The Armour Archive

I've looked over their site, and the work looks great and the price is nice. I know shipping is an issue..... but look at those gauntlets and spaulders! (rg 2.2 & rh 1.4)

http://www.bestarmour.com/index.htm

Any thoughts?

Keep in mind the exchange rate. Right now it's 1 USD = 30 CZK. So that set of gauntlets (R2.2) are really nice but they are also $300 USD without shipping and in mild steel only. So figure perhaps about $50 USD for shipping, or more, and the price just goes up even more.

R2.2 Gauntlets

That seems a bit pricey to me but that might simple depend on your tastes and your location.

ed

I'm glad you like the gauntlets. They're mine. And they just starting working on my complete arms to go with them (see armour KA 4.2)

http://www.bestarmour.com/zbroje4.htm]

We've had a few orders from MJ with good results. The biggest challenge is language barrier. (It is best to communicate in Czech or German.) Although they are catching onto simple English. But keep it ultra simple and I strongly suggest using their terms (from the website). I have found the most successful communication is to send it in english and then also in german that way they can try and reference both. And send them all your measurements (MAKE SURE YOU SPECIFY YOUR UNITS - centimeters highly recommended). They do not take credit cards. Only direct bank wires converted to CZK (Czech Korona) right now. Although I suspect Euro will be accepted soon enough.

Item/model specific, they have actually captured the shape and style of the period very well. They do use mild steel only and it is welded. I have one German open sallet that they did very well with. The archer's sallet was well done but the welding could have been cleaned up a little better.

As to the price, it depends on what you want and what you want them for. This is a good munitions grade set of finger gauntlets with top plates on the fingers. But it was chosen due to location/style of gauntlet to portray my southern German 1470's persona.

I think you certainly get a good value but you have to be prepared for the wait pending what you order.

[This message has been edited by Friedrich (edited 02-02-2003).]

Friedrich,

Thanks for the info. How bad is shipping from them? Wait time is not so much an issue I feel leery about just wiring mioney and hoping for a product, so I figured piece by piece would be the plan. Any other thought or sugestions?

Shipping really isn't bad considering what it takes to get a package from there to here. (It get's flown in usually to Kennedy in NY btw.)

$50 is probably a good guess. $75 if its big. Anything coming from them would be smeared in cosmolene (good stuff too!), wrapped in Czech newspapers (always amusing to see what you can buy a house for), and wrapped in a traditional european basic cardboard with brown wrapping paper (usually) and then strap banded.

I do not have any concerns with ordering from them. I don't know about new customers in requiring a partial down payment. But in the past, (and realize we have ordered quite a few pieces in multiple orders), they have usually made the stuff, sent us a picture, and then have us send the payment by way of bank wire. It's very, very fair. So PLEASE (for the rest of us), make sure you follow up quickly when they finally ask for payment.

They had other orders come through and had to put my full arms on hold (for over a year) but we were a bit ambiguous too so I don't consider the wait due to them.

If they asked me for a down payment and I had to wait, (even though they are in CZ), I wouldn't have any issue with it. So far, they have been up front and professional about conducting business.

Thank you I really apreciate the info. I will be keeping them in mind fopr sure.

Its a big world out there with lots of paths. Nice to see some bread crumbs once in a while.

Really weird. My reply did not record.
I rewrote it. And then it appeared.

Anyhow...

$50 is not unreasonable. In fact, I'm not sure we've paid that much on some orders. Looking at an order from 2 years ago with two sallets, it was 1531 CZK shipping. Which is about $50.

MJ has been very good to deal with. I would not have a problem wiring a deposit in advance if they asked. (Just keep a copy of your emails.) One note. They haven't quite got the helmet liner down yet. You can pay extra to have basically a 4 leather strap (like a construction helmet of sorts) going up to the top. No padding. For living history use, we recommend just asking for the leather rand on the inside, then make a cloth liner yourself and whip stitch it in.



[This message has been edited by Friedrich (edited 02-02-2003).]

thats ok I still got two emails noting a reply... bloody gremlins!

thanks again

I have ordered with them before. They are great to deal with. Just keep your measurements to CM and your english very simple. Avoid idioms and slang and you will do just fine.



