The Armour Archive

Stephen Lacroix

Hmmm...leather socks. Superior protection from new shoes that cause blisters. I dont think the protection would be worth the sweat factor though. Maybe a niche market.

Stephen Lacroix

Last I checked this forum does not have any pre-requisites for posting work done. It's not the "Master Crafstmen Forum". And last I checked we werent in Japan either. Using specific cultural practices to excuse a lack of basic politeness is simply dancing around the issue. I will happily grant that ...

Stephen Lacroix

It takes no more effort to be polite than it does to act like a jerk. Anyone is just as capable of stating their feelings with respect as they are of being a total ass. I try to stay out of discussions like this because there is usually no convincing someone that they are being a prick when they hid...

Stephen Lacroix

Looking for a pair of hardened leather gauntlets with enclosed thumb. PM me if you have any available or can turn a pair around in a reasonable amount of time.

Thanks!

Stephen Lacroix

During one of our weekly practices we were visited by a couple of knights and a duke who happened to be in our area. I wont get into names but the duke was a lefty. I was a young, inexperienced fighter and in my fervor to take on anyone I could get in front of I ended up in front of the left handed ...

Stephen Lacroix

I'll double check it when I get home to see the width of the shoulders. I thought of pointing the waist of the armor to a belt to help with the weight but I dont want a belt digging into my hips when I fight. That's why I got rid of my leg harness and went with a long length coat. The shoulder width...

Stephen Lacroix

I wear a gambeson underneath. I am not sure of the weight of the scale coat but I can check it when I get home and post it.

Stephen Lacroix

I have a hardened leather scale coat that comes down to my knees from Torvaldr. The coat has surpassed all my expectations for protection and has eliminated the need for cuisses on my thighs. However, all the weight of the coat (which is rather considerable) hangs from my shoulders and at the end of...

Stephen Lacroix

Do you add / modify them in any way to make them safer? Steel or aluminum cop or anything like that? The concern comes from the unlikely (but possible) side of the knee strike.

Stephen Lacroix

I currently use stainless steel greaves with hinged knee cops attached and the drift just a bit low, leaving that 1 inch of space above the knee painfully exposed. I also want to get away from any exterior / visible leg, knee and shin armor. I am portraying 12th cent Norman so I think I will try to ...

Stephen Lacroix

Several people here have stated that they use motocross knee / shin pads for their hidden leg armor. Can I get some opinions from those folks as to the pros and cons of going that route? Also some insight as to which manufacturer produces the best protection so I can do some further research? I am l...

Stephen Lacroix

The Normans came into contact with Scale Armor during their interactions with the Byzantines and the Muslims. The Byzantines had a some of influence over the development of arms and armor of the Normans who conquered southern Italy before the first crusade. There are carvings which depict mounted so...

Stephen Lacroix

6'2"
190 lbs
Sword and Shield (not good enough yet to authorize in anything else)
No titles unless Squire counts.
37 years old

*edited to include age

Stephen Lacroix

The Academy of Saint Gabriel has a huge names archive available <A HREF="http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/">here</A>. I didn't see anything on Italo-Norman names specifically, but there are Norman, Anglo-Norman, and Italian lists available. What sort of person are you aiming to portray? -Derian. I am...

Stephen Lacroix

I was a part of the SCA for a couple of years then took about a 5 year break to start a family. After my return to active participation, inlcuding fighting practice, I have lost about 45 pounds, I run every day, work out 3 times a week and carefully watch what I eat. Now some of this new lifestyle i...

Stephen Lacroix

PM sent

Stephen Lacroix

My search fu is not only weak, it has anorexia, a club foot and leprosy. Hence I cannot find any references online with Italo Norman names from around 1120. Any help would be appreciated.

Stephen Lacroix

But.....but they blew up a pig..... They must know what they are doing. :roll: Seriously though, even though the research was pathetic and the combat scenes were absolutely laughable, watching that guy smash that ballistic gel/skeletal insert dummy was pretty cool. "Hay guyz...I cutzed a de-boned pi...

