SCA armor, why the bright colors?

Agentofselection · Post by **Agentofselection** » Wed May 18, 2005 7:28 pm

B. Fulton · Post by **B. Fulton** » Wed May 18, 2005 9:28 pm

1. makes you look good.
2. available and easier than black
3. makes you visible and identifiable to others on your side
4. why the hell not be bright and colorful, it's not like you can hide 3,000 guys in armor right?

That works both ways, as Edward the Black Prince let his armor darken/or painted it black, all black, so he DID stand out in a group of colorful knights.

Ray Cornwell 2 · Post by **Ray Cornwell 2** » Wed May 18, 2005 10:23 pm

Sorry for the error in wordology(sp?), Effingham, I ment surcoats or gambesson, or whatever. You know, the cloth stuff that is here and there in all those SCA pics out there!

B Fulton,
what you said about the black prince, very interesting, is seems that if you want to blend in, you should wair all those colors that everyone else in wearing!

Gerhard von Liebau · Post by **Gerhard von Liebau** » Wed May 18, 2005 10:36 pm

As much as I think I'd like to blend in during a battle if I were royalty (to avoid being an important target) I think I'd probably feel pretty obligated to stand out, to heighten the morale of my men!

-Gregory-

Stacy Elliott · Post by **Stacy Elliott** » Thu May 19, 2005 6:56 am

Because this study shows that wearing Red.. improves your odds at winning in competive sports.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,156966,00.html

"Across a range of sports, we find that wearing red is consistently associated with a higher probability of winning," report Russell A. Hill and Robert A. Barton of the University of Durham in England. Their findings are in Thursday's issue of the journal Nature.

Glad my new Jupon is Red!

Giles of Redheugh

Mike Garrett (Orc) · Post by **Mike Garrett (Orc)** » Thu May 19, 2005 7:03 am

And of course, there's that stylish pink plate get-up! :twisted:

Stacy Elliott · Post by **Stacy Elliott** » Thu May 19, 2005 7:06 am

Yep, but the study finds Red to be the magic color, not pink..

Besides, everyone knows that Plastic attracts rattan. :-)

G

B. Fulton · Post by **B. Fulton** » Thu May 19, 2005 7:29 am

Bright shiny armor and highly noticeable guys tend to attract arrows too.

raito · Post by **raito** » Thu May 19, 2005 11:26 am

Giles of Redheugh wrote:Because this study shows that wearing Red.. improves your odds at winning in competive sports.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,156966,00.html
"Across a range of sports, we find that wearing red is consistently associated with a higher probability of winning," report Russell A. Hill and Robert A. Barton of the University of Durham in England. Their findings are in Thursday's issue of the journal Nature.

Glad my new Jupon is Red!

Giles of Redheugh

Interesting. Last weekend was the first time I wore red hakama while fighting. :twisted:

Ray Cornwell 2 · Post by **Ray Cornwell 2** » Fri May 20, 2005 9:54 am

Red, eh?
Interesting...

Ivo · Post by **Ivo** » Mon May 23, 2005 1:45 pm

Hello.

As to the "rotten green nutshell" dye recipe...itÃ‚Â´s about walnuts. Walnuts are sort of the kernels of green fruits. These contain a lot of tannine ( not sure, but some tanic agent for sure). Ever touched the green stuff around walnuts? Dyes your fingers black. For days;o)

Regards

Ivo

Rainald · Post by **Rainald** » Mon May 23, 2005 3:20 pm

Ivo wrote:Hello.

As to the "rotten green nutshell" dye recipe...itÃ‚Â´s about walnuts. Walnuts are sort of the kernels of green fruits. These contain a lot of tannine ( not sure, but some tanic agent for sure). Ever touched the green stuff around walnuts? Dyes your fingers black. For days;o)

Regards

Ivo

I have a gallon jug of black walnut dye awaiting application on a future camp furniture project.

I gathered up bunchs from a friends yard, pulped them,added some water and let them basically rot for a few months in a covered bucket. Strained out the big bits and viola'.

Eirikr the Eager · Post by **Eirikr the Eager** » Tue May 24, 2005 7:51 pm

Steel wool left in a jar of vinegar for a bit produces a rather effective black dye for leather. Could probably substitute almost any iron source, so there's a pretty low cost black dye.

How well does this dye stand up to punishment?

And do you just brush it on or soack the leather in it?

Cheers

Eirikr

HugoFuchs · Post by **HugoFuchs** » Sat May 28, 2005 10:02 am

Works well on oak or vegetable tanned leather, it mixes with the tannins and produces a good black. Medieval ink is made the same way with oak galls and highly iron-soaked water. It is a bit acidic and will weaken material over time.

For paint, boil unadulterated linseed oil then add lampblack. You can paint leather with this, but it tends to be a surface coat, plus you'll probably want to add a bit of beeswax to it.

Egfroth · Post by **Egfroth** » Sun May 29, 2005 12:50 am

I had a bit of leather blackened by contact with iron, and left it out in the tropical sun for a year. It didn't fade at all.

Geoffrey of Blesedale · Sun May 29, 2005 6:12 am

There is an intimidation factor when you and your unwashed mob find yourself being charged by a well dresses and brightly colored unit.

That can go both ways. Many organized forces have been routed by a mob of screaming, yelling, rag-tag, sword- or gun-bearing fighters in peasant dress: Colonials against Redcoats, the Southern boys and their rebel yell charging Yanks in the Civil War.

chef de chambre · Post by **chef de chambre** » Sun May 29, 2005 7:47 am

Geoffrey of Blesedale wrote:
There is an intimidation factor when you and your unwashed mob find yourself being charged by a well dresses and brightly colored unit.

That can go both ways. Many organized forces have been routed by a mob of screaming, yelling, rag-tag, sword- or gun-bearing fighters in peasant dress: Colonials against Redcoats, the Southern boys and their rebel yell charging Yanks in the Civil War.

Well, you have two cherished American myths going on there.

1. The British ultimately were defeated by uniformed, disciplined American troops, fighting in the exact same fashion as the British. Ever hear of Baron von Steuben? (Also helped by uniformed, disciplined French troops, with an organised siege artillery)

2. The Confederate armires were uniformed, disciplined, and had a large number of professionally trained West Point educated officers. They had a tougher time maintaining their standards, due to a lack of funds, and a blockade, but they were very much profesionals - fighting in the exact same methodology and tradition as their opponents. They lost, by the way, although it is tough to bear.

The "Ragtag mobs" of American histopry were flat-out failures. One running battle at Lexington and Concord has cost more American blood from the myth ensuing until the reformation of US reserves in 1912. Militias sucked at being soldiers, and more often than not lacked the will or resolve to go and meet the enemy. Historically in the United States, they proved to be ineffective, hopeless soldiers, until they were absorbed into regular formations with professional officers and made to endure normal discipline.

Check out how many battles were lost during the Revolution, due in large part to lousy militia preformance, as well as George Washingtons on the job training program as a general.

Read about Militia preformance during the War of 1812. That is always good for a laugh or a cry, depending on your mood.

Read about the battles of Bull Run/Manassas, and Pea Ridge for eye-openers about "ragtag troop" preformance.

Read about the landing at Daquari in 1898, and the melding of USV and Regulars in 1898.

After that, you might come to understand the cherished stories of ragtag troops dispelling uniformed and disciplned soldiers to be the crock it is, and learn why we don't have them today.

Owen · Post by **Owen** » Sun May 29, 2005 8:56 am

Well, you have two cherished American myths going on there.

Gods, but I hate it when people spout those off too. We didn't win until we learned to fight like an army. But that's another thread, for another board.