The Armour Archive

I bought two sets of kidney plates from Rough from the Hammer, and this is what I made.

Basically a full plackard belly wrap.

Works well enough, however being a semi-perfectionist I'm not fully happy with it. It is hard to keep on the belly even with a belt, and there are small gaps in between the plates when the belt is curved. This would work fine for SCA combat, but historically there are probably better options. I'm considering disassembling it.

I have a nice breast and backplate from Cet that I'm still playing with, and I'm wondering of any good ideas to attach or use the plates in conjunction.

Would they work being attached to the backplate in any way, or would they be connected to a belt or arming jacket?

Can't tell what the dimensions are from the picture.

You could make them into a sort of Scale/ inverse "Coat of Plates".
Basicaly a vest with shoulder straps opening on the left side (or as a front and back)
Called a Kuyak in Russian.
(the Zertsalo photographed in this page is a far more elaborate later period take on this idea http://www.geocities.com/normlaw/page5.html
...likewise the "girdle" of this armour http://www.geocities.com/normlaw/myarmour.html )

In "The Romance of Alexander" there are some Western European versions of the same.
You may need more plates.

Remember to overlap all of the plates

The plates are roughly 5 x 7 inches.

Thanks Norman. Some good ideas. Eastern armor has very interesting variations...

I've been to your site before and I like the armor designs. I may ask you a few design questions sometime.

Charles Alexander wrote:The plates are roughly 5 x 7 inches.

That's kinda neither here or there is it? I take it you wore it as a one row girdle?
You probbly need about 10" for that.

I think with rectangles, I'd cut it in half (5X3.5) and wear in three rows (each row 3.5 high, total height with a nice overlap ~ 9")
then add chest and back plates and straps at shoulder.

Or, if you're happy with the 7" height, you could go for the strip girdle look - cut into three 7" strips (that's roughly 1-2/3 wide - if you have a narrow waist, make the strips narrower at the bottom and wider at the top). Have the strips run verticaly.

If you're not looking for armour in the chest, you could complete to the shoulder with leather suspenders or as a sort of leather "muscle shirt" (or do the upper part in maile)
Or - do the top like on the "Peti" here
http://www.geocities.com/normlaw/page1.html
Or try the Brassier armour
http://www.geocities.com/normlaw/page3.html

Actualy, take a look at the Nepalese fellow here:
http://www.geocities.com/normlaw/page4.html
His girdle is not strapped at the shoulders but it curves somewhat to sit where it should (regarding internal construction - if I remember correctly, that Nepalese girdle has the plates riveted to two narrow belts - one in the upper part, the other in the lower. Having two separate belts may allow it to cinch more securely than if you were wearing a single wide belt - and sit better.)