The Armour Archive

At a recent practice I took a somewhat nasty whack to the ribs with nothing but a gambeson protecting me, and two weeks later it still hurts to sneeze or laugh too hard. so I'm looking for suggestions for inexpensive options to prevent this from happening in the future. I want something fairly lightweight and I'm not looking at any specific period, but I would like something that I don't have to cover up.

What kind of practice is this?

Depending on your size, I might have a cheap solution.

I have a plastic Wisby COP on a heavy fabric that I bought on the archive for like $50 +shipping.

If you are around 46-50" chest in that gambeson, it should fit you fine. I'd like to get what I paid for it.

Grimr


Edit:

I found the thread where I bought it. Paid $55 +shipping not $50 and lifted a picture.

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w89/ ... C_0771.jpg

Talk to IceFalcon and say "I wanna ZoomBang your Grace".

@Bo,,,SCA? Who hasn't received a cracked rib or two over the years?

Malkome,
What time/year/persona are you trying to reflect?


Mike

Hey too funny this same thing just happened to me at practice last wednesday. I had my arm raised for a shot and a spearman got me right in the top of the rib cage\armpit area. Hurts like hell still a week later.

So, I am going to be on the hunt for some decent chest protection at Estrella this year. I have a leather cuirass now which works fine for stinging shots from swords but isn't too good against heavier weapons and spears. But maybe I am just being a wuss and should realize your going to get some injuries now and again in the SCA right....

I will be looking for Late 14th early 15th century preferably something in steel but that I can still move well in....

MalkomeKarre wrote:... two weeks later it still hurts to sneeze or laugh ...

Saxon1974 wrote:... Hurts like hell still a week later....

Pain is weakness leaving the body

Ugh... As a lefty, the number one favorite target on me by righties was my ribs, followed closely by the top of my noggin (I'm 5'8"). I no longer fight heavy, but since I do C&T, I am looking into some new armour as well (white plastic barrel japanese armour on a frenchman just won't do...).

If I had the money, I'd get one of these:

http://store.fastcommerce.com/icefalcon ... 078-p.html

Sincerely,

I wear ice's chernburg and have no issues

Chernburgs are the best protection. Placards are very lightweight, especially in aircraft aluminum. They are only about 3 lbs. Gunther of Orkney had a really pretty piece for sale here recently and we can help you out as well.


http://store.fastcommerce.com/icefalcon ... 161-c.html

Cheers!

Ice

Honestly, only a gambeson? Any upgrade from just a gambeson will give you much better protection. Check your time period, body armor was pretty common in just about every time period. Don't go from nothing to a tank.

Churburg from rough from the hammer. Its inexpensive and good protection.

Hacky2447 wrote:Churburg from rough from the hammer. Its inexpensive and good protection.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU


IT IS CHURBURG friends CHUR-BURG Named after the extensive armour collection in the castle of the same name....


An extraordinary family collection housed in a castle on the Austrian border. Especially strong in armour from the 15th century, it also boasts the earliest homogeneous harness in the world, a 14th century armour including the hauberk, bascinet , breastplate , arm harness and plaque belt . All of the pieces are trimmed in brass and etched with passages from the old testament. The gauntlets are related but do not match the suit; the pair that match are in the Bargello collection in Venice, Italy. The harness is known commonly as "Churburg #13" after the catalog description and it is shown in nearly every armour book because of its rarity and quality. Even the helmet and breastplate linings are intact and the aventail actually matches the bascinet.

http://www.socialsciencedictionary.com/ ... lection_at



This is CHURBURG castle




This is part of the armory collection on display



And yes, His Grace Ice has some awesome ones...

Dougal Forester wrote:Malkome,
What time/year/persona are you trying to reflect?


Mike

+1?

