CoP.. questions

[Klangiron Skullthumpa]

Ok, I've never made one but have a friend that wants one. He wants it to be SCA durable in case he ever joins. Other than that he'll just have it setting in his game room. I've gathered from the various posts that 18 guage mild is suitable for the coat but my questions lies in the area of:

Copper belt rivets with burs: will these work and if so about how many pounds of each?

Also what rivet shank size is appropriate?

Fabric: would it be advisable to use a heavy canvas tarp cut down to size? We've been discussing ordering one of the Harbor Freight canvas tarps but aren't sure if it will hold up, and about the colouring or recolouring it.

Also, it seems I remember something somebody mentioned about copper rivets rotting the material... what about that?

Thanks in advance fo any input and advise in this area.

[Owen]

I wouldn't bother with canvas that heavy. I used a layer of 8 oz canvas and a layer of upholstery velvet for mine, and it held up for several years. My plates weren't held in by rivets; I sewd pockets in, and put jiffy rivets along the seams. That way, I could take the plates out and wash it. I even had three sets of plates; light and heavy guage steel, and plastic. The jiffy rivets did cause some discoloration of the fabric, but it was only visible on the white lining material.

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Owen
"Death is but a doorway-
Here, let me hold that for you"

[Steve S.]

What Owen describes is the "SCA" coat of plates, and works great. However, it's difficult to get the plates to overlap as they should using pockets.

Authentic coats of plates have the plates riveted to the inside of a jupon of cloth and/or leather. The plates overlap each other in a pattern, which varies depending on the style. I would recommend <u>Armour from the Battle of Wisby 1361</u> which has recently been re-published by the Chivalry Bookshelf ( http://www.chivalrybookshelf.com/titles/wisby/wisby.htm ) It has wonderful forensic and reconstructed illustrations of 25+ coats of plates.

Just about any kind of rivet will do. I would advise against "quick" rivets or other kinds of non-authentic rivet.

My COP ( http://www.forth-armoury.com/photo_gallery/COP/Coat_of_Plates.htm ) is leather lined with duck canvas. You can get away with using cloth only. I have made many COPs using a canvas liner and an outer shell of upholstery fabrics.

I would advise if your outer shell is not leather to put leather washers underneath the rivet heads. This will keep the burr from cutting into the fabric and ruining the coat.

There is nothing worse than being on the last plate and as you rivet it in you cut the coat! Trust me, I've done it!

Steve

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Forth Armoury
The Riveted Maille Website!

[Owen]

HAHA, Steve! You would be wrong! I sewd the pockets as seperate pieces, THEN sewd them to the shell along only one edge, allowing me to overlap the plates! The Plates overlapped just as if rivetted.

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Owen
"Death is but a doorway-
Here, let me hold that for you"

[Klangiron Skullthumpa]