The Armour Archive

Hello -- I'm a new member to this forum, and a beginning fighter in the SCA. I was recently given a generous giftcertificate to Chivalry Sports. I'm thinking of getting the body armor and spaulders.
Has anyone here used this armor, and what are your thoughts on it? I don't want to expend assets on something that won't be usable....
My thanks,
Seonaid

Looks like you've made a good decision; I've heard the body armour, demi gauntlets and spaulders are OK, but that the elbows and knees are a bit too shallow, and the full gauntlets employ a poor thumb design. Good luck.

Broðir

It's been a while since I've seen their catalog, but CS used to feature one of the worst breastplates I've ever seen.

The full gaunts looked pretty miserable, as well.

All the helms looked like spuntops, and none of them looked good.

All in all, I'd confine my CS purchases to "soft" goods, if they haven't improved the armor.

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Agreement with Gundo, their stuff isn't the best. I just say to go for their pauldrons etc. because, due to the gift certificate, you are kind of forced to buy from them.

Or find an armourer(like me) that may want to buy some soft goods from CS and trade for the gift certificates.

LS

A friend just bought one of their helms, and it's pretty awful. It's a spuntop (although at least they seem to fill in the hole and clean up the tool marks), and thus round. The bargrill has the messiest welding job since the last CS item I bought (a shield basket), and took tons of clean up to get rid of the sharp bits, and I have grave doubts about the durability of the visor hinge (it's just a sheet metal hook that the visor hangs from).

OTOH, I've gotten some shield and sword baskets from them and except for the messy welds they seem to be OK.

The soft goods I've gotten from them have been nice, but not particularily authentic (about typical "I'm starting SCA" stuff)

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Yehuda ben Moshe
mka Juliean Galak

Erm, spaulders and pauldrons are the same thing, right?

I'm looking at the armour because, 1) I surely don't need any more weapons or accessories or books, and 2) I can make every item of clothing they have.

The Lost Scott -- you got a website?

No web site yet but I am almost done with my latest project then I can send you some pictures of it.

LS

The armour is not historical. At least it's not plastic. Try guys on here. I've gotten several pieces from Sasuke, he does good work ata good price.

CS garb is a big pet peeve ov mine. It's ren fair garb at best and costs more than the stuff Historical Enterprizes sells.
HE's stuff is correct styles in correct materials, CS looks like it came off Xena. They used to sell good stuff and it cost less than the stuff they sell now.

For great garb at the prices that CS sells their stuff go to historic enterprizes.

[This message has been edited by Murdock (edited 09-10-2001).]

I also would advise against the joints, one set a fellow ordered last year arrived to shallow to be legal for either knees or elbows, the knees ended up as usable pauldrons with minor rework.


Alail

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">I was recently given a generous giftcertificate to Chivalry Sports. </font>

and
[quote]I surely don't need any more weapons or accessories or books, and 2) I can make every item of clothing they have[quote]

If it was a free gift certificate, and you think you may like what they have, get it. There may be an armourer (like LS) that may trade you armour for the certificates as he mentioned. But if you can't get the same amount of stuff as you'd be able to using the gift certificates - i'd go with the CS stuff.

The thing is, its your first rig. You'll find a million things you want to change about it no matter who makes it. I'd save my cold hard cash until you figure out what you don't like - so that you won't waste it.

just my opinion -

Aidan

The only peice of armor I`ve seen that relates is a helmet I have by the same armorer that does there stuff. The helm is a round topped fixed grill sort of norman design(basic cheekplates and backplate but no nasal)
It is not a spundome. It does have a central ridge running front to back, and a seam inside where the halves were welded at the ridge.
The welds on the grill are sloppy but apear strong. The rivets are tight and strong. The ridge is a nice touch astheticaly, or would be if it wasn`t so sloppy, but its rather uneven. Still helps some cosmeticaly tho. It is also a fairly heavy helm, noticably heavier than My Ironmonger bascinet.
I did not, and would not buy this helm at the price C.S. offers it. I recieved it third hand as partial payment for some mail. If this helm is indicitive of other armor they offer, I would have to say you could get better, for a competitive price from some of the folks on the archive.
After I wrote the above, I dug out a catalog and checked other items....I am not too impressed either with price or product. If the prices were about 60% of what they are, I would tell a newbie to go with it, but as they are you could get better.
Some of the garb, jewelry, and accesorys look o.k.. The leather armor looks real dumb. Just the kind of thing I would expect fifteen year old larp weenies to wear to the Lord of the Rings opening. I would stay away from most of the weapons too. I`ve heard people have had bad luck with some of the swords, and the axes if you look closely are a cutout blade shape welded to a socket.
I have heard good things about the Godfred sword tho.
My $.02 based on limeted observation and experience. Take it for what its worth
Good luck
John

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"and the springfieldians heroicly slaughtered there enemys while they prayed for mercy!"

A friend of mine bought a full gauntlet, a half gauntlet, spaulders, and there pigeon breast and back. The half gauntlet was good, the full gauntlet was ok, but he took quite a few light hits to the tip of the thumb. The spaulders seems a bit small for the price and a bit shallow. Although he bought the armour directly from the guy who makes it for CS and not from them. Used to have the info before my computer crashed. I asked if the helms were spun and he replayed that they were and that they were perfectly safe and nothing is wrong with them, but I decided to wait, bought a great helm from pathfinder for a lot less and like it very much.
Hope that helps.

I will look at a CS catalog tomorrow, if I see any non armor items I really like, I will offer to take your certificate (if transferrable) as payment for anything I sell. The last I looked I'm actually cheaper than they are. If you are interested, I can shoot you pics my work for the items you are wishing to purchase.

Eric Joseph
James River Armoury
San Diego