The Armour Archive

Marshal

I'm surprised that a museum would lend out an artifact to random people so they could reproduce it.

Marshal

Either the bottom half of the top rondel was peened and then the top half brazed on covering the peen, or there's a peg like a mekugi under those brass bits on the hilt.

Marshal

Aaand down the British Museum video rabbit hole I go...

Marshal

I like it! Any plans to test it vs projectiles? Comparisons of arrows to firearms vis-a-vis armor is chancy, unexpected things can happen. I have seen video of comparative tests of arrows, bolts and bullets on a common sandbag. The sandbag stopped every handgun round, 5.56mm and .308 rifle rounds an...

Marshal

Galileo wrote:
Frankish horsemen *may* be riding war horses, that is to say, not much is going to outrun them.

Except, perhaps, over rough terrain: steep, rocky, mountainous, brushy land. Mules are better at negotiating these sorts of areas.

Until they get balky, anyway.

Marshal

As for the time of the journey - one can reasonably travel about 20km a day on foot or with a donkey/mule - more is possible but this is more an average for a multi day journey. My father was a cowboy in Montana in the 1930s, a time when there was only one automobile in the county and everyone got ...

Marshal

Well, you could change the setting to the Middle East and southern Europe, where the caravanserai is known to have existed at least back into the 9th century. There may have been some sort of lodgings available along pilgrimage routes, of which there were many, but I am not sure of the details. Prob...

Marshal

Yeah, saw "medieval" and missed the modifying "Viking/Carolingian". Probably not so much then AFAIK. Probably depends on region, there may have been inns of some sort in places, maybe Italy, probably not in northern Europe... In that period you might think about staying at places like monasteries, w...

Marshal

Inns usually had their own stables for the boarding of travellers' and merchants' riding and wagon horses, and there were often livery stables or yards in cities and towns.

Marshal

English 'windlass' in modern French is 'treuil'. Perhaps an older French version of that?

'Tour' is 'tower', possibly denoting some sort of base-mounted siege crossbow?

Marshal

Mac wrote:Oh, dear..... I knew this would happen.....

Mac

Yes, it's all your fauld.

Marshal

Mac wrote:
What should be call the different types of groin defenses?

Privates Security?

Marshal

*cough* Gratuitous "Blackadder" reference.

Marshal

And thus was the first Terminator born...

Marshal

"Stubby index finger
Grinding out your blade..."

Marshal

One strongly resembling a trelleborg, right?

Marshal

Open a Weapon Shop of Isher.

Marshal

There seem to be a few stories about someone who was so brave that they fought with just a gambeson and a steel cap: the History of William the Marshall , Villehardoun, maybe Joinville ... Montaigne the French essayist talks about soldiers in the field sleeping in their pourpoints like a bivouac in...

Marshal

You can just raise taxes on the peasants, can't you?

Marshal

Mac wrote:
I just realized that this will be my 41st consecutive Pennsic. That seems like a lot, dosn't it....?

Mac

Are you working on the Hundred Years War?

Marshal

Step 1: Accumulate a buttload of money.

Still working on Step 1.

Here is how a "wealthy orthodontist" did it back in the 1960s and 70s:

https://housekaboodle.com/copenhaver-ca ... n-arizona/

Marshal

From a practical standpoint, I would imagine that accidentally pricking the wrong noble whilst sewing their hosen onto them might be hazardous to a servant's health. It wouldn't seem like something which was entirely safe. I would NOT want to have anyone sewing things onto me, let alone trying to do...

Marshal

From what I've read the patina characteristic to armour displayed in churches comes from a distinct process in which dust settles onto the oiled metal, the dust particles forming a sort of wick which allows moisture to get through the oil in pinpoints. I'd guess that if you want that sort of finish ...

Marshal

Probably 'Le Jeu de la Hache', an early 15th c. manual for combat with the pollaxe.

Marshal

The Museum Replicas things aren't "real swords" either, but they do make better decorative wallhangers than the common run of decorative wallhangers. You can find some less expensive Hanwei/Paul Chen swords from places like CAS Iberia for around $200, which is less than the MR sword you linked...alb...

Marshal

Or they may be the site caretakers?

Look up the various regional Renn faires by state. Many of them have websites which may include "how to get a job with us" pages.

Marshal

Ideally you would want to find a living history settlement like Colonial Williamsburg, eg a place which runs all year. Otherwise you'd be an itinerant performer, as some Ren Faires move from place to place and some are local but seasonal. I'm not aware of any which are permanent and ongoing all year...

Marshal

Sean M wrote:
Apparently Geibig the expert on Viking Age swords has seen traces of a tongue-and-grove joint in scabbard timbers from that period.

Boy, that seems like over-engineering...

Marshal

Christian Wiedner wrote: but a gazelle and a hippo

A...gazebo?

Marshal

I can see Mac's just fine, but Willy_Trambone's posts in the Classified always show up as "Image" to me. If I right-click, I can choose "View Image" and actually see them. Perhaps you could try the same with Mac's "Images". That works. Thanks. :) ( I didn't even try it before as the "Image" didn't ...

Marshal

No, I use Google a lot, and my email is gmail. Usually no problem with it. It's probably Firefox or an add-on blocking something or not supporting something, but it's weird that it's so selective. Stranger still, where you quoted one of Mac's posts above, his photos show in your post of his post---b...

Marshal

Oddly, I can see the pictures everyone posts...except Mac's. Those just say "Image" with no, uh, you know, image.

Marshal

Depends on definition of legit. It's odd to me. The person sells a LOT of military items (dozens), and it appears that just about everything starts at $9.99 starting bid (For a $260 A&A spear?!). Which seems like they are either a very uninformed seller, or they don't care. It's possible they raide...

Marshal

Note that Jestyr's tests were done on mail, with which complete coverage of the metal is difficult to obtain and maintain when the mail is moved at all. Therefore he did not test plain paste wax, which IMO still yields excellent results on plate and helms and such at a much lower cost than many of t...

Marshal

Otto von Teich wrote:I tried on the liner and the mail over it. It wasnt sewn in. It was a bitch to get into and very difficult to get off. Actually wrenched my back and neck and caused some weird nerve contraction in my arm.

Tsk. Where was your squire, sieur? This was his job.

Re: Close helmet reproduction - maker?

Re: Dagger Rondel with No Peen

Re: Sutton Hoo helmet

Re: A Jack for Francs-Archers by Charles Lin

Re: Question about horse "parking" in the early Middle Ages

Re: Question about horse "parking" in the early Middle Ages

Re: Question about horse "parking" in the early Middle Ages

Re: Question about horse "parking" in the early Middle Ages

Re: Question about horse "parking" in the early Middle Ages

Re: Arbalest à Tillolles

Re: Codpieces

Re: Codpieces

Re: Codpieces

Re: Rene's blog

Re: Sword making videos

Re: If you were building a castle!

Re: If you were building a castle!

Re: Written Sources for Gambesons/Aketons/Pourpoints 1100-13

Re: If you were building a castle!

Re: Mac's blog

Re: If you were building a castle!

Re: Sewn into your hosen?

Re: Light patina on shiny new armour

Re: Historical fight book for 2 handed axes??

Re: Any quality decorative swords?

Re: Is it possible to live at "Renaissance fairs" like place

Re: Is it possible to live at "Renaissance fairs" like place

Re: 1360s Scabbard Project

Re: Mac's blog

Re: Mac's blog

Re: Mac's blog

Re: Mac's blog

Re: Anyone recognize this spear?

Re: CLP break free to clean/protect armor

Re: Thoughts on liners for haubergeons- hauberks?