The Armour Archive

Steve S.

I'm contemplating putting the slit in the palms, as is proper according to period illustrations, as you know. I just can't bring myself to cut open the palms of these great mittens! http://www.armourarchive.org/ubb/smile.gif Actually, I think the slits are there simply so that the hands can be remov...

Steve S.

Tonight I attached the mufflers to the hauberk. I am very satisfied with the way this one is turning out. I wish I had one myself! http://www.armourarchive.org/ubb/smile.gif I estimate the shirt has between 30,000 and 40,000 rings at this point. All it needs now is the coif and ventail. http://www.f...

Steve S.

Tonight I finished the mufflers for the full hauberk I am working on. http://www.forth-armoury.com/Commissions/full_hauberk/back1.jpg The mitten base is made of deer skin. The maille is riveted. It is all held together with waxed linen thread. You can see more pictures here: http://www.forth-armoury...

Steve S.

Many many people will disagree with me, and many have more fighting experience with maille than I do (virtually none). But my take on maille in the SCA arena is that it is basically for costume only. Maille is best a defense against getting cut. It is weakest a defense against blunt impact. This mak...

Steve S.

Wow! That's a great pattern! Great way to do it! Thanks for the idea!

Steve

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Forth Armoury
The Riveted Maille Website!

Steve S.

You would almost have to allow bar grills. Normans need one. Most 14th century helms need one.

Steve

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Forth Armoury
The Riveted Maille Website!

Steve S.

There is a shirt at the Royal Armouries with a symbol of some kind on one of the sleeves, worked in brass rings. I forget what the symbol looked like now, though.

Steve

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Forth Armoury
The Riveted Maille Website!

Steve S.

Oops, Egfroth, you're right - I missed the 14th century part.

Also, I do not believe maille goes on the bottoms of your feet, even with full-footed chausses.

Steve

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Forth Armoury
The Riveted Maille Website!

Steve S.

While thumbing through Corpora, I stumbled upon this interesting passage. I am posting it here because the topic has come up before: Can you do live steel demonstrations at SCA events. It seems the answer is no: Fighting with real weapons, whether fast or slow, is strictly forbidden at any Societ...

Steve S.

More fun stuff from Corpora: The duties of the Chivalry are as follows: â€¢To set an example of courtesy and chivalrous conduct on and off the field of honor. â€¢To respect the Crown of the kingdom; to support and uphold the laws of the kingdom and Corpora. â€¢To enrich the kingdom by sharing his...

Steve S.

Wow, here it is, from Corpora: 2. The Crown may elevate subjects to the Peerage by granting membership in one of the Orders conferring a Patent of Arms, after consultation with the members of the Order within the Kingdom, and in accordance with the laws and customs of the kingdom. Restriction: to...

Steve S.

"One of the big differences is Masters cannot make Knights. If a Master at Arms sits the throne and wants to Knight someone....a Knight must hold the sword because regardless of being King or not....only a Knight can make a Knight." Is this really true? For example, we are about to have a Crown her...

Steve S.

"When I read it I assumed that he was suggesting that if the mail was not there, then the weapon would land on his body. So, if we are talking about SCA fighting, then I would say, yes you need to take it." Well, as has already been discussed, in the SCA we are all presumed to be wearing maille any...

Steve S.

I don't know what all the downers are with 12th nights. I love our group's 12th Night (Barony of the South Downs). Heck, it's just a big party. We do a pot-luck dinner, usually the group springs for the meats. Then there is dancing. Sometimes we have had a professional photographer come out and do i...

Steve S.

This sounds like a great idea!

Steve

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Forth Armoury
The Riveted Maille Website!

Steve S.

Here is an interesting article on making your own anvil. It addresses some of the issues you would incounter re-finishing an old anvil.

http://www.metalwebnews.com/howto/anvil1/anvil2.html

Steve

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Forth Armoury
The Riveted Maille Website!

Steve S.

"A Knight...Of fustian he wered a gypon al bismotered with his habergeon, for he was late ycome from his viage, and wente for to doon his pilgrymage." bismotered with his habergeon : stained by (rust from) his coat of mail -Chaucer, The Cantebury Tales Note from The Riverside Chaucer ...

Steve S.

I can tell you that my low carbon steel unplated maille darkens just sitting on the mantle in my home. The pieces in the reserve collection at the Royal Armouries, however, are nice and shiny. Of course, they are only handled with gloves, and are kept in a controlled environment. The authentic 16th/...

