The Armour Archive

Kel Rekuta

Long time, no post...

Is anyone in Canada still using this steel?

Kel Rekuta

Well, that was a fun read.

Not so sure about trying seed oils on leather, especially buff. I'd be interested to hear how that works out.

Kel Rekuta

Great article Sean!

However, I get this from Harry's link, as presented.

DOI Not Found

10.5284/10180540

EDIT
This seemed to work. https://doi.org/10.1080/00665983.1891.10852484

Kel Rekuta

Hi Scott! I haven't run into problems with leather pulling through the tinners' rivet heads but I've always had access to primo strap leather. Also, I only use them on gauntlets or vambrace straps. Copper belt rivets secure heavier straps so they are easier to replace. I don't make living history qu...

Kel Rekuta

Seems like a lot of trouble when you can order tinners rivets (and a bazillion other fasteners) from Spae Naur.

Kel Rekuta

Really nice Gus! The visor looks great.

Kel Rekuta

I'm not Kerry but I can confirm that a "last" is a positive form over which you shape a given pliable material. For example a shoemaker's last resembles the foot that will fill the shoe made upon it. I was in on the various discussions about Kilkenny's method of soaking in diluted Titebond. My own e...

Kel Rekuta

Sean, I've studied the Fiore MSs in the highest Res available and I cannot agree that all the armoured figures are wearing back closing corazza. I think some of them have coat armours that buckle in the back. Its very frustrating in how little detail the images are rendered.

Kel Rekuta

I'll take it. I have a friend in Hamilton that wants it. PM me to sort out getting your payment. He'll probably drive over to pick it up.
Thanks!

Kel Rekuta

Thanks for the feedback. Unfortunately his queue was too long when asked. I rather like his work so Piotr was one of the first places I sent my student.

Kel Rekuta

Thanks for the feedback. Unfortunately his queue was too long when asked. I rather like his work so Piotr was one of the first places I sent my student.

Kel Rekuta

Yeah, I really want to make a fencing mask in this shape.

Kel Rekuta

Anyone care to share a comment about an armoury "Prague Steel Makerz?" Interesting looking stuff but not great communication so far.

PM is fine if it makes you more comfortable.

Kel Rekuta

You need to find either a cheap-o small bolt cutter or better yet, a double action end nipper.

Mine isn't so nice but it has survived twenty years of cutting copper and brass rivets.

Kel Rekuta

I really enjoy your presentation in the videos. You explain the reasons, not just the process. Much appreciated!

Kel Rekuta

Toronto.
And my company has a discount with UPS. We ship packages almost everyday across Canada.

Kel Rekuta

Scott wrote:I would also be interested in getting a pound or two of these if I can get them delivered to Pennsic.

- Scott

Will PM

And that will be all for Pennsic delivery. I am not willing to impose further on my friend.

Thanks for looking!

Kel Rekuta

It is very nice. I make very small ones, like the one in the MoL. I've never made a great big one.

Kel Rekuta

Losthelm Canada Post quotes $33.98 CAD Expedited Parcel 4 business days. $1 CAD is about $0.75 USD these days. I do know a couple people that are likely to go to Pennsic but whether I can get them to carry them for me is uncertain. I don't see them very often as I don't play SCA anymore. I will ask....

Kel Rekuta

Going through the inventory of odds and ends, I discovered 100lbs+ of #8 solid copper belt rivets 5/8" length but no burrs. (washers) I use a couple hundred pieces a year so its unlikely that I will ever use 15-20K rivets.

Would anyone be interested at $10 CAD @lb? There are ~120 rivets to a pound.

Kel Rekuta

No, I've never tried it because water hardening and stuffing with diluted glue works for me. (Kilkenny method) If the Weaver product is similar to wood hardener, I have tried that. I don't know what that milky stuff actually is but it does firm up spongy veg tan. I bought it for wood turning and gav...

Kel Rekuta

SOLD!

Thanks for looking.

Kel Rekuta

Are these still available? How much use have they seen? Hi John! I have one person interested depending on shipping cost. They haven't seen the use they deserve because I frequently forgot to take them along to Fight Night. As you know we used AL simulators for so long, most of our folks preferred ...

