The "light-fight-flight" suit

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 12:16 pm

Hi,

Here is the COP I made. It looks like waiting seven years between doing things means that you forget a lot and lose some skill.

Nick's two handed shots sometimes gave me that "oof" feeling, but no serious issues.

More work to follow.

With respect,

-Aaron

Mac Thamhais · Post by **Mac Thamhais** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 12:41 pm

Would you be willing to post a shot of the inside of the CoP, perhaps laid out flat?

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 12:57 pm

Will do.

Broadway · Post by **Broadway** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 1:10 pm

I think we go to the same barber.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 1:35 pm

Here you go.

Mac Thamhais · Post by **Mac Thamhais** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 10:06 pm

Flexibility might prove less a problem if the center plate were cut into sections, and the sections overlapped in the Wisby style.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 5:26 am

I agree. Cutting should be done, and probably will be done in the future.

This was hastily put together out of scrap and donated parts. No cutting was done. It's steel under leather that is called a COP because "Scrap metal attached to a chrome tanned leather straight jacket" (SMACTLSJ) has too many words.

With respect,

-Aaron

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Tue Sep 01, 2009 2:49 pm

I fight in it tonight! I'll make a better gorget (it's old) before I go to practice. The cosmetic issues still need to be addressed before I take the field.

With respect,

-Aaron

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Wed Sep 02, 2009 4:31 am

It works. The suit is 40 lbs, even. It can fly.

My love is still for my cap-a-pie suit, but when I flythis suit can fill in and support my need to fight.

Uneg · Post by **Uneg** » Wed Sep 02, 2009 8:52 am

Sorry I couldn't make it out last night. Life demanded that I be home (all is good).

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Wed Sep 02, 2009 8:56 am

No problem.

I'll be there next Tuesday too, and would really, really like some "melee practice" so I don't embrass Atlantia in Pointless War.

Maybe I can borrow Johno's Cloak of Invisiblity. :twisted:

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Wed Sep 02, 2009 9:18 am

Without that karate chestplate, the suit wasn't such a heat sink. I felt much better.

Repadding the helmet made it much better too.

Sword-and-buckler work is fun, and I will try and find a way to take a buckler and sword with me when I fly (not carry on though).

-Aaron

Owyn · Post by **Owyn** » Wed Sep 02, 2009 5:39 pm

Heheh. Yeah, when I first started fighting, I had some vague ideas about using a EMA chest protector for padding (since I had a few handy at the time). And although I never did it (thank god!) in theory it should protect just fine. But the heat buildup from that would be Not Very Fun at all.

Sir Guy · Post by **Sir Guy** » Wed Sep 02, 2009 9:05 pm

You would be surprised what you can fit in carry on, I usually put my helm, arms, padding and fighting cloths in one of those black "bug out" packs the PX sells and have never had a problem. That is around 15-20 pounds.

Aaron wrote:Without that karate chestplate, the suit wasn't such a heat sink. I felt much better.

Repadding the helmet made it much better too.

Sword-and-buckler work is fun, and I will try and find a way to take a buckler and sword with me when I fly (not carry on though).

-Aaron

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 5:30 am

Thanks for the advice Sir Guy. It's still a work in progress, and I'll find a way to transport it easily. I'm looking at putting the leather and cloth bits (that aren't attached to steel bits) into a compression bag and take as a carry on.

I think the metal bits might cause a delay at security if I'm taking them as carry ons, but I could be wrong.

With respect,

-Aaron

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:09 am

Sir Guy,

I know you have extensive experience flying places with armour. Your advice on this matter is greatly appreciated.

Could you post a picture of your armour in the "flight bag"? Do you take a shield with you? Do you take a weapon?

With respect,

-Aaron

Sir Guy · Post by **Sir Guy** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:34 am

No, I can't take a picture. However I have a black carry on backback that I bought at clothing sales and I just put everything in there.

The rest I put in a suit case that rolls and zips. I turn my shield point up and bungy cord it to the suitcase and put the swords in so that the points are up and sticking out the top. I pull the zippers up to either side and tape.

The other way I have done this is just put everything in a large hockey bag I got in Korea. My shield is small enough (22 in by 27 in) that it sits in the bottom of the bag with no problems.