Stephen Lacroix

I recently received the greaves I ordered from Truehearth Armory and I must say I am very impressed. Communication was a solid 5 - regular emails regarding position in queue and estimated start times and completion times Product was also a solid 5 - they fit me exactly, look great, and function wond...

Stephen Lacroix

As much as I would love to be able to take what I have and make it work, I just dont have the experience or the know-how to accomplish what needs to happen with my current gauntlets. While I am certain that I have the skills necessary to make them fit and articulate well (for use with spear or pole ...

Stephen Lacroix

Have you considered the size of the hands holding those period swords ? That's a serious question, btw. One should look to have their sword fit their hand in a manner similar to the historic norm in order to better understand and recreate what was done. I don't know whether I make my grips too larg...

Stephen Lacroix

Happy Birthday!!

Stephen Lacroix

On further consideration I have decided that I am going about this thread wrong. In revision, I would like to ask any and all of those who use hilted swords to show off pictures of their gauntleted hand holding the sword. That way I can see what others are doing and if I need to I can PM them with r...

Stephen Lacroix

Renard, looking at your pictures I would say part of the problem is that you're making your hilts awfully small. Getting a good grip really doesn't require being able to overlap the thumb and fingers. It looks like that thumb would bottom out against either rattan or the finger plate and in so doin...

Stephen Lacroix

Stephen Lacroix

Here is a pic of my grip on the sword with the gauntlet on. You can see that I would not be able to tuck the thumb under the last lame on the gauntlet and that by doing so I would loosen my grip on the weapon. http://i629.photobucket.com/albums/uu14/spturner1119/IMG_0017.jpg Here is another pic of t...

Stephen Lacroix

I would prefer to have a gauntlet solution rather than having to modify and/or attach something else to the sword. Some sort of half basket employed just to protect my thumb seems more difficult than just sucking it up and using a cup hilt. The sword I would like to use does have a more traditional ...

Stephen Lacroix

What is the best gauntlet design to use a sword without a basket hilt and not get your thumbs destroyed? I have tried clamshells and I cant seem to close my hand enough to grip the sword. In order to get a proper grip, my thumb has to rest on the outside of the last lame in the gauntlets which is bo...

Stephen Lacroix

Whats the life expectancy of one of these swords? Beautiful work!

Stephen Lacroix

What area of NC are you in? I'm in High Point/Greensboro and my Knight is also a marshal and can help you out with measurements and other armor options. *edit* Please be careful with AB. I have not had much luck with them. My clamshells are in a constant state of modification/repair just to make the...

Stephen Lacroix

Greetings all, Anyone have any links or information on where I can get a good kite shield blank? I don't want to break the bank, and I dont need anything fancy, just a rounded top kite shield blank with a decent curve. I will strap and edge it myself. Looking forward to your replies! Renard DeLacroi...

Stephen Lacroix

Greetings everyone! I am in the process of creating a new persona and I am in search for reliable and readily accessable source material for period Norman names dating around the 11th cent. So far my initial internet searches have not been very successful and I have not had the chance to get to a li...

Stephen Lacroix

PM sent. Thank you for all the information gang! I appreciate all the help that you guys have given me over the last several months. I am getting closer to getting back out on the field with a more comfortable and nicer kit. And I hope to get the chance to meet some of you at an event in the future.

Stephen Lacroix

Here is a link to some previous pics I posted of my current kit. You should be able to see the helm in a couple of them. *edit* I was mistaken when I stated that it was a centerpoint. I have been browsing helms for so long that there are about a hundred different styles/shapes/types floating around ...

Stephen Lacroix

I have a workhorse helm (centerpoint bascinet with welded face grill) that is not beautiful by any stretch of the imagination. As I have recently decided upon a new persona (11th c Norman), and I lack the funds for a totally new helm, I was wondering what the options were for re-working my existing ...

Need gauntlets

Shoulder fatigue

Hidden Knee and Shin Armor

Italo Norman names from 1120

Truehearth - A review

Thumb worry

New Shield

Reference material for Norman names

New helm from an old helm?