The Armour Archive

Erik Schmidt

Here's a German bascinet c1350-70 showing a very wide spacing of the vervelles; [img]http://www.bildindex.de/fotos/mi/079/89/b/MI07989e11b.jpg[/img] Here's the later London example c1360-1380, also German, showing a more typical spacing. http://home.armourarchive.org/members/erik/Vervelles.jpg That ...

Erik Schmidt

Hi Signo, I dip them in a flux (borax powder). I don't think it can be done without the flux, which stops the formation of scale between the surfaces to be joined. Other than that, I just use heat and a hammer. You don't need to hit them very hard for the weld to work. In fact, someone wrote on the ...

Erik Schmidt

It's 1.25mm 18 gauge annealed(black), uncoated wire. It's the same as I use for my rivetted rings.

Erik

Erik Schmidt

I finally got around to trying my hand at welding rings for use with my rivetted mail. Turns out it's quite straight forward and turns out very strong. I use a small propane torch and hammer the weld on an 'anvil'. http://home.armourarchive.org/members/erik/Welded%20rings%20test.jpg The two rings on...

Erik Schmidt

What do you need them for? Are you trying to copy them or would pics of modern reproductions do?
Are you after info such as size and spacing as seen on extant examples?

Erik

Erik Schmidt

Otto, the painting is off the web somehwere. Possibly the 'web gallery of art'. I have it labelled as being from Assisi, c1320. It's most likely from the church there, forget it's name, famous for it's frescos. Cet, the glueing of the fabric was something I read quite a time ago. I believe the refer...

Erik Schmidt

Anders, a raised helmet is next on the list, yes. http://www.armourarchive.org/ubb/smile.gif Thanks for being picky Ralph. I also came to the conclusion I needed to raise further up, but hadn't looked so much at the side curvature as the profile of the centre part. You state; "...makes the differenc...

Erik Schmidt

Alcyoneus, I'm counting on the breastplate being not too difficult due to the lesser curves http://www.armourarchive.org/ubb/smile.gif Klaus, your mention of the glancing surface did make me wonder why they would cover a bascinet at all, as it is surely likely to make a sword 'bite' more easily. As ...

Erik Schmidt

[img]http://home.armourarchive.org/members/erik/Horse%20armour.jpg[/img]

Erik Schmidt

I had a look through my image bank and it seems that artists rarely depict the horses with anything by reins and saddle.
I did find a couple of instances where armour was depicted. The best of these are in the manuscript 'bodley 264'.
I can post pics later.

Erik

Erik Schmidt

"IM me at Regencey992 thats for AOL" Che, Armourgedon??
Most of the info you want is in the replies above. The HR(hot rolled) mild steel plate can be purchased at any metal supplier.

Thanks Hal, I agree, raising opens up a lot of possibilities with shaping.

Erik

Erik Schmidt

Thanks Chuck, it certainly doesn't look like an easy shape to produce.

Erik

Erik Schmidt

I may get around to doing a covered breastplate one day, at which time I may well find out what kind of ignorant bliss is afflicting me. I pretty much figured the glue would stop any unravelling and turning the fabric under the edge of the armour would provide a neat finish. It's an interesting poin...

Erik Schmidt

I've got to ask, Chuck, how did you produce that nice concave curve to the back part of the 'skirt'? Is the 'skirt' made from one piece or is there a join at the back?

Erik

Erik Schmidt

Check out the essay here;
http://www.livesteelarmor.com/how/edge2.html

You can vary the method depending on how you want the roll to sit.
The main thing I have found is to not get greedy. Use many passes. Have your tools well pollished with no sharp edges.

Practice on some scrap first.

Erik

Erik Schmidt

Thanks Oscar and Mike. Mike, these are intended to be worn over mail leggings for a 1330's English knight. There is a discussion developing about the curvature of the creases, on the Sworforum within this thread; http://forums.swordforum.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=18457 Bob Reed has made an inte...

Erik Schmidt

I can see you are pleased with how that German ogival turned out, and with good reason. It's beautiful!

Is there a visor going with it?

