Armourers in Atlantia?

Jacob · Post by **Jacob** » Mon Apr 08, 2002 5:13 pm

Coronation was this past weekend in North Carolina, where the Royal Armourer competition was held. I went hopeing to meet an armour laurel or two, or some other experienced armourers, but no one else showed up. In a way, I should be the royal armourer of Atlantia now. I wouldnt mind that, I wouldnt enter a competition if I couldnt accept the outcome. However, I have a problem with it if I or other people saw it as unearned. That wasn't a decision I had to make though, because Lord Roland (last years Royal Armourer) decided to cancel the position due to lack of interest. He was the only person who applied last year, and I think there were only two the year before.

So my question:
Who and where are the other armourers in this area? I know there are quite a few heavy fighters who build/repair enough stuff to keep them on the field, but what about craftsmen doing research and building historically based armour? Is the interest really that low in this part of the US?

In North Carolina there are a few I know I havent met: Tom Justus, Wade Allen, and Gundo.

I live in southern Virginia during the school year, and northern VA when school's out. There's a master armourer (James?) who lives in northern VA now. I'll have to see this summer if he has his shop set up yet.

Roland and probably some others are in Maryland.

Who else is there? Maybe it's just because I've been on the archive and arador for so much longer than I've been in the SCA that I'm just used to being surrounded by people who have some knowledge/interest in the subject. Now that I'm trying to get out to more events, I'd like to meet some more people.

ARMOURERERIC · Post by **ARMOURERERIC** » Mon Apr 08, 2002 6:28 pm

I'm sorry to hear about the sad state of affairs with the Atlantian Royal Armourers competition, but I'm not surprised. If you love armour that much, save yourself a lot of artistic grief and move away NOW, After baeting my head against the wall for years in a kingdom that made it painfully plain that they HATE anything better than sports equipment, I got smart and moved to Caid.

Eric

Royal Armourer of Altantia
1988-89

Benalishlancer · Post by **Benalishlancer** » Mon Apr 08, 2002 7:43 pm

Im not an armorer, but I have an interest in making it, and once I start attending some meetings (Im in the Barony of the Black Diamond in Atlantia), I would like to have a little set up at my house to make armor (a little bit of everything; plate, chain, and mail). Im already doin a tiny bit of chain work, but give me some time and you may have another atlantian armorer.

Jake Stallion · Post by **Jake Stallion** » Mon Apr 08, 2002 9:58 pm

I'm in SC, and I consider myself an armourer.

We have Red Falcon near where I live, but I don't like the employees I've met and they tend to overcharge for self-described "butt ugly helms."

There's really not a big push for historical accuracy here in the Southeast, but I think the more Northerly folks make a better effort. My barony DEFINITELY sucks.
But maybe we could hook up sometime and pound out some ish?

Jacob · Post by **Jacob** » Mon Apr 08, 2002 10:28 pm

Eric, That's really NOT what I wanted to hear. However, from what I've seen you're probably right. I guess it's better than this being the norm everywhere. Thanks for responding.

benalishlancer, Welcome. There are a couple of Black Diamonders on the archive. I sent you an email. It's always nice to see new people get interested. I haven't been at it for too long, but I can try to help you get started.

Jake (nice name), Great! One more armourer on an incredibly small list. Red Falcon was at the event this weekend, but that's really not what I'm looking for. They're at a lot of events, but every time I look, the only thing I'd buy from them is rattan and I got a basket hilt (because everyone's are ugly). I still had to file off the splatter myself, though. Do you know anyone else in SC?

Frederich Von Teufel · Mon Apr 08, 2002 11:38 pm

There are armourers in Atlantia, both professional and hedge armourers, but I'll be the first to admit that there are more of the latter, then the former.

Count Thorbrandr (Barony of Storvik area), Baron Heinrich (Barony of Bright Hills), Master Peter of the Golden Isles (Northstar Armoury in Alexandria, VA. In semi-retirement, makes armour when his schedule and desire allows), Myself (Barony of Storvik, _just_ moved back from Trimaris after a 2 year absence), there are many other small groups that get together for "armouring nights" up and down the coast (though mostly northern Atlantia).

Those are just off the top of my head after a night of fighter practice, I'm sure I've forgotten a few.

I do think that Eric sells many of the fighters short here in Atlantia. There are those who go with a sport rig, but there are also many _very_ nice harnesses here as well, with quite a few of them being worn by the peerage. I don't feel there is any correlation between that and why there is such a tiny showing of competitors for the position of Kingdom Armourer.

