The Armour Archive

HI all, my breastplate is finally nearly finished. I've worked like a nutter to get it finished for tomorrow.

However, i'm a little stuck with how the fauld lames articulate and collapse on each other.

I need the range of movement that leather gives as i need to ride in this BP rather than just strut about .

If anybody could advise, preferably with pictures i'd be forever grateful.





thanks
Thomas

Not sure what the movement issue is. Most faulds hang on leather straps in the front and slotted rivets on the side. If they are all straps then they tend to gap as well as rotate when you turn. The BOTTOM of the fauld is riveted to the leather but not the top and the leather bunches up on the inside while the plate rides up on the outside. If you see rivet heads at the top of the fauld that arn't sliders they were probably temporary construction rivets that held the fauld together during shaping and heat-treating, removed and then the outside hole was filled with a decoritive dummy rivet while the inside hole was used to attach the leather.

Can you post pictures to show us the problem you are having? Mac had a comment around here someplace about Toby Capwell's suit and a high saddle. The high saddle made it possible to wear a period fauld without it bunching up. It may not be 100% possible in a modern western saddle. I don't know as I don't ride.

Sean

I see the problem i was having. I was trying to articulate using the top of the fauld lame.

I now need to use the bottom of the lame!

cheers

Good luck! hope everything works out ok now!

You had better make sure you can mount a horse properly wearing your fauld. If not, you will have to forget the sliding rivets and leather the side that's hanging you up.

Well, i'm riding in it tomorrow to give it a quick once over and amke sure everything fits properly before the event on wednesday!!

You know what we want.... PICTURES! We want to see armour over horses. (Even If I find funny to ride steaks)

Well, i'll get some pictures of just the BP this evening.

I've seen the pictures, it's coming on well.

Hope you got those buckles today.

Matt

James Arlen Gillaspie wrote:You had better make sure you can mount a horse properly wearing your fauld. If not, you will have to forget the sliding rivets and leather the side that's hanging you up.

VERY good point. That would probably mean sliders on the left and leathers on the right. I seem to recall a suit set up that way (I may have to do that on my own suit as well)

Hmmm. Given that the left side is the one struck by lances in a tourney and that slotted rivets would generally prevent gapping better then leathers, do you think there is any connection between that and always mounting the horse from it's left side... or do you think direction of mounting became customary much much earlier and the sliding/leather combination was lucky happenstance?

Sean

(asking because what I know about horses and riding wouldn't fill a single page in double-spaced 18point text.)

I'll give you a hint; when you first begin to mount, you will know immediately which side should be leathered.

mounting horses from the left comes from the position of the scabbard on the left leg, and so would have come long before plate armour had reached the stage of sliding rivets.

Right, the faulds are temporarily rivetted in place. No leather just yet but it does fold up to the waist.

It'll be planished a little more on the breast and the faulds will be planished on monday.

Thomas, nice piece. And that picture says, loud and clear, "Boyyyyy, am I full."

You really need a picture with your arms hanging straight down rather then tucked up like a T-rex. Something looks a little 'off' in the proportions but there is nothing to compare it to. A full body shot including straight arms and head would be clearer.

Sean

Sean Powell wrote:You really need a picture with your arms hanging straight down rather then tucked up like a T-rex. Something looks a little 'off' in the proportions but there is nothing to compare it to. A full body shot including straight arms and head would be clearer.

Sean

I agree. Its either sitting too low or its too long (I fear saying).


I took the liberty of adjusting the height and cut....it looks like the plackart is a good 3-4 inches too long....at least for the look your going for. You could add one more fauld lame perhaps, but cut of the breastplate itself should terminate around your navel, top of the hips. Bear in mind this image isnt perfect....but should give you a better idea of the sit and cut and length of the cuirass.