The Armour Archive

FrauHirsch

In the 16th century, a quilted fabric defence---might--- be augmented by a skin of leather as the outer layer to as many as 30 interior laters of fabric,. Another 16th century configuration is small plates (i.e. an inch square or smaller?) sewn inside, giving a characteristic stitching effect on th...

FrauHirsch

I KO'd a really large fellow at a war many years ago with a wrap. Solid to the back of his helm. When he came to, he would not believe the Marshal standing right there or me, but was sure some big guy had come up and hit him from behind. I don't know about brown outs. Some people I've hit have been ...

FrauHirsch

Now, given the fact that we don't have loaner armour (yet) and that all of them are students or working on the lower end of the food chain, what can I do to uphold their motivation and to get them to the point where they armour up (which from experience takes from 1/2 to 1 year in this area of the ...

FrauHirsch

I would agree that a slicing movement would work very effectively, against unarmored opponents. It would do next to nothing against an armoured opponent in say a transitional harness. Chain makes quite a bit of difference (which is the standard for the SCA, whether actually worn or not) and even le...

FrauHirsch

Wilmot, I have tried it and find it just isn't realistic. Nothing behaves like steel weapons no matter how hard you try and if someone was to attempt the same manuevers with rattan they would find them ineffective and probably kill themselves in the process. This is where you loose credibility with...

FrauHirsch

I seem to recall the SEM responding to the hafting and body checking issue on this forum awhile ago saying there was no rule against either using your body against a haft or shield or using your haft against another opponent. The bottom line is what does the rulebook say on the matter? Non scriptus ...

FrauHirsch

People making up rules or interpreting them strangely has always been a problem. Recently my husband said one way he keeps his basket hilt from twisting and breaking hose clamps as much is by drilling a tiny hole in the basket hilt flange and tapping in a tiny tack nail. Then he hose clamps over tha...

FrauHirsch

It totally befuddles me as to how folks that think that its impossible to call blows on someone else can ever train anyone? IMHO its IMPERATIVE for a trainer to be able to give commentary on the likelihood of it being good or not from just watching your students. I totally agree with Hovag. I've see...

FrauHirsch

Been pondering this for a little while. We already do this before Crown Tournaments and some other combats, but why not make it general? A short, non-religious ceremony where all the combatants gather and reaffirm that we are here to fight to the utmost of our abilities, obey the rules, and keep ou...

FrauHirsch

I don't know if that was a quote from me, but I've had input on this in previous "tent" discussions. I've to date never seen a rectangular or square tent with a single peak. I'm not sure I've seen one with sides that are completely verticle, as most are clearly sloped. I've seen some fairly square-l...

FrauHirsch

I use a clam shell, and the thumbs are fully enclosed on the tip.

The major difference in the standard SCA guantlets is that my armorer trims out the area inside between thumb and first finger to allow someone to grip a rebated sword hilt.

-J

FrauHirsch

Yes, it was back in the '70's. It went from Balboa Park to Pioneer Park (also in North Park area) to Allied Gardens. It had recently moved to Pioneer park when I joined in 1978 because the fighters were tired of some really scummy non-fighters who would show up, but only could ride a bus. Basically...

FrauHirsch

At 5'2", the Charina is just too long for my torso. This Charina is the last of my first armor. And I was a human pinata for years in it. This is a really important point. Many armorers make solid armors too long at the waist (for both men and women), but its more critical for people who are not as...

FrauHirsch

I liked seeing the handsewn crosses on the Templar and Hospitaller surcoats. What was up with the funky thick shields with weird depressions on the Christian shields? The costuming was overall well done, the biggest OOP item I noticed was the Queen of Jerusalem and some of her ladies costumes, which...

FrauHirsch

There are some examples of 16th c ceramic steins with metal lids in several German museums, however there are very specific designs and colors appropriate to the period. Some of the originals were truly hideous to modern aesthetics. Sometimes replicas are sold in "medieval" towns like Rottenburg-au-...

FrauHirsch

But since 'tis your Lady -- start with a sufficiency of globose breastplate, in company with an athletic squishbra, and go outwards from there. If you start with completely rigid, domey breast protection, you won't have to add in mods to pass the Knight's-Marshallate's inspection. Actually many wom...

FrauHirsch

FYI - From the Society Marshal (b) Period Combat Studies: I ask the Board to approve the following proposal for allowing martial theatrical performances, demonstrations, and classes under Arts and Sciences auspices: YESSSS! I always argued that it should be under A&S. Now the Laurels will have cont...

FrauHirsch

My comment was just a silly joke about the sharpness of Jeff's real steel sword. It would be idiotic for anybody, no matter how skilled, to go up against that thing. Rattan bruises (and can kill the improperly armed, sure). The lucky shot with that steel can roll a head or cut off a foot. Hopefully...

