The Armour Archive

[img]http://members2.easyspace.com/revgeorge/pics/armour/cruskneeside.jpg[/img]

[img]http://members2.easyspace.com/revgeorge/pics/armour/cruskneefront.jpg[/img]

I assume from the title that they are crusader style kness, but Conrad will be posting more info soon

-+G

Yes indeed these are crusader Knees from Krags pattern. I am making them for T-Bob.

They still need a bit of planishing, and more buffing to get the scratches out.

------------------
Member of House Red Winged Lion
Man-at-arms to Robert' De'Tyre

Pardon my ignorance but are those the style I've heard called soup can?

yes Klangiron, i do believe they are the same. but i thought soup can style was from the 14th cent?

I believe this style of armor is from the 3rd and 4th Crusades (1200 AD), but I could be wrong.

(^_^)

Comments anyone?

Well they do look fairly shallow. They need to have some depth in them to work properly.

Other then that they look really nice and clean. The flare is nice and even with a clean edge and the flute in the centre is really nicely done.

Good work just try making them deeper next time. Unless it's a trick of the camera that's making them look shallow.

------------------
The budding mid 14th century German Transitional guy.
Mad Matt's Armory

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Mad Matt:
<B>Well they do look fairly shallow. They need to have some depth in them to work properly.


</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Actually this style is supposed to not be as deep of a dish as what we are accustomed to seeing.

I have some that I made from Krag's pattern, and they work spledidly. They point to gamboised cuisses. Mine attach at two spots in the top crease, and then there is a strap on the back to keep it down (although I am toying with the idea of pointing them on the bottom crease too )

The strap can be a fixed length strap in most cases. I do have a buckle but I have not had to unbuckle it since I put them on my cuisses, I just slip the cuisses on like pants(with pointed leg protection attaches)

Aidan

I dish mine deeper only due to an "SCAism" so people can kneel easier in them. Also, the sides on my pattern come a little farther around than an original piece...also due to SCA requirements for joint protection. This style, and several variations of it, can be seen over a wide range of periods. I've seen them listed as being made from leather as well as steel. However, the extent of my research on them is about 10 pics out of the various armour books of effigies and illuminations.

------------------
Krag von Berghen
KragAxe Armoury

Member's Pics

To all:

What Conrad neglects to tell you is that the poleyns are made of stainless. He also doesn’t point out that he had the Devil’s own time getting them to dish. He once said to me “I want to make myself an entire Milanese suit of stainless steel….then I never want to touch stainless again!â€

BTW, if anyone can give him some pointers on working stainless easier, feel free to post!



------------------
Robert Coleman, Jr.

The Noble Companie and Order of St. Maurice
<B>Those who beat their swords into plowshares end up plowing for those who don't.

Remember: In Living History/Reinactment,Real Life is the Great Leveler of Man.</B>

Like I said I have these same knees and elbows, but mine are mild. Lex is helping me make some more out of stainless (if I can ever get down to Mobile again)

The easiest way to work stainless is to pay someone else to do it

BUT - as with anything else, its all in the tools. I know I would not dare try to work stainless in my shop - I don't have heavy enough tools.


I can't really give any pointers because I don't really know jack about armouring, but from what I have seen its all in tooling - so don't get discouraged. Eventually you can get the tools that work it and you'll be happy

The worst problem with stainless is the wrinkling that occurs around the edges and the twisting while trying to dish. Let alone that the damn stuff is incredibly hard and wont move like mild steel.
I did heat it in the middle with a propane torch to help the process but then putting glowing metal on the dishing stump just makes smoke.


I am using a 3 pound hand sledge to dish with.
My shop is pretty well equipt, except I need new drill bits! And an endless supply of sanding disks for the air compressor.

The problems that I have with stainless is that it vibrates like all hell when you smack it1

(^_^)

I found stainless to be harder to both dish and planish... so I purchased a 2 lb. ball pein hammer and that took care of that... and just hammered a little harder when planishing. Other than that, I have found that it behaves much like mild... just harder. BTW... the same applies for stainless rivets, gotta hit em harder to get the job done.

To Aidan Cambel, is it possible for you
to post some pic of how you attached them?
I made a paire of those knees and I'm
currently looking to attach them to my
leather cuisse, so I would appreciate
seeing your attachment... If you do not
have facility to take pictures, maybe
some drawings....?

MIK

The pair on my how-to are type 316 stainless, 17 ga. I use a 12 lb shot put welded on a RR spike to dish with. I start the flare over the edge of the stump, then move to the anvil edge to sharpen it up and flatten the flare. What isn't shown in the how-to is me cussing over the vibration transmitted to my hand while flaring the stainless and throwing the cops across the shop !

The center flute will "remove" some of the curvature, so you have to over dish it a hair.

------------------
Krag von Berghen
KragAxe Armoury

Member's Pics

I use a 12 lb shotput and a 4lb sledgehammer to dish with -and stainless still makes me curse many foul words.

(^_^)