The Armour Archive

Donal Mac Ruiseart

Konstantin, I would point out that there is a difference between color ON color and color BY color. Although it's generally true that you may not put color ON color (e.g., a red cross on a blue field), that rule does not come into play when the tinctures are on the same "layer" in the arms...

Donal Mac Ruiseart

The colours are correct as blazoned.

But a tech point on the emblazon (the picture itself): Per pall that way, the divisions should go to the corners of the shield.

Donal Mac Ruiseart

Actually the field is quarterly. I would blazon it: Quarterly gules and argent, on a chevron sable between in chief two cinqfoils and in base a fleur-de-lis counterchanged, two mullets of four points argent. I would recommend that you consider simplifying it. Its complexity makes it look modern.

Donal Mac Ruiseart

A bunch of guys get together and fight combats until they're done or they're satisfied that one of them has had the better of the encounter. When everyone is done for the day they armor down and drink and talk about the fighting of the day. No play acting at falling down, no sitting around waiting ...

Donal Mac Ruiseart

So they actually DO come from a Wankel rotor shape? I had noticed, on my visits to the West Kingdom, that California state route signs are that shape (essentially an equilateral triangle with rounded corners and slightly convex sides), and figured that they (the CA route signs) were the basis for th...

Donal Mac Ruiseart

Is blue barrel any more or less an attempt that stainless or chrome tanned leather? I maintain that it is much less an attempt, because of its obvious and visible modernity. Sure, stainless is modern, but it's shiny steel - its main advantage is its resistance to oxidation, which in a climate like ...

Donal Mac Ruiseart

This site has many links, one or more of which may lead you to what you're looking for.

http://madrone.equestrianguild.org/dynamic/MEG/Resources

Donal Mac Ruiseart

You're looking for something on which to put your saddle when you take it off the horse's back, when you're out at an event. Seems to me the simplest expedient would be essentially a sawhorse of a length to support the saddletree, with the legs long enough to keep whatever hanging parts the saddle h...

Donal Mac Ruiseart

_Gideon wrote:I think in this picture the object on the white post might be a saddle rack?

I don't think so. In fact, after zooming in on it, I'm almost sure it isn't.

I'm pretty sure it's a tiny shrine bearing a crucifix.

Donal Mac Ruiseart

I in turn am intrigued by that flag, which appears to be a quarter circle in shape. I don't think I've ever seen one like that.

Donal Mac Ruiseart

The reason the SCA officially prohibits marshalling is that the SCA is about individual accomplishment, not heritage. Having a minor child bear his or her parents' arms marshalled is one thing - similar to a son adding a lable to his father's arms. But at some point, that young person should seek a ...

Donal Mac Ruiseart

Looking at your design, it crosses my mind that it MAY escape the appearance of marshalling if you had two counterchanged bears in mirror positions in the lower quarters and two counterchanged mullets of four greater and four lesser points, like so . . . Quarterly sable and argent a cross gules betw...

Donal Mac Ruiseart

That's why I put "Marvel Comics" in quotes, actually. But yeah, I stand corrected.

And as I conceded earlier on, it's really not worth much more than a shrug.

Donal Mac Ruiseart

I wouldn't say it offends me . . . just rubs the wrong way a bit . . . and I suppose I just gave the inner curmudgeon rather too much free rein. It does look better in Latin. And as you say, most won't have a clue. I recall seeing a gentle wearing a surcote with all sorts of inspirational slogans ar...

Donal Mac Ruiseart

But Atlantia is not a small kingdom, so it WOULD help to know where in Atlantia you have set down.

We can help you remotely, but if you need help with things like making garb, local contacts are MUCH better . . .

Donal Mac Ruiseart

I corresponded with the company that makes Kong toys about the possibility of doing a run of them in gray or black. I was amazed at the numbers they told me, and understood why they didn't consider it worthwhile to run a few hundred in a different color. I think that particular shade of red is a tra...

Donal Mac Ruiseart

I just acquired a heat gun, and I'm now wondering if that would be a usable method to heat rattan for bending. I've long held the idea in my mind of a crook-top rattan walking cane . . .

