The Armour Archive

FrauHirsch

In our experience with rebated steel swords, even butted mail works a lot better than expected as protection from being hurt. However, anything with mass that works like a canopener - maces, axes, warhammers, etc, ....not so good.

FrauHirsch

My friends who arrived early had problems with rain and wind. I guess it let up before most people arrived, but they had to get some 5' stakes.

Some just pulled camp and left.

FrauHirsch

Obviously not here in San Diego. They have heart attacks if we have a candle lantern in a fire proofed tent.

FrauHirsch

I have to be given an extremely compelling reason why someone who doesn't fight should be warranted over someone who does. Buy hey that's me within my little region of the kingdom. Havoc I think the problem people have is the definition of what it means to be a fighter. Is it authorization, 1 yr, 2...

FrauHirsch

Storm predictions and the fact that it was a plowed field did it for us.

My experience with desert farm mud and my bum knee were the deciding factors.

I missed fighting in that war though and seeing old friends from other kingdoms.

FrauHirsch

Yes, there actually is a written rule here in Caid that you're supposed to fall down. Personally, I am a scofflaw; I'll generally take one knee with a head-bow and salute with the sword. If that's not enough to get the point across and I get hit again I don't cry about it. I've had marshals call me...

FrauHirsch

I find it hard to single out a unit from the Iron Brigade...so I would just have to answer Duke Eisfalke's question with..."The Iron Brigade" The Estrella turnout was anemic partly due to the location and quality (or lack thereof) of the new site. I won't be going back to Estrella unless ...

FrauHirsch

I don't like counted blows, because I don't like to count when I'm fighting. I ran a William the Marshal tournament which required 3 counted blows. I asked them to yell out their counts for their opponents and the marshals edification. I found that most fighters can't count well beyond one in a mel...

FrauHirsch

Question 1: Which is the best way to learn and test your knowledge as a Marshal in the SCA? A) On the internet. B) On the field with actual, live, SCA fighting, including both participating in and observing/marshalling same. No further questions. Scoring is Pass/Fail. I just shudder when I hear a n...

FrauHirsch

Not to put too fine a point on it, but I have a Masters in Medieval History (SUNY at Binghamton, 1989) and have specialized in certain aspects of the Early Middle Ages. I somehow feel obliged to comment about some of the points you have brought up. First, the beginning of the Early Middle Ages is v...

FrauHirsch

I am actually in some of your wife's photos Proxus! I guess it is good we were also backing up the HoCs.. There is one that is taken of our whole gorup from behind...

We haven't played back our videos yet, but I bet you guys are also in them.

FrauHirsch

The role of generals is to command, not to personally fight - this occurs even in Medieval contexts, in example, see Edward III at both Sluys, and Crecy. Sometimes generals fought personally, and usually sources relate when this happened. Would you assume they never had any combat or field command ...

FrauHirsch

Really? They work in the field and are current in it? Can I read any of their published articles? My point being, is that they are using a standard of measure that is very dated, in comparison to current scholarship. I'm sure their theses are available somewhere. If you are active in academia, you ...

FrauHirsch

Aristocratic women defending their homes, or territory from invasion, when their husbands, fathers, or brothers were absent or incapable isn't documentation women fighting in tournaments, which was the question that began this thread. It isn't even documentation of women fighting, neccessarily, bec...

FrauHirsch

Tournaments date to the 11th century at the earliest, and Scandanavia isn't noted for its heavy cavalry during the Migration era. I don't know of any scholars alive who extend the Middle Ages to the Fall of Rome, but rather recognize the era as one of tribal migrations. A prerequisite of the Middle...

FrauHirsch

An interesting starting point for more detailed research: m - Vikings and Saxons An English Saxon Princess led an invasion of Jutland in the 6th Century. In the 8th Century Queen Aethelburgh destroyed Taunton. In the 9th Century Queen Thyra of Denmark led her army against the Germans. In the 10th Ce...

FrauHirsch

There seem to be more "professional" female warriors in Scandinavia in pre-Christian eras of the middle ages. Medieval is quite a long period of time, and many historians consider it any time past the fall of Rome. Hervor is quite a famous female warrior and she shows up in several sagas. ...

FrauHirsch

Caid did not have a heavy squiring tradition in the early days like some other areas. In fact, I'd say there was a time in Caid when being a squire was a more of a hindrance than help. You would hear about how you needed to "get out of your knight's shadow." Yup. And there weren't many Kn...

