Period Pattern-Blueing?

dkaardal · Post by **dkaardal** » Thu Feb 13, 2003 11:16 am

I'm going to my first SCA tournament, and it's a Pas D'Armes... meaning in my mind you can play a little fast and loose with your outfits sometimes (Didnt someone back in the day show up at one dressed as the pope?).

Anyway, I just blued 1/2 of my armour - litterally 1/2. The left 1/2 of my helmet, the right 1/2 of my brestplate... elbow cops, gorget... everything except the legs (since they're Mad Matt's, on loan. He sure would have been surprised...

. I look like both halves of a chess game.

anyway, I was wondering if there was any evidence of selective "pattern" bluing of armour. I know the "Black and white" armour of the later centuries was similar - though that was painted, not blued...

I'm just curious. I might keep this harness like it is for a while - it's just my starter kit anyway. 14th century. I still don't know what my full kit will be yet. But if I do keep it like it is now for a while, I'd like to know if it's even vaguely a period thing to do...

Dak.

[This message has been edited by dkaardal (edited 02-13-2003).]

Konstantin the Red · Post by **Konstantin the Red** » Fri Feb 14, 2003 11:17 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by dkaardal:
 But if I do keep it like it is now for a while, I'd like to know if it's even vaguely a period thing to do...

Dak.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Ah, heh heh heh... I doubt it, but, boy, you must be colorful all right.

Particolor was popular in clothing off and on from the 14th century to the 16th, but the evidence we have for blued steel armor comes from lateish in the 16th IIRC. That stuff looks like some kind of hot-bluing process such as is nowadays coveted on firearms of a certain age, and not as available as it once was. There are many pieces of period art showing dark metal armor -- but it's allover dark. Maybe they'd've thought particolored armor too frivolous or something.

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