The Armour Archive

I'm trying to start getting into SCA stuff, and right now I'm looking to get a hilt...
I'd love to get a cross-guard, but most are completely out of my price range. For basket hilts, I've seen everything from $25 to $60. Right now I'm pretty much deciding between Dragon Forge ($35) and Armourer Eric ($45). I've been assured of Armourer Eric's quality, so I'm leaning a little towards him, but what is Dragon Forge's reputation?

Also, since crossguards are so expensive, is there an easy/cheap way to make them? I don't have many tools, so nothing too complex...

Thanks
-Extortionist

I haven't done business with either armoury, but I like the lines of Dragon Forge's barwork better, it's.. flowing.
On the other hand, I believe Eric lives in Caid, so it'd be easier to get a hold of him, possibly.
I haven't heard anything bad about either establishment.

Back in the dim times we made cross guards out of all sort of things: tire sidewalls, pieces of hose, extra bits of rattan. My personal favorite was two pieces of tire sidewall,(maybe 6-8" long and 1.5-2" wide along the curve of the tire), one on each side of the sword with a bit of blue foam outside that all taped together with duct tape and electrical tape. They had an aesthetically-pleasing curve to them. I don't suppose they're as nice as fancy cast things, but they fit with rattan and duct tape swords pretty well.

Try here he has very nice cross gaurds and the cost the same as basket hilts Melchoir great guy too. However I just got the most awsome great sword hilt from Clang [email]clang_armory@hotmail.com[email] it is even nicer than Melchoir's hilts and in the same price braket, I would be happy with either. And both Armour Eric and Dragon Forge have very good reputations, so I would not not want to begrudge any of the afore mentioned I'll let you decide what you want.
I'll have some of Armourer Erics stuff soon I just naeed to finish his banner.
LS

[This message has been edited by The Lost Scott (edited 04-23-2001).]

Oh, you can trust Dragon Forge. Ben's from my Baronny! (Heh, heh, heh...)
He's got more work than he can take, especialy with those *gorgious* two-hander crosguards, but he's reliable, the barwork is beautiful, and you'll get your money's worth.
Go with Ben.

(he better pay me for that plug!)

Extort become a blacksmith make it yourself :^)

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"Hochmeister of the Order of the Teutonic Knights of Markland"
Herzog
Harold the Bear
von Sachsen

I have one of Dragon Forge's Baskets (Stainless). A great price and quality craftsmanship.

You can build up a cross-guard from foam and tape --
the same way you'd build up an axe-head or somesuch.

...that way, if they let you, you can do some cool period moves like grabbing your sword by the blade and bashing with the cross-guard.

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Norman J. Finkelshteyn
Armour of the Silk Road - http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Olympus/3505
The Silk Road Designs Armoury - http://www.enteract.com/~silkroad
Jewish Warriors - http://www.geocities.com/jewishwarriors
The Red Kaganate - http://www.geocities.com/kaganate
silkroad@spam.operamail.com (remove "spam" from e-mail to make it work)

Harold - I'm working on that

Norman - I was thinking of something like that, but I'm not sure where to get the foam.
What kind of stores have the kind of foam I'd need, and what kind of foam would I be looking for?