A trip 10 years into the past....

[Sir James A]

I figured I'd post up a few pics of some stuff from 10 years ago. I found my old thigh-high leather boots, which I'm going to chop down to mid-calf and use for my sabatons. I'm also about to sacrifice my old "the belt will hold it closed" gambeson from my SCA combat days, so I can re-purpose the blue closed cell foam from it for my current arming clothes & helmet.



You know you're at the height of fashion when you have blue foam visible through stretched black fabric, sewn with red stitching.

This is my old "leg harness holding belt", aka a weight belt with the kidney reinforcement removed.



My second attempt at a breastplate, back around 2000. It's 16 gauge, 304 (or 316?) stainless steel. I was lucky enough to have access to a full shop of tools, an SCA Armoring Laurel mentor (highest "grade" they give), and lots of fire and supervision. Unfortunately, it was only a couple times - and I don't have much skill, as the resulting breastplate is less than pretty.



My first attempt was so shameful I won't even post it. Picture a munitions grade breastplate. Now picture a large truck. Now picture that truck running over the breastplate...

Here is the first set of tassets I ever made (16 gauge mild), back in ... 96? 97? A couple years after I tried to upgrade from my "carpet and duct tape" cuirass I started with as an early teen into steel armor (no, I'm not joking).



The forming is really rough and basic. REALLY ROUGH. I used a 4x4 post that I hit with a sledgehammer a bunch of times to get a roughly rounded shape to hammer over, and then I hit it with a rubber mallet - turned sideways so that I was hitting with the rounded part and not the face. I cut the plates with about 14,372 jigsaw blades of my dad's that I broke before finally using a hammer and chisel, then grinding them to shape on the bench grinder. I finally saved up and bought the mis-matched, completely non-period sorta-italianish harness I have posted on facebook.

Looking back, my parents let me do some really weird stuff when I was younger. They're awesome.

[Allan Senefelder]

James, while I fully understand looking at work you did in the deep past and saying " ickyyyyyyyy!" ( believe me theres stuff from the mid 90's I hope no one ever figures out I made ) the breast plate is a respectable first attempt, especially given the material you were trying to work with ( stainless, aka satans metal ). I'm betting that the inside sets of rivets on the tassets aren't blind rivets concealing leather articualtion with the outside rivest being slot rivets.

[Sir Wolf]

heheehhe thanks for sharing those!

[Sir William]

James, that's awesome.  Carpet armor...you're gonna have to share some pics of that!

[SirNathanQ]

Now that's what I want to see 

Hey, the breatplate isn't too bad. A lot better than anything I could churn out 

[Sir James A]

James, while I fully understand looking at work you did in the deep past and saying " ickyyyyyyyy!" ( believe me theres stuff from the mid 90's I hope no one ever figures out I made ) the breast plate is a respectable first attempt, especially given the material you were trying to work with ( stainless, aka satans metal ). I'm betting that the inside sets of rivets on the tassets aren't blind rivets concealing leather articualtion with the outside rivest being slot rivets.

You win that bet. The rivets are just regular rivets, no slots, and no leather articulation. I didn't know anything about tassets aside from what the outside looked like when I made those. You're right on the stainless - it's a real bear to work with and it work hardens so much quicker than mild. I have to admit, though, having the breastplate in "storage" (aka a random box I forgot I had) for over a decade and not a spot of rust is nice.

heheehhe thanks for sharing those!

James, that's awesome.  Carpet armor...you're gonna have to share some pics of that!

Now that's what I want to see 

Hey, the breatplate isn't too bad. A lot better than anything I could churn out 

I figured you guys would get a couple good laughs out of the pics. I'm 95% sure there's no pictures of my carpet armor - I'll check with my parents tomorrow to confirm, though. I don't think there are any "Page James" pics, as there was for "Page Nathan" - which, BTW, was a great picture.

My friend and I took some old carpet and cut ourselves some breast and back plates, then wrapped it in duct tape - and of course, hit each other with the wooden swords I made. It wasn't very impressive, but it was a fun start.

[Allan Senefelder]

My friend and I took some old carpet and cut ourselves some breast and back plates, then wrapped it in duct tape - and of course, hit each other with the wooden swords I made. It wasn't very impressive, but it was a fun start.

Wow, carpet armour, the stuff of SCA legend like freon can helmet tops, I never thought i'd know some one who actually wore it.

[Sir Edward]

Carpet armor, pickle-barrel armor, etc... Stuff of legends for sure. I'd love to see some pictures.

[Sir Brian]

Ah the stuff that legends are made of! Thanks for sharing these with us!

[SirNathanQ]

Haha, we do all have our "Page" selves, it seems. Though only a few come with photo evidence!