The Armour Archive

I have a pair of reproduction spaulders (circa 1480), Riveted in the back, with leather articulation in the middle, and just decorative rivets on the front. Shouldnt the front have sliding rivets? Or could it be articulated with leather? I've hads these for years, and knew something was amiss when I got them, but then quickly forgot to look into the matter as they functioned ok. Now as the leather in the middle is stretching, Im getting gaposis in the front. I figure they may as well be properly articulated and am wondering what the correct method would be. I'm pretty sure it should be sliding rivets, but leather would be easier and I might go that route if its historically correct. Thanks in advance!

???!!!! NO leathers in the front? Who made those things? The holes for the decorative rivets in front should have been for 'truing' purposes, with holes in the lame behind so the lames could be calibrated before assembly. The holes in front then would have decorative rivets installed, to fill up the holes, and the holes in the lame below are used for the leathers.

GREAT NEWS! Thanks James! They were made by Valentine armouries, I think they may have been in a rush and didnt finish the darn thing before they sent it to me. I say that because I had to send the breast and back plate back to them to get the edges rolled around the armpit and neck. I shoulda send the spaulders back as well..They were running a couple of months behind. Ahh well adding a leather strip will be much easier than sliding rivets. Thanks again James, I was hoping you would see this post.

James, one more question if your still about, shouldnt the lower edges of the vambrace be rolled? I know they are on all the 16th century armour I've seen, and also on Italian 15th century armours. It seems I've never gotten a really good look at the lower edges of the vambraces on German gothic stuff (its usually hidden by the gauntlet cuffs) It seems I saw one or two that didnt appear to be rolled, but it was very hard to tell from the pics. It just seems like common sense that they should have rolls as well.....Ahh well, For a self proclaimed lover and student of Gothic armour I must sound like an uninformed dolt. Thanks for your great help and knowledge.

It depends on what you mean by 'rolled'. 16th C. cuffs are usually rolled to the inside. German 'gothic' cuffs are usually rolled to the outside. In my experience, though, the roll is more of a fold-over, not as developed as an Italian cuff of the same period, which are triangular or rather square in appearance. A flatter 'roll' means you can make the gauntlet cuff tighter.

Thanks! you have been a great help!