The Armour Archive

I'm looking for somebody willing to instruct me in armouring in the Northern Virginia area. I live in the Dunn Loring/Vienna area. Of course it's possible to start from scratch on my own, but I'd prefer to have some practical experience before I go and invest in all the tools that I would need.

Hook up with the metal pounders of the SCA Kingdom of Atlantia, and lay out $52.99 (shipping's free for orders over $50) on a copy of Techniques Of Medieval Armour Reproduction from Amazon.com. It will give you a learning curve like the trace of a rocket, and has pretty much every element needed within its covers, from steel to patterns to shop.

At your stage of armouring, brain tools are the first priority -- then get the hardware. Another brain tool to have: take up SCA rattan fighting. A gut feeling of what armor has to do enhances your understanding and your ability to design.

I looked on the Atlantia website and there's no armourer's guild listed. That would I assume be the easiest way to locate somebody, but since there is nothing there I'm trying here. I know there must be somebody in the area.

DK, you didn't find an armourer's guild in Atlantia, because there isn't one; no particular reason, just no driving force to have one.

For the NoVa/DC area, however, you are somewhat in luck. There are a couple of guys in the Barony of Storvik (Wash DC area) that hold a monthly Armouring day (covering whatever is of interest, but mostly plastic, leather and aluminum), there is Uilliagh (whose name I just butchered, but he posts here regularly, runs a hardened leather shop under the name House of the Wolf), and for plate there are a number of part-timers (myself included) in the area.

My shop isn't really a beginners shop, focusing exclusively on titanium as it does, but I do occasionally have spots open for 'weekend grunt help' which might help further your education. PM to discuss it more if you are interested.

Frederich,

Holy poop, you have a shop in the District or VA? Real estate is nuts around here. I'm actually hunting for other plate makers (I am an amateur) in DC.

Waveicle

waveicle wrote:Frederich,

Holy poop, you have a shop in the District or VA? Real estate is nuts around here. I'm actually hunting for other plate makers (I am an amateur) in DC.

Waveicle

I'm down in Clinton, MD, 5 miles outside the beltway. Real estate prices are still frickin' high, but cheaper than being inside the beltway, and you can find plots of land larger than a postage stamp.


Frederich

I run my shop out of my apartment, so space is limited. I do have my tutorial online and I have been known to teach the occassional class. The best way to lkink up with me is to schedule an armouring weekend.

I have a tendency to work weekends and if I know someone is comming out, I usually start from scratch, (pattern development/adjusting), and go through leather selection, pattern cutout, shaping, edging, hardening, dyeing, assembly, some leather tooling, (if the project calls for it), and project sealing.

The class / workshop is very work dependent, (i.e.: whatever I have that needs worked on that weekend), but I have been known to help with individual projects and share shop time......

My email is in my signature line if anyone is interested for scheduling a weekend. With the higher volume of events during this time of year, scheduling is a must!

I work steel plate, although my shop schedule is irregular and sporadic at best....I live near Colesville. I can be reached at armored@atlantia.sca.org.

There is also Heinrich up in Baltimore. Master Thorbrand is mostly inactive. A number of the folks who have responded hit the Monday practice in Storvik with some regularity.

- Roland

RMorgenstern wrote:There is also Heinrich up in Baltimore. Master Thorbrandr is mostly inactive. A number of the folks who have responded hit the Monday practice in Storvik with some regularity.

Master who?

I'm in Woodbridge and have the equivalent of a 1-car garage worth of space. I'm in the process of trying to figure out how to work with heat.

I can't claim to be any kind of armorer as all I've managed to produce as a finished item is spaulders, but I have space, the necessary tools, and a beer fridge. You're not going to get master level experience out of me, just generalities, but I'd love to have company next time I'm armoring.

PM me if interested.

Check back with me in a couple months. I just got a house in Ashburn, VA and a large shop will be set up soon. Once I'm back in action I would be happy to host an occasional armour day and maybe get some heavy shaping done for free

Carmel

its good to see there are others in va iv been armouring for four years
and my schedule sucks .I work at Home depot and every week is different
it will take alot to hook up with me, but when you do it will be worth it. my web site should be done in a week or so. ill e mail some pics if you like

"I work steel plate, although my shop schedule is irregular and sporadic at best....I live near Colesville."

No kidding! I went to White Oak and Springbrook high.

W

It seems there is a growing interest in the area. My shop is set up for SCA use down in the Roanoke/Blacksburg area. I have no idea how much use it's actually getting, though, as I moved to an apartment in Alexandria. I started teaching myself maybe 7 years ago in my parents garage in Herndon with the forge in the backyard. It's doable so long as your neighbors don't mind too much. I'd love to move my shop to the area so I could use it and open it up for others to use, but real estate costs much more than I can afford within a "reasonable" radius.

Once I had some experience, I worked as a volunteer at Covin Run Mill as a blacksmith on weekends. The ever popular question of "where did you learn to do this?" got the response "I'm learning right now." They occasionally teach blacksmithing classes there, too.

Maille is a good option while you build up tools + resources. Many suits really require maille parts and they are often left out because of the time required.

For a while I was keeping myself busy with stained glass (because glass shards in a carpeted appartment are much better than bashing steel plates ). But lately I've been spending ALL my time at work building an autonomous vehicle for the Grand Challenge. I haven't even made it to a practice or event lately (sorry guys).

Check back with me in a couple months. I just got a house in Ashburn, VA and a large shop will be set up soon. Once I'm back in action I would be happy to host an occasional armour day and maybe get some heavy shaping done for free

Carmel

that sounds awesome, and that's what apprentices are really for no? somebody to shift all the simple labor to. btw, i checked out your site and your work is absolutely beautiful.

Frederich Von Teufel wrote:DK, you didn't find an armourer's guild in Atlantia, because there isn't one; no particular reason, just no driving force to have one.

The KMoAS would be pleased to support the creation of such a thing, if there is sufficient interest to do so.

well of course i for one would be interested in the creation of an armourer's guild, but then again im not an SCA member and i dont have any experience making armour . . .