The Armour Archive

I just received a set of arms from Westlig Stjerne. Overall, their fit is excellent, but I am wondering what kind of measures people use to ensure comfort at the wrist. Taking some practice swings yesterday I noted that no matter how tightly I had strapped the arm at the elbow and bicep (and vambrace itself) the arm still has a slight propensity to creep down on the hand. The painfull area in question is the back of the thumb where it meets the wrist. Is a properly long-sleeved arming coat/gambeson the key? (I have one that is almost finished) I am also considering padding the upper inside edge of the vamb. since that seems to be the only uncomfortable area. Other ideas I've considered include slightly belling out the opening and wearing a wrist wrap of some sort. Any help will be appreciated!

GBR

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Ryan King

I have the same problem. I shortened mine and attached them to my elbows.

Now both have a tendency to slide.
Next step is going to be trying suspension by arming points; I have to buckle them waaaay to tight to keep them in place; it plays hell on my arm.

I've got the same problem in my vambraces, but I've come up with a solution. I just plan on putting a layer of blue close-cell foam in there to "fill" out the vambrace. If possible, you could look into trimming the edges of the vambraces (where they meet and are buckled) but that option isn't for everyone. I also need to cut about an inch off my vambraces so I can wear my half gaunts.

In my case the problem really lies in that the cross-section of the wrist opening is circular, whereas my wrist obviously is not. I'm only experiencing about 1/2" of slide when moving around, as I placed the upper strap through an arming point *above* my bicep - holding it up fairly well. I still have to crank down pretty hard on that elbow strap though.

GBR

Oh - and just as a side note: I now see why squires were needed to armor up. Putting on pauldrons over the rebrace of the arm and getting it all properly strapped to arming points is just plain a nightmare to try to do by yourself.

Luckily, the wife got home in time to rescue me and help out - otherwise my frustration of not getting to wear my new toys might have killed me.

I normally recommend for people to either attach a buckle or strap off the back of the rearbrace. This is intended to attach to a point sewn to the back of the arm, on either gambeson or whatever. This strap serves no purpose other than to support the arm harness, and keep it from sliding down.

[This message has been edited by The Warrior's Mark (edited 01-30-2001).]

To keep the vambrace from sliding down, point the rearbrace to your armoing coat. Be sure the points are mounted high enough (my coat has an extra set of holes since I got it wrong the first time...

As far as the shape of the wrist opening, you want it basically round so your wrist will move inside teh vambracew and not pull your elbow cop off of your elbow. You can add a strip of padding here to make if fit a bit tighter, just be sure it isn't so tight your wrist won't move.

Dan

Thanks for your responses. I am currently re-hemming the sleeves of my arming coat, so as soon as I get that done I can permanently place the points. Unfortunately the only thing I had around to point the rebraces to (temporarily of course) was my long-sleeved hauberk. While this served the purpose of general fitting, it obviously was hard to fine tune the placement of the arming points when all I'm doing is looping leather ties through maille. Your point about keeping the wrist opening circular is an excellent one - in fact when I suppinate (sp? - the "arm curl position") my wrist the fit is perfect.

While we're on the subject: do you also have arming points for the strap on the bottom of the pauldron/spaulder? By my count my arming coat should have points on the upper arm for the upper rebrace and the lower pauldron, and points to hold on the gussets. There will also be arming points at the top of the shoulder for the top of the pauldron. (I don't wear a gorget) This sound like enough points?

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Ryan King

>Is a properly long-sleeved arming coat/gambeson the key? (I have one that is almost finished)

GBR
[/B][/QUOTE]

This is is true for me. I found that a single point above the elbow did not work well. I needed a point just below the elbow to prevent sliding.



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Julie Adams

Julie -

By "SW Engineer", do you happen to mean "Solid Waste Engineer"? (that's 'trash' for the rest of you) Me too, if that's what it means.

Currently, the arms are strapped at the midpoint of the vambrace, at the elbow, and just above the bicep. The elbow strap does a great job of maintaining position under most circumstances - I mostly have a problem with the hard edge against the skin of my hand. I'm leaning towards the closed cell padding PoD recommended at this point, since I don't believe it's a matter of fit (more a matter of comfort).

GBR

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Ryan King

"It's nudie magazine day!" - Adam Sandler, Happy Gilmore

Gee I did my first run of an arm harness and the thing I noticed to be the most annoying was the buckle placement on the inside of the elbow.

Ld. Murdock has an arming coat that is a bit too long - i don't know if it was accident or by design. Anyhoo - he folds the sleeve back up over then end of his vambrace. I don't know if he does it for comfort or just because the sleeves are too long, but it looks like it would be more comfortable than having metal hit that thumb joint.

Aidan

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><B>While we're on the subject: do you also have arming points for the strap on the bottom of the pauldron/spaulder? By my count my arming coat should have points on the upper arm for the upper rebrace and the lower pauldron, and points to hold on the gussets. There will also be arming points at the top of the shoulder for the top of the pauldron. (I don't wear a gorget) This sound like enough points?

</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I had points for the top of the pauldren and then a loop type strap that went around my arm at t6he bottom so it wouldn't hang up on the rerebrace and still give good movement. I point hte top of the rerebrace and the cuff of the vambrace as well then just run a lace through teh inside of hte elbow which I tie with a point knot to keep the elbow from floating out when I straighten my arm.

Dan

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><B>Ld. Murdock has an arming coat that is a bit too long - i don't know if it was accident or by design. Anyhoo - he folds the sleeve back up over then end of his vambrace. I don't know if he does it for comfort or just because the sleeves are too long, but it looks like it would be more comfortable than having metal hit that thumb joint.

Aidan</B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

LOL I did that with mine because it was a bit too long. Unfortunately, it only worked until teh vambrace cut through the fabric (And the edge is rolled...) Then I had to fis the points.

Dan

Try riveting a piece of SOFT leather over the edge of the vambrace. Sort of like a vambrace sandwich. the leather is a lot softer and kinder than the metal is.

Your vambrace should stop well above [at least an inch] the bend of the wrist. Your gauntlet cuff should cover that area. If your gambeson sleeves are long enough to roll back over the end of the vambrace, all the better, and there is pictorial evidence for that being the period way.
Proper points, or suspension from shoulder harness, is key, as others said before I got here

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<B>Gundobad,
Wise Ogre Armory
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A nation that expects to be ignorant and free expects that which has never been and will never be - Thomas Jefferson

A position worth taking, is worth defending.

Yes, I agree with Gundo.
Those little wrist knubs, about an inch up from the wrist, naturally hold the vambrace from sliding forward if the vambrace is strapped properly.

On my gutter vambraces, I have a heavy wool lining for cushion, and I made sure to set the strap rivets deeper into the vambrace so that the straps have contact with my forearm. I also have hinged vambraces that I riveted to my full arms; the first time I attached these, I riveted them on too long. So, I shortened the distance and re-riveted. I also added a few select strips of blue camp padding to the inside of the vambrace, which makes for a snug and fantastic fit when the two v. halves buckle down.

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Idëval
The Huntsman of
I-Nossë Lúmëvanwa
My mind opens wide when I roar

For my vambraces, I added a layer of blue foam all the way around the inside, with a half inch open at the cuff. I get absolutely no slide what so ever. Mine dont buckle either. They are the kind that have a slot cut in the side. I just have a peice of aluminum over the opening, tied on with leather string.

Wow! Lots of good ideas (and responses)! Sounds like this is a fairly common problem based on the number of solutions offered.

Thanks again!

GBR

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Ryan King

"It's nudie magazine day!" - Adam Sandler, Happy Gilmore