FrauHirsch

I like the way the C belt sounds...can someone please provide pictures/patterns of how it is constructed/rigged?. You could find a pair of non-pleated pants in a thrift store that fit you snuggly, then just cut down from the waist about 4-5" and use that as a pattern. Most pants are narrower a...

FrauHirsch

Beautiful Brazier!

We should someday try to coordinate the groups who do period encampments, so they are at least informally grouped in the same general part of the war.

FrauHirsch

Spring Potrero is the fun one, though numbers seemed down this year. The fall Potrero has been declining in numbers for a few years and I don't believe they are hosting it this year. We just got back from the Spring Potrero. The weather was low 70s with nice breezes. In the evenings were also temper...

FrauHirsch

31 yrs, never a squire. My husband was never a squire before he was knighted in 1990, and he'd fought for about 6 yrs at that time.

Caid did not have a heavy squiring tradition in the early days like some other areas.

FrauHirsch

I have heard good things about pourpoints, but they would work similarly to the "C" belt with a doublet attached. I use as C belt. The legs have straps that point in three places: middle front of each leg, to the side and to the middle back. The back leg strap does not attach to the leg, b...

FrauHirsch

I spoke with a Herald about our unit's device. He said that there is a rule that if something looks clearly different across the field, it can have conflicts, but only if both the device and that it conflicts with are "simple" heraldry. So though our device is simple heraldry, the ones we ...

FrauHirsch

Kaliban wrote:
I agree with you we can learn things from many different styles but i do not like when someone just makes a claim without knowing whats really going on.

But its ok for you to make assumptions about what someone does or doesn't know?

FrauHirsch

We have armored longsword tournaments in Adria occasionally. We use the practical knight by cas iberia practical hand and a half. To put a thrusting tip we weld a disk or ball on the tip.

FrauHirsch

Sasha Khan, oh well. Sounds like those lights would not work out. If we go to GWW this year, perhaps the Company of St. Martins can host a torchlight tourney... perhaps longswords only. We did a Elizabethan Prize tournament by torchlight when it was back at Prado. This included lists marked on a cha...

FrauHirsch

I haven't seen fake torches, do you have a link?

We have a lot of candle lanterns, but they just don't put out the same amount of light as torches. We use fake candles when we have to, but they are annoyingly dim.

FrauHirsch

http://sca.livingpast.com/dyes.html

Madder:
http://www.griffindyeworks.com/store/dyes-c-1

Early period fabric stuff:
http://www.regia.org/life/textiles.htm
http://www.regia.org/life/textile1.htm

linen canvas:
http://www.utrechtart.com/dsp_view_prod ... me=Utrecht

Here is some up close:
http://www.utrechtart.com/dsp_view_prod ... item=67266

If you want to play with it:
http://www.griffindyeworks.com/store/dy ... ye-kit-p-4

My favorite linen store, they used to have a heavy linen twill, but don't see to right now:
http://www.fabrics-store.com/first.php?

Here is a wool twill:
http://www.fashionfabricsclub.com/catal ... =&weight=5

FrauHirsch

Beautiful! What do you edge them with? I always copy and transfer too, especially with animals!

This morning I found this thread with some period shield examples that definitely look similar to yours:

http://www.myarmoury.com/talk/viewtopic ... sc&start=0

FrauHirsch

Sir Arion and I will try to stop by the vigil. As a Laurel I always want to be sure to infuse new Knights with artsy-aspirations...

FrauHirsch

Proxus, the rangers don't allow tiki torches at all at Potrero. I was thinking about St. Martin's sponsoring a torchlight tourney, then I remembered how strict they are. I'd want to do it in camp surrounded by period tentage, but I doubt we were allocated enough space in any case. I haven't heard of...

FrauHirsch

Dafydd, I think my husband does exactly what you describe, but tends to vear to his left. He might shear off to either side, but more often steps to the left, cross blocks any blow swung and then follows with a deep left hand wrap or a flurry. He occasionally thrusts as well, but is not focused on p...

FrauHirsch

...The basic guard in my school has both sword hilts at about shoulder height and forward of the shoulders, blades angled back past your ears. This is a very offensive posture, as you are ready to strike with either hand. Feet are not squared off but shoulders are. Either leg can lead... ...He figh...

FrauHirsch

It just seems that having no charge at all should be the same conflict point value as having a different charge of a different color.