Glaukos's excellent picture reminded me of my flying breast plate. Despite having trouble resolving my purchase IF this individual (or someone else) were to sell these off the shelf I would still recommend them highly. I have made some modifications such as heavier leather, larger washers, a "stabilizer plate" between the shoulder blades, and a little polishing. viewtopic.php?f=3&t=78727&hilit=aluminum+breast+plate

This is with a crayfish:

Karl, that BP is nice looking. Reading through your other thread it seems like a great piece. I love the way it folds up into almost nothing and at 4 pounds?!? A very nice piece indeed. Does anyone know if that guy is still producing? His email address in your other post is dead.

Glaukos the Athenian wrote:

Hacky2447 wrote:Churburg from rough from the hammer. Its inexpensive and good protection.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU


IT IS CHURBURG friends CHUR-BURG Named after the extensive armour collection in the castle of the same name....


An extraordinary family collection housed in a castle on the Austrian border. Especially strong in armour from the 15th century, it also boasts the earliest homogeneous harness in the world, a 14th century armour including the hauberk, bascinet , breastplate , arm harness and plaque belt . All of the pieces are trimmed in brass and etched with passages from the old testament. The gauntlets are related but do not match the suit; the pair that match are in the Bargello collection in Venice, Italy. The harness is known commonly as "Churburg #13" after the catalog description and it is shown in nearly every armour book because of its rarity and quality. Even the helmet and breastplate linings are intact and the aventail actually matches the bascinet.

http://www.socialsciencedictionary.com/ ... lection_at



This is CHURBURG castle




This is part of the armory collection on display



And yes, His Grace Ice has some awesome ones...

Fixed my site with correct name. Thank you for the info!

I'm not
Shooting for any specific period, just wanting to look presentable in the field. Period specific can wait til after I finish school.

zippy wrote:Honestly, only a gambeson? Any upgrade from just a gambeson will give you much better protection. Check your time period, body armor was pretty common in just about every time period. Don't go from nothing to a tank.

I don't want to go super heavy, that's why I
Tryin to see what some
Good intermediate options are. Was thinking probably jus something that covers the front

If all you want is something decent to wear and is inexspensive. You cant beat RFH..

http://roughfromthehammer.com/parts.html

Smashedfrog wrote:Karl, that BP is nice looking. Reading through your other thread it seems like a great piece. I love the way it folds up into almost nothing and at 4 pounds?!? A very nice piece indeed. Does anyone know if that guy is still producing? His email address in your other post is dead.

I never had a good way to get hold of him. I just know that his name is Mark and he lived in Georgia. I suspect that this is not the only aluminum armor that he made so someone in Meridies might be able to PM you a lead on him. Bokalo moved to Georgia after this and just might know of him now(?) http://www.bokalosarmoury.com/ It might be worth e-mailing him this thread or asking him at Gulf Wars.

The bokalo stuff does look good, but right now the best thing for my price range is the above listed CoP. My eventual goal is 16th century border reiver, but my immediate goal is to just get on the field. I apologize for all the oddly arranged messages I've posted. Been using my ipod to post and typing on tiny things with wookie hands doesn't work well.

MalkomeKarre wrote:The bokalo stuff does look good, but right now the best thing for my price range is the above listed CoP. My eventual goal is 16th century border riever, but my immediate goal is to just get on the field. I apologize for all the oddly arranged messages I've posted. Been using my ipod to post and typing on tiny things with wookie hands doesn't work well.

Illusion sells a basic breast & back for about $140.00 if you are not in too much of a hurry: http://www.illusionarmoring.com/





Bokalo does not list everything that he makes on his website either:



Aren't there any local armourers who can help you cut and beat out a basic breastplate? http://armourarchive.org/patterns/peascod_wm.hurt/ There is nothing wrong with a CoP either it would just be a shame to not take this opportunity to get a little closer to the armour that you want to wear.

Why not just sew some large pockets on the inside of your gambeson and slip in some kydex plates? You can heat them in the oven set at 250 degrees, slip them into the pockets, then put the gambeson over a sweat shirt or two to keep you comfortable as it cools in place. It'll form-fit itself to you, and you'll never notice them while you're fighting.