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www.hosekileather.com

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by eroyce:
<B>Keep in mind the exchange rate. Right now it's 1 USD = 30 CZK. So that set of gauntlets (R2.2) are really nice but they are also $300 USD without shipping and in mild steel only. So figure perhaps about $50 USD for shipping, or more, and the price just goes up even more.

R2.2 Gauntlets

That seems a bit pricey to me but that might simple depend on your tastes and your location.

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

$350 for a pair of gauntlets of that quality is not a high price. I have not ordered from them but many people I know in living history groups have and I have tried on and handle many pieces from them, their work id high quality. An SCA armorer will not make them as well and would most likely charge you he same. My big problem with SCA gauntlets is that the sides are over sized and I can’t grip a sword or rattan with my hands.

Flonzy

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Cheap garb is as bad as plastic armor.
http://home.armourarchive.org/members/flonzy

I didagree with Flonzy that an sca armourer will not make them as well, being an sca armourer and an owner of armour from BestArmour, and having resized gauntlets and a breastplate from them.
Their work is quite nice, their prices are very reasonable, welds are nice, shapes are nice as well.
Items ive delt with have run a little small.
Dont hesitate to order from them, good people, good talent.

Sorry if I was a little too general about SCA armories. There are many fine SCA only armories. I have yet to find gauntlets that I like but that may just be me. Again the price for high-end gauntlets is not cheap SCA maker or not and I don't think $350 is high for the quality. Now if you look at helms from bestarmor some of their prices are a steal but they are not SCA legal.

Flonzy

Shameless plug.

WMA modified the RG 2.2 (pictured) for me as one hand needed to be tweaked (widened) and a couple of the single finger plates removed as they were a tad too long in certain fingers.

The biggest issue SCA wise is that I don't think this finger design is SCA legal finger protection wise. But the sliding rivits are so cool to play with! The side to side flexibility is remarkable.

[This message has been edited by Friedrich (edited 02-03-2003).]

Aren't SCA guantlets oversized on the sides so that the metal is resting on the rattan to protect the hands?

At least that's always how I've had them. *shrug* But then again I've never claimed to be normal.

ed

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by eroyce:
<B>Aren't SCA guantlets oversized on the sides so that the metal is resting on the rattan to protect the hands?

At least that's always how I've had them. *shrug* But then again I've never claimed to be normal.

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

Most likely it started as a safety thing, but they are far larger than historical examples and I cannot get a good grip with those types of gauntlets. Most SCA guys complain about gauntlets and go with shield baskets for single-handed sword combat but I hate shield baskets.

Now this is not to say some SCA armories don't have awesome gauntlets I just have not found something I like yet online or at an event.

Flonzy

The best sca gauntlets ive seen were close copies of a 15th century milanese gaunt.
I agree with flozy, many sca gaunts are nasty.
I think many sca fighters dont realy want to pay the money needed for an exacting replica that still works for heavy list fighting.

The Best Armour barbute with face really catches my attention! Anybody know what guage steel they use for their helms?

as a rule, they use 17 guage for most of their stuff. However, you can ask for heavier guage and must pay the different. It maybe works out to an extra 1000 koruny = 35.00 Dollars US on a helm. That's pretty good. I asked for 16 guage gauntlets and they gave me the european equivalent. They are not list legal however but great for live steel.

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www.hosekileather.com

They do nice stuff,some of the styles look a bit wierd...........But good ideas.

The problem with sca gauntlets,is if you make them too small,they get dented in use and then fingers get broken.

And outside of helmet skulls and cuisses, nothing gets bashed more that the finger plates in gauntlets.

Now if you are willing to put a lot of time and money into making a way to form the plates to be exremely strong and well contoured,you can get away with making them tighter fitting.

Very few sca armorers have the skills to tool up dies to make guantlets to follow truly medieval linse however,so they have to compromise and make something that will protect,and not take forever to build by hand.

You can also go through the bother of lining them with actual gloves,instead of a few straps under the palms and fingers.

But then of course,they get quite pricey

Regards Sven