1340's Harness.

Rod Walker · Post by **Rod Walker** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 9:02 pm

Finally got the motivation to get this harness done.

Leg harness up first, mainly because these are the bits I had laying about. The only new bit are the gamboissed cuisses that I made in January. The mail chausses, knees, spurs and schynbalds are all old bits that I have had for years. I think the leather dags at the bottom of the cuisses need brass decorative ends/weights to help them sit down neater.

[img]http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh17 ... CF7760.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh17 ... CF7761.jpg[/img]

Bleddyn De Caldicot · Post by **Bleddyn De Caldicot** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 9:10 pm

WOW!

is there a rest of kit?!

Rod Walker · Post by **Rod Walker** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 9:14 pm

Still being worked on. I have a rivetted mail shirt that is I am re-tailoring. My visord Sugarloaf is in having a new visor made for it. New surcoat being made. I need to pattern out and make some leather and splint vambraces and rerebraces and a new coat of plates. Also need to make another pair of gamboissed cuisses and fix some chausses for a mate.

Busy busy.

RenJunkie · Post by **RenJunkie** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 9:14 pm

Good God, man!

We need more! More, I say!

Christopher

I. Stewart · Post by **I. Stewart** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 9:17 pm

And THAT is what I want mine to look like. (I've bought all the stuff, just need to get on it) Thanks for the inspiration.

Bleddyn De Caldicot · Post by **Bleddyn De Caldicot** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 9:18 pm

How did you go about making your gamboised cuisse?

Rod Walker · Post by **Rod Walker** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 9:25 pm

They are an outer layer of heavy linen and an inner layer of calico. The tubes are then sewn in. I used a waxed thread and you can see between the tubes. Each tube is then stuffed with cotton waste. Once stuffed the leather dags seal the ends shut when sewn into place. Some soft leather is used on the inner thigh where it sits against the saddle and it is done.

They are pretty stiff and offer good protection for what they are.

[img]http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh17 ... CF7762.jpg[/img]

James B. · Post by **James B.** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 8:08 am

Nice Rod; I love the fact you put the maille on under the gamboised cuisse and greaves which is what I want to do with my Romance of Alexander kit.

So what gave you the idea to do gamboised in the front and leather backs? Just setting them up like metal legs or did you have an image or effigy as inspiration?

Rod Walker · Post by **Rod Walker** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 8:16 am

Hi James, the very first pair I made many years ago were padded all the way around and were just horrible to ride in. I ended up pulling them apart and putting some soft leather on the inner thigh area and I have been doing it ever since. My war saddle covers all the bits that are un-padded/armoured so it has never worried me.

I never even thought to go looking for a period example of doing it like this.

James B. · Post by **James B.** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 9:04 am

Got to love the perspective of someone who gets on a horse in his gear

.

Thanks for the info.

Andrew McKinnon · Post by **Andrew McKinnon** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 2:09 am

They would have to be the sexiest gamboissed cuisses and maille chausses I have ever seen. ;-P

Edmund de Herdewyke · Post by **Edmund de Herdewyke** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 8:12 am

I love those gamboised cuisses. Now I want to chuck the pair that I've got 80% complete and start over on some just like yours.

miscreant · Post by **miscreant** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 8:13 am

Rod,
On your maille sabatons, how did you do those? Are they sewn to a leather sole, strapped underneath your foot over a pair of shoes all ready, or is it some of your Walker magic?

Klaus the Red · Post by **Klaus the Red** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 6:17 pm

Mighty spiff. Other than the strap around the back, how are the knees attached?

Rod Walker · Post by **Rod Walker** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 10:23 pm

Hi, the mail is attached to a thick leather sole by passing the rings through the leather. I intend to remake the chausses using rivetted mail.

The poleyns are just held there by the strap. I may sew them to the cuisses so that I don't have to do the strap up as tightly.

I have finished the splinted vambraces and the helm and hope to get some pics tomorrow.

Rod Walker · Post by **Rod Walker** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 8:04 am

Well, finally got some pics of where I am up to. Coat of plates still to be done, gauntlets still to be done as well and some bits and pieces like besagews, couters and maybe rerebraces.

The helm will be getting a re-paint soon.

The vambraces are 2mm thick leather with brass strips rivetted to them, I curved the strips so I get tulip shaped vambraces. I then glued more 2mm thick leather to the inside as a liner and stiched around the outside. This seemed to give me a better shape and finish then just using 4mm thick leather. Bit more work but a better finish.

James B. · Post by **James B.** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 8:48 am

Looks awesome Rod; right along the lines of where I want to be for the 30 next year.

