Lately, I have begun to be dissatisfied with the way my greaves looked and fit. When I commissioned them years ago, I was still in hardcore SCA mode, and intended to wear huge boots and volleyball kneepads with them, so I ordered them much too big.
I now regret that, and have been wanting to make them fit better for a long time. Only recently, though, have circumstances permitted me to give them a really thorough re-fitting.
I acquired something that works well enough as a stake to help me put in those elegant, swooping lines around the ankle that one sees on so many greaves from the period and started hammering.
They now fit me very closely indeed, almost like a second skin. I still have some more "clean-up" hammer-work to do, along with giving them a good polish, so they're by no means complete, but here are a couple of pictures. I seek comments, criticism, and pointers.
Edited to add: I realize that I might have trimmed off too much material on the backs of the greaves. I may have to add a bit there. I'd be bothered if I hadn't seen a few real pieces that had been heavily patched during their working life. Oh, and I want to make it clear that the shoes depicted are not the shoes I plan to wear with the greaves; they're just what I had on in the shop.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5 ... 1338672644
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5 ... 1338672644
Re-fitting my greaves.
Re-fitting my greaves.
"When a land rejects her legends, Sees but falsehoods in the past;
And its people view their Sires in the light of fools and liars,
'Tis a sign of its decline and its glories cannot last."
And its people view their Sires in the light of fools and liars,
'Tis a sign of its decline and its glories cannot last."
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Benedek
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Josh will you ever be happy with those?
I think I can count at least 3 different times that either you or I have tinkered with them. It may be prudent to make another pair instead of trying to fix the current ones if they don't feel/look right.
BTW when the rest of my armour comes in I'm going to try and make it up there for a practice.....or at least fight in your back yard.
I think I can count at least 3 different times that either you or I have tinkered with them. It may be prudent to make another pair instead of trying to fix the current ones if they don't feel/look right.
BTW when the rest of my armour comes in I'm going to try and make it up there for a practice.....or at least fight in your back yard.
Revenge is a matter of style.
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Pietro di Trento
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Richard de Scolay
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They look great.
The only comment I would make is that if they are too tightly fit, then if you ever desire to wear mail voiders on the back of your legs, you might need to give them some room. I've only seen a couple people do this over the years, but as you try to get closer and closer to a period kit and look, you might want to try it.
The only comment I would make is that if they are too tightly fit, then if you ever desire to wear mail voiders on the back of your legs, you might need to give them some room. I've only seen a couple people do this over the years, but as you try to get closer and closer to a period kit and look, you might want to try it.