I suspect it would be easier now since I now have quilted legs with spring steel knees with tovalder kidney protection, so that just leaves arms and helm, however I can get by with less armor as needed then you can.

Sir Guy

Swete · Post by **Swete** » Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:44 pm

Are you wearing any padding under your coat of plates? If not, that may be why you get the *oof* when struck...of course you already know that...I'll leave now. :lol:

Baron Alcyoneus · Post by **Baron Alcyoneus** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 12:05 am

Aaron wrote:Sword-and-buckler work is fun, and I will try and find a way to take a buckler and sword with me when I fly (not carry on though).

-Aaron

Duke Paul has one that he flies with, you might ask him for an inside pic, it is made with standard hardware.

Mac Thamhais · Post by **Mac Thamhais** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 12:03 pm

Baron Alcyoneus wrote:Duke Paul has one that he flies with, you might ask him for an inside pic, it is made with standard hardware.

I believe you are referring to this:

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Wed Sep 09, 2009 5:51 am

Had fun fighting in the FLF last night & learned that your advice is GREAT!

Boots will be replaced with old tanker boots I can wear on the plane or some other type of vaugely historical yet modern looking footwear. And I'll wear tan pants that I can put the armour over.

I'll attach a thick leather greave, pad the knee cop instead of having a knee pad & make a placard thingy that looks 14th century ish at 100 meters to a drunk. And a bargrilled bascinet would finish everything off.

Being able to avoid having to cover things up will help a lot IMO.

Had a great time fighting last night! And the instruction was fast & helpful!

-Aaron

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 8:27 pm

It's still a work in progress.

I bought the helm with the objective of covering it up. Now it's exposed and doesn't fit the rest. The error is with the person wearing the helm. Not the person who made or sold the helm.

A new helm is being made from scratch by Cet and a certain volunteer that I pray signs his work.

I covered my boxing boots with mail. It seemed brilliant at the time, but now it doesn't make sense. Why would someone only put mail on their feet, and nowhere else?

So I plan on adding a "boot covering" to the attached greave so I can cover up whatever I'm wearing reasonably effectively. More to follow.

With respect,

-Aaron

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 8:34 pm

A good friend thought the kit was great, except for the helmet. He politely commented that it was like a "turd sitting on top of a perfect Sunday."

Yes, the glasses are dorky but they'll stay. Seeing people and being able to read the expressions on their faces and body language I think added a lot to my success as a spearman. And I even dodged some shots I doubt I would have seen without my specs.

-Aaron

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 8:42 pm

The breastplate I bought from Ice Falcon is beautiful, light and easily maintained. I just need to resize it. The splints on the side are unnecessary once I make a lighter gambeson. Some easy bending of the breastplate (I watched King Andre shape it, and imitated his work) makes the main placard (with the symbol of the Boy Scouts adorning it) protect almost all the way to my spine. Just a little trim to remove the splints and it should fit like a glove, and provide a smaller target for fellow spearmen to hit.

And Ice Falcon's work is designed to make quick adjustments easily in the field. This isn't something I'm sending back to him. It's something I can adjust here at home.

I'll be using Kass and Brewer's arming coat pattern to sew up two arming coats, with button holes all through them for ventillation and pointing. One will be for the FLF kit and the second for the cap-a-pie kit. Also if I keep using the arming coat I'm using, it won't be good. I sweated about 20 lbs into it that would cost me a fortune to ship back on the plane...and stink like a shipment of last year's sushi.

I expect the next arming coat to be only two layers of cloth thick, easily vented, easily washed in the bathtub and should be able to line-dry in the hotel room (wherever) before I board the plane the next day.

And spear was a LOT of fun. Pointless War was possibly my highest kill ratio I've ever had. Usually I'm 1 in 10. At Pointless War, against the Bloodguard (who are GREAT) I think I was almost up to 1 for 1! :shock:

-Aaron

Geoffrey of Blesedale · Sun Sep 13, 2009 8:58 pm

As usual with pics of us in action, I seem to be just out of the shot! At least my spear is getting some face time!

It was great fun, and a pleasure meeting you, Aaron. Sneaking that spear tip in while I was looking the other way was perfectly done. I enjoyed sparring with the poleaxes also.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Sun Sep 13, 2009 9:13 pm

Send me your mailing address. All the pictures are off my videocamera.