Donal Mac Ruiseart

I've got a radical idea:

Instead of using a "Marvel Comics" hero's mantra, why not come up with a motto such as a real Mediaeval might have used. Something actually inspiring.

Donal Mac Ruiseart

Naves in portu servi sed navigant

Ships in port are safe but they sail.

Donal Mac Ruiseart

Just as a thought . . . The English version is alliterative, but the Latin version as rendered is not. An alternate term for "friend" is "Familiaris" The simple nominative plural is "Familiares." With that substitution, you get FAMILIA FAMILIARES ET FIDELITAS or FAMILIA...

Donal Mac Ruiseart

Barring conflict, I see no reason why it wouldn't pass. One bit of detail - heraldic dogs come in two types, the bulky talbot (mastiff-like) and the lithe greyhound. The dog you've got there in silhouette would therefore correctly be blazoned as a talbot. And even if you intend to use it in silhouet...

Donal Mac Ruiseart

I use a hockey glove, on which all the labels, logos, and so forth are painted out (the whole thing is black). The beauty of a hockey glove as a shield glove is that the back is essentially flat. Occasionally I have to repaint it (redye, it actually), but it only shows up as modern sports gear on cl...

Donal Mac Ruiseart

The publications like Tournaments Illustrated . . . would probably be useful. Tournaments Illuminated , actually. I don't know if it's still in print, but Sir Raymond the Quiet wrote a book entitled The Pleasure Book . The title may sound naughty, but the book isn't. It's about the innocent pleasur...

Donal Mac Ruiseart

I'm remembering how some people made spears that could be broken down for transport. They used a solid dowel rod (of some fiberglass-like material, not wood) that would fit into the hollow core of the spear shafts. One half of the rod was permanently cemented into the shaft, the other half was inser...

Donal Mac Ruiseart

I've seen the first illustration many times, usually identified as a citizen of London. Not a gentleman, usually identified as a reasonably prosperous merchant or tradesman.

Donal Mac Ruiseart

I sorta split the difference. I found an abandoned wooden-bodied Radio Flyer, salvaged and repainted the running gear, and built a new body for it. The result is this . It will easily handle over 100 lbs. The original was a stake-bed. I salvaged the hardware and intend to build some stake sides for ...

Donal Mac Ruiseart

Ya beat me to it!

Donal Mac Ruiseart

WATER BEARERS!

Donal Mac Ruiseart

First couple of times I saw that first picture, I was puzzling over what kind of weird practice lance the instructor was using. Wasn't until several views that I realized that what I'm seeing is a lance in the process of shivvering.

Donal Mac Ruiseart

Thorvald Weretiger wrote:Is it odd that I bark before I tent peg people with my axe or naginata?

Well, you do call each other "Dog . . ."

I like to use the King's name as a war-chant. Just have to recall what the King's name IS!

"Jay-son! Jay-son! Jay-son! Jay-son! Jay-son! Jay-son!"

Donal Mac Ruiseart

Read somewhere that the very term "ghetto" originally meant "foundry" and the first officially designated Jewish enclave was in an area that had been a foundry, whence the association. I also remember seeing an old map of Venice on which a large island on the south side of the Gr...

Donal Mac Ruiseart

I agree with the dog-bones. The alternative is to use a tautline hitch, which holds great as long as there is tension on it. If the line goes slack (because of wind action or someone bumping into the tent, for instance), the hitch can slip and start a sort of "decaying orbit" situation. If...

Donal Mac Ruiseart

One thing that troubles me though is the securing screws for the folding legs. After a few assembly/disassembly I fear those holes will get wallered' out making the screw placements useless. The sliding sleeve idea has merit, Irish; but somewhere in your perusal you overlooked the provision that I ...

Donal Mac Ruiseart

A Carte Blanche (literally white card) was a blank sheet of paper (by 17C not all that rare) with a signature at the bottom. A person of authority would give one to a very trusted subordinate or associate, enabling the recipient to literally write his own ticket. I would suggest a piece of period-lo...

Donal Mac Ruiseart

Considering that the first floor is almost totally open, how do you secure it against weather, like rain blowing in? It seems that it would be very vulnerable if the open side is to windward.

Re: It is Finished.