The Armour Archive

Josh W

So, Paladin, we have to look to the eastern martial artists in order to find true excellence, eh? Bite me. Bruce Lee never wore armour or had to defeat anyone in it, and AFAIK, never killed anyone in combat. I refuse to acknowledge that Bruce Lee has anything of value to contribute to any discussion...

Josh W

I'll work with you, Park, if you're interested...

Bob, when will your book be available?

Josh W

Heh Heh. I also made lorica segmentata out of that thin galvanized metal flashing when I was a kid. Mine articulated internally on duct tape, though. I used to cut up Mom's baking sheets for crude breastplates, too. I once made a set of scale armour out of those thin little metal disks one uses to h...

Josh W

Maybe it's just me, but I think that anyone who lays claim to the title of "Baron", during any part of period in which the title would have been used, ought to be wearing as much steel (maille, plate, whatever) as the income from his feudal holdings allows.... [This message has been edited by Joaqui...

Josh W

I was more than a little annoyed that the program did not mention any of the Western Martial Arts. Eastern Arts do bore me so. They seem to have selected each martial art for their "Top Ten" based more on how interesting they found them, not on how effective they were. How in the heck does Tae Kwon ...

Josh W

Why does WalMart Warrior counsel Murdock to not make assumptions about him when he himself makes as many assumptions as he likes about me and my situation?

Josh W

Iwannago.

Josh W

My purpose, WalMart Warrior, in starting this thread was to rant, nothing more, nothing less. I've never been given to bragging, myself. In fact, it's because of a handful of people in the SCA that I long ago decided that I didn't want to be in the same class as those folks who would sit around watc...

Josh W

The fellow has lately challenged me to prove the fallacy of his arguments on the list-field, in order to (his words) "demonstrate how it's really done". Now, I have never, ever made any claims, to this guy or anyone else, that I am some sort of expert on the Western Martial Arts. However, his challe...

Josh W

Ah. I see.

Josh W

Is there a way to get them smaller than 3/8" id?

Josh W

I dont suppose "ambiguousness" is another knightly virtue, is it, Vitus?

Josh W

This evening at fighter practice, I was dragged into a heated debate with the local ranking peer. This fellow studies the period fight manuals with an eye toward "proving" that the SCA is the most accurate and practical method of re-creating the martial arts of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Every...

Josh W

I would say that some of the top-end ones were indeed well-to-do men. There was a book published not too long ago called "Heroic Armour of the Italian Renaissance" that gives details about the lives of members of the Negroli family in Milan during the sixteenth century. Judging from the palatial res...

Josh W

Y'know that actually sounds like fun...

I need to hang out with our Ealdormere brethren more often....

Josh W

This wouldn't happen to be the same Artos who used to live in the Shire of Spinning Winds, Calontir (mundanely Manhattan, Kansas)?

Josh W

This afternoon at fighter practice, I was discussing the merits of wearing full plate armour in SCA combat with another fighter. He claims that, in his experience, fighters in full plate armour get seriously injured more often than do people in minimal sports gear. Moreover, he seems to imply that t...

Josh W

It's nice to hear that you all had a good time. I had the privilege of getting to play with Wade's collection several months ago. I had hoped to get to go back this weekend but couldn't make it. Which pieces did you like best? Also... Since I'm suffering from 'cuirass-withdrawal symptoms' http://www...

Josh W

Surely if you've (supposedly) been struck in the thigh (the only part of the leg we can aim for, right?) with sufficient force to render that leg unable to support your weight, you wouldn't be able to kneel on that leg either. No, fighting from the knees _is_ one of the most unrealistic and stupid t...

Josh W

"I think that fighting from the knees is one of the most realistic things we do. If we abandon all other tradtions I think we sould keep this one."

Are you serious???

Josh W

"oh, and btw, just cause I know this will tick some people off, I USE PLASTIC ARMOUR THPPPTTTTTTTT

------------------
Sure, plastic armour isn't period, but then again, neither is groin protection."

Oh, you'll make friends here alright....

Josh W

I think 50-60 pounds is certainly closer to the "average" weight of a sixteenth century harness than 80 pounds is. However, I'm sure that, by the end of the century, some harness did weigh about that much, specifically armours of proof against early firearms. Heck, a book I used to have had pictures...

Josh W

I still truly doubt that you could take down an armoured man with a wrap...

Josh W

Incidentally, while you're all there, check out the 15th century Milanese cuirass Tom is building for me. Let me know how it looks. I can't make it to the gathering....

Josh W

Once again, I also side with Trevor, except...

That everyone should be _fifteenth_ century!

Josh W

God, but you guys look magnificent!

Next year, my Tom Justus/Patrick Thaden harness will finally be complete. I wanna go, too!

Josh W

When did the 'divided cuirass' consisting of upper and lower breast-and backpaltes, first come into use? I know the Churburg #18 cuirass (I think that's the correct number. It's the one Sinric made a nice repro of) dates to the 1420's, right? What about a decade earlier? Were they, for example, in u...

Josh W

Rats! I was hoping for a topic about SCA knights who actually wore gear that genuinely looked like the gear of a knight in period...

Josh W

Graham Turner rocks!

Josh W

I don't think Arab archery had anything at all to do with it. We have record upon record of Crusader armour withstanding multiple arrows fired from inferior Arab bows.

Josh W

I don't think that necessarily means that he was wounded through his armour, though.

Josh W

I would say that European maille would absolutely resist a cut from a katana. Remember, the Japanese themselves trusted the defense of their own arms to kote, which were frequently composed largely of maille, and a substantially more 'open' maille than European stuff. Moreover, Japanese maille was n...

Josh W

Prove that arrows _did_ pierce quality harness at Agincourt. Remember, the first charge of French heavy cavalry returned to their own lines with no casualties. I conclude that it was due to the excellence of their harness. Where is the evidence of arrows penetrating armour at Wisby? I see no holes i...

Josh W

An emphatic #1 I hate it. It's not so bad here in Calontir, where we mercifully use clumsy golf-tube arrows, but I've heard too many horror-stories from other kingdoms about other types of arrows. Most notably I've heard of 'Baldar Blunts'. I wish death and perverted undertakers on Baldar and all hi...

Josh W

Once again, lots of details about the instruments used to penetrate the armour, and none about the armour istelf. What kind of breastplate was penetrated by a handspanned crossbow? What gauge of steel? What type of steel? Look, I've got bows, too. I've shot them at everything I could get my hands on...

SCA Combat vs. Historical Combat In My Shire...

Plate armour unsafe in the SCA?

early fifteenth century armour...