Kel Rekuta

FS - a pair of Arms & Armor Scholar arming swords
#208 Training Grade
designed specifically to enjoy sword and buckler play

$700 CAD (about $540 USD) plus shipping.

Kel Rekuta

curved needle-1.jpg An observation from the allied leather trades: treat your needles as you do any of your blades, hone then strop to get the crispest edges. The suture needle Mac is using here doesn't need polished faces but that is a byproduct of stropping, so not a bad thing. Our vendor calls t...

Kel Rekuta

It might be that both glue and wet leather are overkill and either provides enough firmness by itself. I could check the reports, but I don't know of source for moistening the leather before stretching it over the slats and sewing it. It would be great for someone who has handled several early scab...

Kel Rekuta

I mentioned pliers in the previous post, so I though I'd say something about their use. First of all, using pliers in sewing is deplorable, and should never occur. Now that I've gotten that out of the way... I like to keep a pair of non serrated, bent-jaw needle nose pliers handy at all times when ...

Kel Rekuta

It is pg 118 of The Encyclopedia of Furniture edited by Dr. Herbert Schmitz available for 14 day loan on the Archive.org https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaoffu00schm Clearly my research skills have improved in the last twenty years. ;-) I wouldn't take that particular chair for granted now tha...

Kel Rekuta

Yes Mac, that is the image on pg118 of Eames. (a poorer photocopy of it) I can't access the library book I copied from ages ago, so if your wife can't ILL it, I can be of no further help. I must admit I don't particularly like that chair anyway so even if it was in Sella Curulis, I wouldn't have cop...

Kel Rekuta

That chair is shown on pg 118 of Penelope Eames "Medieval Furniture" which she lists as XVIthC Southern Germany. Eames is pretty well respected as an academic so I'd say its real. I believe I have a photocopy of Sella Curulis, just where is the question. Upon locating my pdf of Eames, this cannot be...

Kel Rekuta

How very elegant! Well done, sir!

Kel Rekuta

I saw this yesterday and looked up the reference in Origio's book. (pg 23) I went through the Datini project website using the name of the agent and the date. First item listed was this image of the two pages in middle Italian. You can't get more primary source than that!! http://datini.archiviodist...

Kel Rekuta

Unfortunately the attribution to della Rovere is incorrect

From Andrea Carloni's image set of that display in the Bargello

https://www.flickr.com/photos/andrea_ca ... 034136535/

Kel Rekuta

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=73202&p=970762&hili ... nd#p970762

Kel Rekuta

The US producer of food grade black pitch stopped making it decades ago. The leather shop at the RA asked me when I visited in 2007. I've tried adding food grade dark waxes sourced from a local wax specialty producer. Just dark brown not black. From what I can gather in 19thC trade books, black pitc...

1050 sheet from Admiral

Re: Buff Leather EDIT Leather is in! How should we torture i

Re: Late Medieval Angled Sword Suspensions

Re: Making Arming Nails

Re: Making Arming Nails

Re: The start of a Journey: professional armouring

Re: Manufacturing step order for leather armor.

Re: Backplates before 1410?

Re: FS: maille shirt

Re: Looking for feedback European armourer

Re: Looking for feedback European armourer

Re: Sallets, already in the XIVth century.

Looking for feedback European armourer

Re: New Leatherworker in the SCA

Re: Couple of videos of how I rough out greaves and cuisse

Re: FS Copper Belt rivets

Re: FS Copper Belt rivets

Re: FS: Leather costrel 72 oz. w/shoulder strap SOLD

Re: FS Copper Belt rivets

FS Copper Belt rivets

Re: Cuir bouilli and Weaver Leather Firmer.

Re: FS - a pair of Arms & Armor Scholar arming swords

Re: FS - a pair of Arms & Armor Scholar arming swords

FS - a pair of Arms & Armor Scholar arming swords

Re: Mac's blog

Re: 1360s Scabbard Project

Re: Mac's blog

Re: Where is this fauldstool from?

Re: Where is this fauldstool from?

Re: Where is this fauldstool from?

Re: Looking for female armor

Re: Looking for Datini letter re: used armor trade

Re: Identify a suit..

Re: Leather hardening with glue?

Re: Where can I get black brewers pitch?