevent the beast from running up the shaft and ripping the hunter to bits. They're also effective for par...

audax

"being a good sort and fair player, acknowledges that whomping leg blow by instantly falling to his/her knees." There is the crux of the problem right there. Knee dropping, and knee fighting in general, is whats causing the knee problem. Combined with genereal obesity in the populace, you get wreck...

audax

Definitely better than the last pair. I personally think greaves, especially fully cased, are one of the most difficult pieces to make. These are a great improvement and I look forward to seeing the next pair.

Perfect these and you damn well better get a Laurel.

Regards,

audax

audax

Unless I'm looking at an outdated site, Windrose doesn't carry greatsword things. The only hilts are basket/cup. m Windrose bought out Mandrake. If you look in the fighting gear section you'll see the hilts. You can also go to Mandrakes site and order from there. It all goes to the same place. audax

audax

I believe the sword on a stick in Europe was called a glaive. Same concept as a naginata. Not even a fantasy weapon, it's the real deal.

The SCA is infested with them.

audax

I'm finishing mine this weekend and have taken construction pictures as I went along, I will get them on-line in the next few days. It's done I just need to tweak the handle.... been hitting the pell with it a bit and I REALLY doubt I'll have trouble getting to take shots from it Will Looking forwa...

audax

The general website for the find is: m That is really great website. I wish I could read French. If there is anyone who can read it, can you tell me the date range of occupation for the site? Is it all 11th cenutry? It says they're doing 1008, perhaps 1010. So yeah, it seems to all 11th cent. Regar...

audax

That is gorgeous and I don't think the re-dye job detracts a bit.

Woo....I need another sword.

audax

I'll do my best: 1st 10-15 minutes = warm up and drills (build the muscle memory while fresh and get the muscles warm) next 30-40 minutes = fighter 1 holds the field against everyone else, then he/she rotates out and fighter 2 does the same, etc, etc. If it is just you and your wife only, try using ...

audax

Hot shower, cold rinse, tennis ball massage, LOTS of fluids (gatorade, water, a lil beer), stretching and if all else fails, aspirin or ibuprofen. Making sure you get proper post workout nutrition really helps, too. I've also found that Emergen-C, the fizzy vitamin and mineral drink to be pretty eff...

Re: 300

SCA sheild strapping conventions

seeking images of effigies

Re: English Armour