Erik

Erik Schmidt

I've scanned the pattern and uploaded it. It's in two parts, just print at 'original size' then cut out and join along dashed line. http://home.armourarchive.org/members/erik/Greave%20pattern_top.jpg http://home.armourarchive.org/members/erik/Greave%20pattern_bottom.jpg Note the centre line and that...

Erik Schmidt

I haven't tried covering a bascinet in cloth, nor am I likely to. But P.I.T.A. or not, we know it was done. It would be nice if they'd told us how. We know from an extant breastplate that the covering was glued on. This should eliminate problems with edge treatments and moving parts, such as a side ...

Erik Schmidt

Early to mid 14th. I think they might be a bit wide for 13th c, although I haven't looked into that. Even the very early 14th c English greaves don't seem quite that wide.

Erik

Erik Schmidt

Regarding the crease curvature, you may want to check out this compilation of straight creases on extant greaves;
http://home.armourarchive.org/members/erik/Greave%20creases.jpg

Erik

Erik Schmidt

I may be reading too much into your words, but I would not think it at all realistic to assume bascinets were painted. An assumption is not a good way to 'know' history. I would agree we could speculate that bascinets could have been painted, but we really need good evidence that it was done, and do...

Erik Schmidt

A very good blurb indeed. Thanks Fearghus.

Erik

Erik Schmidt

I presume that unicorns are supposed to be a kind of horse, so why the cloven hoofs?

Still, Beautiful!

Erik

Erik Schmidt

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Lynxicanus: Remember that when you crease the front of the greave, the crease follows the curvature of the bone, it does not run strait up and down. Mike<HR></BLO...

Erik Schmidt

Thanks for the kind comments. I was quite surprised at how easy they were to do given I had heard they are one of the hardest pieces. They don't reach half way back on the inside of the leg, so if I were to do a full greave I would have to add to the pattern, which would add to the difficulty in for...

Erik Schmidt

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Trevor: Actually, in the Romance of Alexander c. 1338-1344, it shows painted bascinets, though none of them happen to sport visors. look in AAOMK by Edge p. 74. <...

Erik Schmidt

I finally got around to getting some web space at the AA, Thanks JT! and my folks bought a digital camera http://www.armourarchive.org/ubb/smile.gif So here are some pics of some early to mid 14th century half greaves I'm currently working on for a fellow reenactor. They're only at the rough stage, ...

Erik Schmidt

I have no doubt that it's a cape as Albrekt said. There are a few other effgies shown with a cape; Albrecht II von Bayern, d.1397 Berthold IV von Henneberg, c.1330 Bolko II, d.1368 Burkhard von Steinberg, d.1379 Dietrich von Wettin, d.1307 Gebhard von Querfurt, c.1400 Gottfried von Bergheim, c.1335 ...

Erik Schmidt

Clang, you're getting me confused with Erik D Schmid. I have as yet not managed to work my way through much of the hood as I'm still working on my first shirt of riveted. I'm not planning on finding out just how much mail I can make with one entire hood either. http://www.armourarchive.org/ubb/smile...

Erik Schmidt

The size of your rivets will depend on the punch you make. I make my rivets out of 0.7mm sheet steel which I get from the hood of a 80's model Ford in fact. I cut strips approximately 5mm wide and then cut the wedges from that, giving them a width of about 2.5mm. It's much quicker than flattening wi...

Erik Schmidt

It is said that the French and English 14th century armour were quite similar, but I have not looked into that myself. Getting French armour resources is a bit difficult. Taking English armour as an example, then full greaves would seem to be required. Regarding the statement by Klaus the Red; ".......

Erik Schmidt

Thanks, that's another one to add to the list. It sounds very useful.

Erik

Erik Schmidt

It all depends on who you are trying to portray. A knight or foot soldier, German, Italian or English/French? The effigy of Johann von Falkenstein c1365 has greaves covering only the front and half way to 2/3 down the sides and the effigy of Theoderich von Lichtenhayn c1366 has basic shynbalds. Leat...

Erik Schmidt

I'll send you a pic of it. It's from Fischer in Luzern.
Their September auction preview shows an 'interesting' German greathelm c1400 and an Italian Barbuta c1450, but no bascinet.

Erik

Welded rings for rivetted mail

Half greaves, my first attempt (Pics)