SCA: Integral Gorget Allowed?

Russ Mitchell · Post by **Russ Mitchell** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 10:23 pm

I'm working on my "get me on the field fast but not embarrassed kit," and don't have enough felt for all of my projects, so....

Gamboised chausses? Check. Knees attached? Um, no... okay, torso.

Decided I'd make an armored surcoat, steppe style (plates not tailed to the outside of the caftan, but rather attached to an inner layer of felt, all of which is covered up in either cloth or leather, depending on what I've got handy).

But then it occurred to me: self, wouldn't it save an awful lot of hassle if I you just integrated the gorget into the torso armor? I could easily make a standing collar that would be as protective as the dog-collar gorgets I have used, and make sure the plating covered those pesky front and back sections.

Any known barriers to doing this, before I go to the trouble of cutting the required leather and felt, and stitching the whole shebang together?

tnx.

Baron Alejandro · Post by **Baron Alejandro** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 10:37 pm

You mean like a bevor on some sallets?

^ · Post by ^ » Fri Jan 23, 2009 10:45 pm

No he means a gorget intergrated into the body armour like a big collar.
You should be able to but you might want to talk to an experienced marshall about the specific implimentation as that is more important then it being a particular piece of armour

Russ Mitchell · Post by **Russ Mitchell** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 10:49 pm

That makes sense. Fortunately, one of the guys at the fighter practice does this. So I'll start it off and then save the custom modifications until I get out there on Wednesday.

Morgan · Post by **Morgan** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 11:13 pm

there's nothing AGAINST it in the rules. The rules tell you what needs to be protected by your armour. As long as you protect that, you're fine. You may have to educate some marshals. It is what it is.

Alex Baird · Post by **Alex Baird** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 11:18 pm

The armor rules basically say what has to be covered and with what level of rigidity. How you implement that coverage is up to you. According to this: http://marshal.ansteorra.org/handbook/Complete%20Participant%27s%20Handbook%20Aug%202008.pdf, that minimum would be heavy leather with padding in Ansteorra

Caveats:

1) Your local/kingdom marshals have jurisdiction, so check with them.
2) Be sure that, if you build the throat protection as a collar, that you don't leave a gap at any critical spot, such as where the front joins.
3) Be aware that the top of the spine in back must also be covered.

FrauHirsch · Post by **FrauHirsch** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 12:13 am

My integral collar/neck protection is built into my aventail. It stands a bit way from my neck because it has to fit over my head, but it allows some air and gives lots of head mobility for ducking and such.

Mord · Post by **Mord** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 9:22 am

Morgan wrote:there's nothing AGAINST it in the rules. The rules tell you what needs to be protected by your armour. As long as you protect that, you're fine. You may have to educate some marshals. It is what it is.

Yup. There might be some less experienced marshals out there who, A. become enamored with their authority, B. become confused by someone who "thinks out of the box," or C. Both.

Mord.

B. Amos · Post by **B. Amos** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 3:34 pm

here is a picture of my gambeson. the spinal plate the kidney plate and the gorget all slide into pockets in the gambeson. I have had no problems

Oswyn_de_Wulferton · Post by **Oswyn_de_Wulferton** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 8:52 pm

While not required by the rules, I would highly suggest some form of overlap, or at least not having the collar tie open in the front. All it takes is a slight deflection of a spear upwards, and a shot can go into the throat.

However, do what you feel is safe.

audax · Post by **audax** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 9:50 pm

Russ, email Sir Asoph and check with him. He's the current EM. If he says it's okay, keep a copy of the letter in your armour bag, so you can show it to any inspecting marshal.

I would suspect that it is fine as long as the requisite body parts are covered but not all marshals have deductive reasoning powers. The letter from Asoph will prevent you getting bounced.

FrauHirsch · Post by **FrauHirsch** » Wed Jan 28, 2009 11:59 pm

audax wrote:not all marshals have deductive reasoning powers. The letter from Asoph will prevent you getting bounced.

LOL! So true.

One was very flustered at my husband's close helm. He wears a very low leather neck protection under his breastplate because there is almost no room between the helm and breast, but one marshal tried to tilt his head back and then jam the side of his hand between them.

Here is a picture. There is actually a leather gorget under the breastplate that comes up inside the helm:
http://home.znet.com/savaskan/stmartins ... liana.html

A picture of me in my armor is also on the page. The aventail is black leather with red piping and eyelets to allow it to breath. You cannot see my gorget at all.

Russ Mitchell · Post by **Russ Mitchell** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 12:26 am

Will do, and thanks for the feedback.

Whole thing is delayed a bit, since what I thought would work just fine as a brig nail doesn't, and my plates are badly-drilled for lacing.

Gotta hit the hardware store and see if there's anything around that'll work.

^ · Post by ^ » Thu Jan 29, 2009 9:55 am

Depending on what kind of steel your using and how far you are in the project you might consider swinging by a harbor freight and picking up a metal and punch. If your coming down to Candlemas bring a piece or two with Maelgwyn and I have both played with plates and holes and what not.