vambrace question

[ScottC]

How tight of a fit should the vambrace have? Should it be snugged to the gambeson and fore-arm (turning a bit on sliding rivits connecting it to the elbow lames) or should it be relatively loose, allowing for free rotation of the arm?

Thanks.

ScottC

[Effingham]

I think it depends on the vambrace, the style and period, and so on. I've seen some that look almost sculpted to the arm, and some that were more tubelike.

What are you trying to do?

Effingham

[SyrRhys]

Effingham is quite correct, it depends upon the style of the vambrace. I would say, however, that on articulated vambraces (i.e., not on "fishing tackle" arms like some of the Gothic German ones), sliding rivets seem pretty common on the stuff I've looked at. The problem is that if you don't make the lower cannon of the vambrace tight to your forearm you're forced to make it larger than it would otherwise be, thus adding more weight.

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Hugh Knight
"Welcome to the Church of the Open Field, let us 'prey': Hunt hard, kill swiftly, waste nothing, make no apologies"

[Gaston de Clermont]

The earliest we see solid evidence of the sliding rivet design the two learned gents above mention is on an example in Churburg, dating to around 1385. It's unlikely that this was the first example of its kind, but in light of the fact that sophisticated articulations were relatively new and progressing pretty rapidly by then, you might want to consider a looser vambrace for anything before that general time frame. Floating elbows were common in the 15th century, and the design of the Chartres arm harness (circa 1390) allows for a snug vambrace articluated on leathers.

So your options are: make it loose so you forearm can turn without major friction, do the sliding rivet thing, make the articulations to the cop ride on leather, or mount the cop and the vambrace independently with no articluation in between. Making the vambrace too tight runs the risk of cutting off circulation, and might not allow your forarm much room to grow. Do try to make it adjustible if you can.
Gaston de Clermont

[wcallen]

The sliding rivet thing seems to have been a relativly short-lived thing.

It is the only way to fly on late 14th-early 15th c. arms with 'tulip' vambraces (the nice-shapely ones). They seem to have lost interest in the nice shape (they are still often shaped, just not in this way - ask Chef if his vambraces are flat)some time after 1420. As the vambraces get less shapely they also loose the sliding rivets.

Most of the arms I get to play with are 16th century , but they all just articulate to the elbow. Most of the 15th c. Italian ones do the same thing.

So, really 3 choices. Floaters (attached by leathers or just pointed to the clothes), articulated in a normal way (basically all post 1420ish) or cool sliders (late 14th, early 15th).

Do what is correct for the period you are trying to copy.

Wade