FrauHirsch

[quote="Charlotte J"] With your rattan and his sword? [quote] With many of these guys it honestly wouldn't matter if someone had a real sword and they only had rattan. Even if they let Jeff use all his period swordsmanship techniques. Some of the guys Jeff was mocking are pretty much inhum...

FrauHirsch

What would a Spanish "new world" explorer/sailor wear for both garb and armor? Though it was in 1540, there was an expedition of Captain General Francisco Vasquez de Coronado to search for the lost city of gold that went into New Mexico. Some friends of mine did a re-enactment for a New Mexico park...

FrauHirsch

frauhirsh; Can you remember the source of the pic with the hobnails, sounds interesting? No, darn it, but it was one of those things that stuck in my brain... and some of us had been talking about portage and slippery grass and mud shortly before I found it, so I told them about it, but then I real...

FrauHirsch

Tim, There was a 15th c woodcut I saw showing "vikings" portaging a boat along a river bank. Their boots were clearly shown with hobnails. I've seen this woodcut in more than one book on Vikings, so try going through your books on Vikings. Based on that, one might assume that 15th c folks would use ...

FrauHirsch

We have fighting practice at our house 2x a month, so my husband, Sir Arion is at those. We go to 2-3 wars per year, but our regular event attendence varies from about 4-8 tournaments a year depending on mundane activity. Neither of us fight in tournaments that much any more, but will sometimes figh...

FrauHirsch

My husband uses one that was based off of some 15th c sources shown in a War of the Roses book (borrowed or I'd give exact pages). It seems to me they were German. His is curved.

The pictures posted were not the ones he used, so there are more sources out there.

-J

FrauHirsch

At our canton Tuesday night practice we always have at least one, my husband, Sir Arion Hirsch (because it is at our house). Occasionally Sir Galen has come by too. Because its an outdoor practice, and San Diego has been experiencing approx 3 times its normal rainfall, we've been rained out a lot, b...

FrauHirsch

What is interesting is the only injuries I recall are small cuts to the face when someone's chin strap broke earlier, then they did not pull out, so after strap is gone, they get hit. Still, no significant damage. The only big injury I know of was a brand new female fighter in Corvus, who was hit as...

FrauHirsch

These are serious charges that not only question our chivalry, but frankly, if true have the potential for serious actions to be taken both within the SCA and from mundane authorities. Richard Blackmoore East Kingdom, KSCA If it is found to be true, I do hope the Order holds those accountable. I ha...

FrauHirsch

Are there limitations on charging in some places as well? At pennsic there is a three step charge rule. I've rairly seen it enforced... There is definitely not a 3 step Charge rule in Caid. People do full out charges all the time, and have been doing so as long as I have been fighting. -J

FrauHirsch

I find not allowing thrusts to the head outside of the face rather ridiculous and dangerous. Up until now I was unaware of such a convention in any SCA Kingdom. Seems really odd doesn't it? Especially since most of our injuries appear to be related to knees and ankles. I've been fighting wars on th...

FrauHirsch

I think a directed touch is one that has enough momentum to have hit my real face if I had no grill. Therefore, it can't be the end of the extension, nor incidental contact as it sweeps by. It must be a forward momentum. However, it could glance off my grill and still be good if the glance still tra...

FrauHirsch

Woodworking arts projects my husband and friends have made: wooden dice tops (there are three period styles I know of) - turned children's toys - carved animals, dishes, finger puppets, dollheads wooden waister daggers - turned Carved spoons trenchers wooden bowls - could be turned or carved stool t...

FrauHirsch

I had a few opportunities at Estrella where my blows were not called. Sometimes 6-7 blows from my spear at one individual. Last year there seemed to be quite a few like that. After awhile if they weren't taking head and body shots, I started having fun just trying to knock them down. Its a strange ...

FrauHirsch

I have a lot problems when I look at the Vikings. The first problem is the name. As a word, "Vikings" didn't enter English until the late 18th or early 19th century (OED, also the book "The Vikings and the Victorians."). Mord. Broad categorization is pretty common. Aren't most "Medieval knights" de...

FrauHirsch

Chef (and everyone else), I think (my limited research) shield size also varies as per region, with larger, longer shields persisting in Eastern Europe (Byzantium, Bulgaria, Romania, etc) for a much longer period of time. Do you have any info that might refute or corroborate the above? Alaric In th...

FrauHirsch

Like FrauHirsch said Adrian Empire and SCA culture are much the same, sword fighting in both groups is different than say AEMMA who study the historical manuals. Yup, and rarely do steel groups or the SCA really use "full force", even the ones that think they do. With rebated two handed thrusting w...

Re: Girl invasion - what to do?

Re: [SCA] Pre-fighting invocation?

Re: Charina Torso Pic

Re: Spain after 1490 into 1500

Re: Center boss heaters?

Re: Thinking about the vikings