You'll find yourself somewhere.

One negative about the Bloodguard is that you all look the same except King Andre. It's like Darth Vader and the Stormtroopers, except Darth Andre is in white and the Stormguard is in black (and red).

-Aaron

Josh W · Post by **Josh W** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 1:23 am

Kilkenny wrote: I don't think I would trust Aaron or Sean's harness to protect them against my good steel sword used with my normal SCA force.

Sorry, but something about this statement just sits wrong with me. Are you saying that you could cleave steel plate armour with your normal SCA force, or am I misunderstanding?

Kilkenny · Post by **Kilkenny** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 7:33 am

Josh W wrote:
Kilkenny wrote: I don't think I would trust Aaron or Sean's harness to protect them against my good steel sword used with my normal SCA force.

Sorry, but something about this statement just sits wrong with me. Are you saying that you could cleave steel plate armour with your normal SCA force, or am I misunderstanding?

Did I say anything about cleaving steel Josh ?

Do you honestly believe anything short of "cleaving steel" couldn't be injurious ?

I think I wrote exactly what I intended, and that the words mean what I intended.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 7:40 am

I think if Duke Gavin threw a strong SCA shot with a one handed sword against my steel armour, it would sting quite a bit more than any other shot I've received. I don't think it would cut the steel, but it would probably dent it a bit.

But it would require a very good shot, square on. The armour is curved and most shots I think would slide.

And there are many places a sword could end up getting stuck, without hurting me. In between lames, etc.

I would not like to put this theory to the test though. It would be an interesting application to an Arts and Sciences entry. :shock:

Yes, I would like the uber-duke to swing a real sword at me as a research project... :shock:

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 9:35 am

The arming coat was WAY to thick, and I think I sweated a lot into it. A new one will be started on as soon as my wife clears some table space in front of my sewing machine. :twisted:

I am NOT putting a sweat-soaked-heavy arming coat on a plane and pay extra to have them ship my smelly sweat. :evil:

It was tempting to think about wearing it on the plane...but that would be more evil than I like to be. :evil:

Mac Thamhais · Post by **Mac Thamhais** » Mon Sep 14, 2009 1:59 pm

Josh W wrote:Sorry, but something about this statement just sits wrong with me. Are you saying that you could cleave steel plate armour with your normal SCA force, or am I misunderstanding?

I believe it was Sir Vitus, although I may be wrong about that bit, who recently tested a steel sword against a maille hauberk and arming coat. He said that after significantly less than normal SCA levels of force, he would not have been willing to be hit any harder. Far from "cleaving steel" the force levels were still enough to be uncomfortable, and potentially injurious if carried any higher. (I'm paraphrasing here, but I believe that these were the gist of his words)

Now while this is mostly plate and not maille in this case, I'm sure the principle remains the same. It is likely the very same reason that beheord tourneys were fought with batons of wood or whalebone instead of just blunted steel swords. While rebated steel tourneys existed as well, the wood and whalebone would still have inflicted less damage to both armor and wearer.

Geoffrey of Blesedale · Tue Sep 15, 2009 3:50 pm

Aaron wrote:Send me your mailing address. All the pictures are off my videocamera.

You'll find yourself somewhere.

One negative about the Bloodguard is that you all look the same except King Andre. It's like Darth Vader and the Stormtroopers, except Darth Andre is in white and the Stormguard is in black (and red).

-Aaron

I saw the pics on another thread. Thanks. I'm actually one of the easier ones to spot- look for the yellow Protege belt, usually with the Masonic Square & Compasses on a favor.

If you think it's hard for the enemy to tell us apart, try being a new guy and figuring out who's who from behind, especially when you're supposed to follow a specific person into battle. It took me most of a war season to learn the subtleties of everyone's size, shape, and armor variations.

His Majesty is a great leader and friend. It is an honor and privelege to fight in his House. We may look sharp, and we do fight hard, but we are good people. If we knock you over, we will help you back up. If we break your armor, we will help you fix it. It is our way, it is His Majesty's way.

(It may sound like I'm sucking up, but that ain't my style. I'm just letting a little pride show.

)