Frederich

Tom Justus · Post by **Tom Justus** » Tue Apr 09, 2002 8:59 am

Jacob,

I am here in Burlington, North Carolina working in my armour shop almost every day. I see Wade Allen weekly (although he doesnâ€™t make much armour these days). My former student James Burts (now a master in his own right) makes regular appearances at my shop, as does my apprentice Tim Brooks, and several new students, Frank and Mike.

If you are really interested in armour, you should make a trip down to the shop sometime, thatâ€™s where the real action is. You can take a virtual tour of the shop at http://justus.pair.com. At events we can only talk about armour or perhaps wear it. I will most likely be at â€œA Day On The Grand Canalâ€

wcallen · Post by **wcallen** » Tue Apr 09, 2002 9:25 am

About the competition....

I may actually have helped start its downfall, though I didn't mean to.

Many years ago (the year we gave Tom the Laurel), I showed up with a bunch of armour, but I did not enter. I think I claimed that I had been given the Laurel and I would let others play with the competion. Tom followed suit after he got his Laurel. That may have been the beginning of the end.

I really wasn't trying to kill the competition, I was hoping that younger people would find it to be a place they could show their work instead of having the Laurels step on them and win all the time....

Oh well, maybe we can get a new generation going. The year I was there was probably a really good year. Tom had won the year before and he worked to get people to show up for the competition he hosted. I get the feeling that most of the other winners have just assumed that there would be a good showing the next year.

If you take Tom up on his offer, maybe you will see some of my stuff too.

Wade

Stefan of Kiel · Post by **Stefan of Kiel** » Tue Apr 09, 2002 1:15 pm

Jacob,

I live in Northern VA and as mentioned above, there are several armorers in the DC area. There is another armoring Laurel near Dulles. The Stierbach Thursday night fighter practices are at his house. I don't call myself an armorer, but I play one in the SCA. I don't shape steel in my apartment, but repair, pad & strap, modify and help others with their armor. I've become the unofficial local armorer within Stierbach since I'm usually at all the practices and local events. I also buy the steel pieces and assemble them to working pieces. I've done chainmail for about 20 years and leatherwork for several too. I just need someplace to swing a hammer and not get evicted. If you ever get a list started of Northern Atlanian armorers, please post it. I'm always looking for more places to shop.

------------------
Stefan von Kiel

If you can't use finese, then make a mess.

Jacob · Post by **Jacob** » Wed Apr 10, 2002 11:16 pm

Thanks everyone for the replies so far.

Tom, I'll definately see what I can do about getting down there. It may not be soon due to school, but it's definately too good an offer to pass by.

Stefan, The armourer in steirbach I met last summer (wednesdays then) and he was still setting up his shop. Hopefully I can work with him some this summer, since he's close to my house. I'll have to get some tips from you on strapping, too. That part always takes me the longest. I raised a kettle helm in a week and didn't get around to making the suspension for 4 months. My shop (garage) isn't nearly as impressive as Tom's above, but I do make a lot of noise, at least. Maybe you can come by some this summer.

Frederich, I'm interested in any other info you might have on the armouring nights.

To everyone:
So if I posted about an armour competition in Atlantia to the various discussion boards online, do you think we could get a decent turnout? Even if the laurels and pro armourers dont want to compete, would some show up to advise/judge/comment/remind us there is a lot more to learn?

Jacob
SCA: Edric of Scardeburc
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/jselmer/

RMorgenstern · Post by **RMorgenstern** » Thu Apr 11, 2002 6:49 am

With the exception of Eldred, most of the other higher end armourers in Atlantia tend to have other jobs, which can absorb their time. There are also only so many equipped shops to go around. In the North, Count Thorbrandr (Lochmere/Dun Carraig border) has his shop with a number of students (William/ShopRat, Havorh, Patrick, and occasionally a few others including myself when I don't have the necessary equipment on hand). I have a reasonable shop in Roxbury Mill, but my time is limited. Baron Heinrich's shop in Bright Hills is only partially operational, as I understand it, after they lost the Reistertown facility. There are a few others as folks have already piped up.
I just don't see their being continuing interest in supporting the Royal Armourer position and we need to find other ways to encourage the art.
And I would also tend to disagree with Eric. While there is certainly demand for 'sports' armour, there are a significant number of folks interested in more accurate gear. Many folks are frustrated by the lack of ease of availability/timeliness of delivery....

- Rob aka Roland

Stefan of Kiel · Post by **Stefan of Kiel** » Thu Apr 11, 2002 11:48 am

Jacob -

The Wednesday night practices are now Thursday night at the same place starting at 7pm. They are starting tonight. I'm hoping to get Glandydd fully into armoring mode. Come by and say hi.

------------------
Stefan von Kiel

If you can't use finese, then make a mess.