The Armour Archive

I'm wanting to change my armour type (again) and this time build it out of stainless instead of mild. I want something that will make me stand out on the field and let people know that I want to be beat with a big stick. I am pretty sure I want a barbute, mostly for ventalation. (I dont want a bar grill) I am thinking I want to use the large pointed gothic couters, as I have never seen them anywhere I have fought. (which isnt too many places though) I have a few questions before I start designing and building. so here goes.

1. How much visibility and ventalation will I have with a barbute. All of my other helmets have been sallets, and they get very hard to breath in with a bevor, plus I have VERY limited lower vision. Will the barbute improove any of this?

2. Will the pointed couters stay in place without a rebrace and pauldron? I plan on just using the couter and a vambrace on my sword arm, and a small pauldron on my other arm, mostly for mobility.

3. How is a plackart held up? Are there straps that go over the shoulders, or does it just sit on the waist? And has anyone ever had any problems with the top point on the plackart pushing into you too hard?

4. Are large raised knuckles, or anything similar, looked down upon in the sca? I dont have a pic, but I saw a pic somewhere of gaunts that had thin raised knuckles, in a rectangular shape, along the top of each lame.

5. Is there some way to hide or get rid of the gorget on a barbute? It really looks out of place under it. If not, what kind of gorget should I use? the typical sca neck brace style, or some kind of spanish colar?

6. one last question... Does anyone have links to pics or sites with exotic armours? I would like to see some different types of armour from germany or the low countries, but any european location is fine. I have been looking at a site with a collection of helmets on it (drawings) and really like some of the strange kettle hats, but I figure that I am either going to have to use a bar grill or a large bevor with it, and dont want either, but would like to see some of the armour that would match the same style.

Sorry for all the long questions. I dont want to build another harness and find out I dont like it either. (that would make 4 in the less than a year that I have been in the sca)

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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Duc Kjosua:
<B>3. How is a plackart held up? Are there straps that go over the shoulders, or does it just sit on the waist? And has anyone ever had any problems with the top point on the plackart pushing into you too hard?
</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

As far as I know, the plackart isn't meant to be worn alone - you are supposed to have a globose breastplate under it. The breastplate protects your torso from collarbone to natural waist (bellybutton), and the placket articulates on that (either on a leather strap or on a sliding rivet), and covers you from the waist down to where the faulds begin. This is the typical 15 C. Milanese armor, often shown with the barbute helmet you are interested in.

I'm sure someone else here can give a better answer...

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Yehuda ben Moshe
mka Juliean Galak

As I understand it, the plackert can be worn alone. Several 15th century illustrations seem to show this. I'm at work, or I'd get out my books.

For the barbute, understand that there is only a narrow opening down the front of your face. I like a very closed helm, but others get claustrophobic in them. I'm not sure how good the ventilation will be, but I am sure it would be enough for me. Of course, I fight in a closed-face helm with fairly wide-spaced breaths.

I would start by looking at books like _Arms and Armour of the Medieval Knight_ and also _The Medieval Soldier_ for my inspiration. Some of the stuff looks dorky to modern eyes, but was very good armor and even fashionable. I would try for something that looked good both then and now, just because I am sort of vain about my armor.

The huge couters would be great to see on the field. I am not really willing to change periods again, so I am not going to make an armor that is as cool as I would like to have. Still, if I did, those mega elbows would be part of it!

-Patrick

I also recal seeing period illustrations of a plackart being warn without other metal torso armor but I can't remember what book or books it was in.. but I figured the fabric looking thing they were wearing instead of a breastplate was some kind of COP or jack..

Patrick, I found my friend's copy of that TI that had the artical on munitions armor.. got most of my armor done without though. but I did need to take a look at it to see how they say the arms are strapped.. I did the big and bulbous couters instead of the big and pointy ones... I hope to have the whole of it done in a couple more days

Duc Kjosua, could you hang an aventail from the barbute to cover the gorget or just use an aventail instead of a gorget? I know some kingdoms allow that.. or they did a couple years ago.. also assuming you're using it for SCA stick

I'd go with a wide spanish collar over anything like the standard SCA choker. Although, depending on how "tall" your helm is, you may want something tall around your neck. I'm a fan of big, wide gorgets -the type that extend almost to you spaulders/pauldrons. If you're using a placart, and getting rid of the breastplate, you may want the added protection around your shoulders.

You can also cover the collar part of you gorget and make it look a maille standard which seem to be common on Italian armour.

LS

That's exactly what I'm doing for a gorget to go with my new Italian cuirass and armharness.

1. How much visibility and ventalation will I have with a barbute

Get one with sufficient peripheral vision and you'll be amazed. Breathing should not be a problem.

2. Will the pointed couters stay in place without a rebrace and pauldron?

Yes. They can be strapped just like a standard elbow cop.

3. How is a plackart held up?

Plackarts can be worn just like large belts. They do not have a tendency to push into your sternum if fitted right, your body doesn't normally bend that far.

4. Are large raised knuckles, or anything similar, looked down upon in the sca?

I've seen raised knuckles, but they aren't common.

5. Is there some way to hide or get rid of the gorget on a barbute?

No. Maybe cover it with cloth, or build a hidden gorget into your gambeson?

6. one last question... Does anyone have links to pics or sites with exotic armours?

I wouldn't consider German armour "exotic". Most of the armour of the latter part of our period was known in various forms throughout Europe. If you're interested in kettle hats, take a look at the Burgundians, kettles were common. I'm probably going to build one in that period.



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Lochlainn
I'm a Liberal and I'm OK!
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