Steve S.

"Yeah, we got "Websense Enterprise" as a blocking software." Yup, that's what we have in place now, too. Only I can't hit "continue". I don't think my own website (Forth Armoury) has any weapons metatags, but I can't get their either. Besides, I wouldn't want anyone to change the AA. It does deal w...

Steve S.

Well, they have set up new filtering software on the firewall at work, and it classifies the Armour Archive as "weapons" and blocks it. Same thing for my own site, Forth Armoury. So, I'll only be checking in in the evenings. http://www.armourarchive.org/ubb/frown.gif Steve ------------------ Forth A...

Steve S.

Hey Ted:

Where is it gonna be? Is there tenting available?

Steve

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Forth Armoury
The Riveted Maille Website!

Steve S.

Yes, sometimes chausses did not cover the feet. Sometimes the did not even cover the entire leg. In fact, sometimes they were only worn on one leg and not the other! Steve ------------------ Forth Armoury The Riveted Maille Website! [This message has been edited by Steve -SoFC- (edited 01-22-2002).]

Steve S.

"I noticed on their ad that the rivited mail says "double struck". What is that?"

Where is this? Do you have a URL? I'd like to see it.

Steve

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Forth Armoury
The Riveted Maille Website!

Steve S.

Looks great! I'd love to see a side-shot of the helm to see how it attaches better.

Incidently, putting the "?" in the URL doesn't help - we still have to add one to see it once we've clicked on it.

Steve

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Forth Armoury
The Riveted Maille Website!

Steve S.

Really? Personally, I like the bits of rawhide chew-toy on the floor.

Our dogs eat them like crazy.

Steve

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Forth Armoury
The Riveted Maille Website!

Steve S.

If I remember correctly, they make their butted maille from 3/8" ID 16GA wire. I consider 16GA to be the minimum thickness of wire you should use for 3/8" ID butted rings. Any thinner and it will start comming apart under its own weight. A more durable thickness for a 3/8" ID is 14GA wire. But now w...

Steve S.

Coifs supposedly have the same number of rings (about 5000) and will thus cost the same as aventails, about $340. Frankly, I would expect coifs to contain many more rings than aventails, I will of course be verifying ring counts when I get the garments. Of course, that may or may not get me a better...

Steve S.

Tentatively, I am planning on coming and teaching/demonstrating riveted maille.

Is there a web page up for the event?

Steve

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Forth Armoury
The Riveted Maille Website!

Steve S.

"SHE IS LOOKING AT THE 1300-1500 TIME PERIOD." That's quite a time spread - armour changed a lot from 1300 (Golden age of maille) to 1500 (Dawn of white harness). Perhaps your friend should settle in more on a time period and/or a style of armour she likes and then decide? I'd recommend the book <u...

Steve S.

Well, the good news is that the aventails are said to contain around 5000 rings. That's more than I expected, which hopefully means they have quite an impressive drape. The bad news is that they cost more. I'm estimating the price of an aventail to be about $340, plus shipping. Steve ---------------...

Steve S.

"I'll bet that is running about $1,500.00 +. All your wedge rivets on flattened rings, or half-and-half forge welded?" Actually, I quoted this customer $2700. It is fully riveted, no solid rings in it. If I do another one, though, I'll probably charge $3000 - this is more work and materials that I ...

Steve S.

A standard shirt has about 25,000 rings in it. I'd guess I've added another 5-10,000. Say 30-35,000 rings at this point. The coif will add another 5,000 rings. I'm guessing around 40,000 rings when done.

Steve

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Forth Armoury
The Riveted Maille Website!

Steve S.

I thought I'd share with you some pictures of my current commission. This is going to be a full hauberk with mufflers and integral coif. It's a bit long on me, but it will be knee length on the customer. http://www.forth-armoury.com/Commissions/full_hauberk/full_hauberk.htm http://www.forth-armoury....

Steve S.

These are Minnetonka moccasins. I own a pair. They are great for SCA-level wear. Very comfy and reasonably durable.

Steve

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Forth Armoury
The Riveted Maille Website!

Steve S.

"but it is leather." I have seen this picture in Arms and Armour of the Medieval Knight by Edge and Paddock, and elsewhere. I agree it is probably leather leg armour but I have looked at it more than once thinking, "You know this there is no reason why this could not be metal..." Though styl...

Progress on current commission

Live Steel Demos at SCA events

You'll be seeing less of me...

Progress of custom full hauberk