Plate size request for "Clang" style Brigandine.

Michael Cartwright · Post by **Michael Cartwright** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 11:32 pm

Hi all,

Well I've been drooling over one of Mark at Clang armouries brigandines (http://clang.adkinssoftware.com/body%20 ... %2001.html) for ages now and i'm determined to have a bloody good stab at making one (meh, i'm poor!) for SCA combat.

My question is this, does anyone have one of these superb looking brigs and if so can they give me a dimension of one of the plates so i can work out the rest of the mesurements.

If this is a retarded question then please feel free to enlighten me. (i know its a fitted garment and will scale up+down using cardboard cutouts, before even looking at steel...)

Very kind regards

Jonathan Atkin · Post by **Jonathan Atkin** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 11:52 pm

I'd venture to say you should talk to Mark hes under CLANG here and his e-mail is plastered all over his site. They are a beaut aren't they?

losthelm · Post by **losthelm** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 11:58 pm

The size of the plates change a lot depending on how much over lap you want and how big you are.
You might have luck by building the base garment and then adding plates.
to me this looks very close to a Corrazina.
Talbot sells a pattern but probibly needs some resizeing.
http://talbotsfineaccessories.com/books/metalwork.html
about 1/3 the way down.

Someone might have Clangs Email for a more direct answer or you might try reaching him via PM on the board.

Michael Cartwright · Post by **Michael Cartwright** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 12:15 am

Head/desk.....

Cheers guys i didnt even think that he would be on here.

I'll pm him and ask nicely..

Thanks again

es02 · Post by **es02** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 4:40 am

It almost looks like a heavily simplified wisby 24 pattern

Tomburr · Post by **Tomburr** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 11:51 am

He's on here, but I haven't gotten any reply from him in some time now. I commissioned him to make some armour for me.
He's a great guy, and I'm sure he wouldn't mind helping you out, if he can be reached.

owen matthew · Post by **owen matthew** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 2:48 pm

He is a great guy. I think he may be out with medical issues right now. I would be in line to kill something to get one of his burgonets. He is amazing.

Chris G. · Post by **Chris G.** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 4:29 pm

The size of his plates won't matter much if the person that set was made for isn't near your size. You can devise your own plate pattern by determining the size a complete set would need to be for you and making a ratio to the individual plates of the one you pictured. After you determine the rough dimensions, make a set out of poster board or card stock, and adjust the fit from there. Then you can use your poster board pieces as a life size pattern when you start cutting out of steel.

Michael Cartwright · Post by **Michael Cartwright** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 7:10 pm

Funilly enough i was having that exact same thought last night in bed (yeah, yeah sad i know!).

I was thinking start off with the classic tee shirt/tape pattern then a stack of corn flake boxes for the cardboard plates, then entertain myself (and drive the wife nuts) playing armour jigsaws until i get the fit right.

For the plates, i'm thinking 1.2mm mild. if anyone has thoughts on this please say so! Its going to be used for SCA stick fighting and this is my first harness.

I'm thinking of using a double layer of heavy canvas (painters drop sheets) fronted by a heavy velvet, with the plates attached to the rear using either copper upholstery nails or mild steel roofing nails.... (Hmmmm! copper should look sexier...) I'm guessing i'll probably screw the first one totally but score on the second (i hope!).

But thank you all again for your input.

Kind regards

Kerry Pratt · Post by **Kerry Pratt** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 9:55 pm

I prefer aluminum for the plates in my COP. Sheds heat very well IMHO and is lighter. I would love to do hardened stainless but that's a project for another day...

es02 · Post by **es02** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 10:17 pm

1.2mm cr is perfectly adequate for a cop. and 2 layers of canvas should hold up nicely. try and get a herringbone "duck" or similar canvas if you can.

Mad Matt · Post by **Mad Matt** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 11:10 pm

Do the smart thing. Go ahead and look at the one that clang made.

Do a little online research and you'll find pics of originals including the insides. Base yours off of that instead of someone's interpretation.

Search brigandine.

BTW there are also other far better reproductions then that one although that one is really great too.

Google sinric

Build your foundation garment. that's your starting point.

Draw lines on the inside to outline the sides of the rows of plates. Start cutting plates and putting them in till it's done.

You're going to want to use 20 gauge or less. Easily cut with tinsnips and galvanized is easily found pretty much anywhere and fairly appropriate since brigs were tinned genereally. BTW people have done reproductions and tinned all the plates.

You're going to use nails for rivets. Partly because you need a million of them and they're way cheaper then rivets.

Foundation garment should be silk on the outside with linen on the inside. Use whatever suits your fancy but don't use synthetics you'll thank me later.

This is a very difficult tailoring project and a very easy armouring project. Find someone really good at making clothing patterns to help you with the foundation garment.

It's good to look at what other people have done for reproductions but you'll always get better results basing your reproduction on originals. No matter who did the reproduction.

This is completely a project that can be accomplished on your living room sofa. The key to it being a success is patience. Take your time and do a good job.

Mad Matt · Post by **Mad Matt** » Thu Mar 04, 2010 11:20 pm

The easy route

http://www.armourarchive.org/patterns/brig/15thBrig.jpg

sinric's stuff http://www.eskimo.com/~cwn/armour.html

Aparantly googling brig pics doesn't work very well thanks to some dumb game.

Post a new thread asking for brigandine reference photos and you should get quite a bit.

Michael Cartwright · Post by **Michael Cartwright** » Fri Mar 05, 2010 3:17 am

Cheers Matt, yer a grand bloke! :wink:

Jonathan Atkin · Post by **Jonathan Atkin** » Fri Mar 05, 2010 3:49 am

though I already spoke my piece, I really like how the gorget is intergrated into the piece.

Tomburr · Post by **Tomburr** » Fri Mar 05, 2010 11:26 am

Jonathan Atkin wrote:though I already spoke my piece, I really like how the gorget is intergrated into the piece.

And that scalloped leather! Dead sexy.