Mac Thamhais · Post by **Mac Thamhais** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 10:39 am

Gotta love any pics of armor that include a guy on a horse. Nothing better than wearing it the way it was meant to be worn. Most excellent milord.

Gregor_H. · Post by **Gregor_H.** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 12:30 pm

Could we get some better pics of your helmet? It seems to be very nice!

Leo Medii · Post by **Leo Medii** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 1:05 pm

Rod, you look AWESOME (more so because I am doing the same for jousting here).

I HAVE to ask, where did you get those spurs? They are awesome!

You have excellent taste....medieval and wild west....hoooooooozaaaahhH!

David S · Post by **David S** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 10:40 pm

This is absolutely superb, and exactly what I want to develop for my foam fighting kit. Do you think I could do the cuisses without hand-sewing with waxed thread? I really don't think I have the time, at least not for my first try, to do anything but machine-sew them.

Leo Medii · Post by **Leo Medii** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 8:38 am

Does the maille go higher than the knee?

Rod Walker · Post by **Rod Walker** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 5:43 pm

Thanks guys. I'll try and find some better pics of the helm.

Glad you like it Leo, the spurs were custom made for me. The mail chausses go up to about mid thigh.

David, of course you could machine sew the tubes. About half way through hand sewing mine I wished I had

Leo Medii · Post by **Leo Medii** » Fri Nov 07, 2008 11:00 am

When you finish, please post pics!

I'm working on the exact same period for jousting and it's cool to see a bit earlier than 1450!!!

Yep, I'm getting some custom spurs too. FOund a person who will cast bronze for me!

Andrew Young · Post by **Andrew Young** » Fri Nov 07, 2008 11:55 pm

Nice work Rod,

Question. There are several decent theories on how these knees attached...how did you attach yours? Looks like a simple strapping ordeal...am I missing something? Please post a pic or two if you dont mind.

Rod Walker · Post by **Rod Walker** » Sun Jun 28, 2009 3:56 am

I have started work again on this harness as I have a special need for it in 2 weeks time.

This was a cheapish Visored Sugarloaf that I picked up.

I heat blued it, made the spring catch, new visor pivots and hand filed all those little brass rivets into rosettes to hold the mail in. The wings are a bit tatty but I will get them tidied up. It isn't lined yet, that is being made now. The padding will extend under the mail when done.

All the shiny bits on this harness have been heat blued to match.

Mac Thamhais · Post by **Mac Thamhais** » Sun Jun 28, 2009 5:17 pm

Hmmm, just add some adamantium claws and you'll be good to go.

Seriously though, the helm looks great. Excellent job.

Lloyd · Post by **Lloyd** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 4:21 pm

Dear Gods! We really are going to have to have an intervention!! I'll grab Lisa and we'll be on a plane pronto!!

Tell Mish help is on the way!

Seriously, it looks great (as always!), Little Brother.

Lloyd · Post by **Lloyd** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 4:23 pm

Leo Medii wrote:When you finish, please post pics!

I'm working on the exact same period for jousting and it's cool to see a bit earlier than 1450!!!

Yep, I'm getting some custom spurs too. FOund a person who will cast bronze for me!

Don't tell me that your selling my (okay, "your") helm???

Vitus von Atzinger · Post by **Vitus von Atzinger** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 4:52 pm

SWEET.

Dean Collard · Post by **Dean Collard** » Fri Jul 03, 2009 5:07 pm

Very, very cool. out of curiosity, is that the sugar loaf with the 16 or 14 gauge crown section?

Rod Walker · Post by **Rod Walker** » Sat Jul 04, 2009 12:06 am

The skull is 14g.

This the harness pretty much finished. Just need to finish sewing the mail to its under padding and a couple of little modifications.

I also have a pair of amazingly gorgeous early gauntlets arriving tomorrow.

Baron Alejandro · Post by **Baron Alejandro** » Sat Jul 04, 2009 12:58 am

Coooooooooooooool!

Rod Walker · Post by **Rod Walker** » Sat Jul 04, 2009 2:19 am

Thanks.

The manifer will be changed out for the new gauntlets.

Eamonn MacCampbell · Post by **Eamonn MacCampbell** » Sat Jul 04, 2009 3:12 am

Rod, why do you have the aillettes pointed where you do? They seem a bit low to me, all the effigies and period art that I have seen show then standing a bit above the shoulder point , like they are tied there, so to protect not only the shoulder point, but the top of the shoulder area as well if the arm is moved up....

1340's Harness.

1340's Harness.

Le Chevalier Noir.