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Author Topic: West Windsor medieval faire  (Read 10779 times)

Sir Ulrich

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West Windsor medieval faire
« on: 2012-05-11, 03:41:32 »
http://www.markland.org/webcal/view_entry.php?id=313&date=20120518
Is anyone going to this? I am probably going to be going and I was wondering if any of you people would be interested in meeting up there.

Sir Matthew

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Re: West Windsor medieval faire
« Reply #1 on: 2012-05-11, 13:43:07 »
My Polish reenactor freinds will be there again this year, but sadly I can not make it this year. I will be at the US Army Heritage Center in Carlisle, Pa. that weekend. My company will be portraying the 1636 Massachusets Colony Militia. This year besides a Pike and Shotte Demo we will be conducting a demonstration of 17th Century artillery, so I will definitely need to be there or else we are short enough member to man the gun.

Sir James A

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Re: West Windsor medieval faire
« Reply #2 on: 2012-05-11, 13:46:11 »
I have commitments for saturday and sunday that weekend. If you go, have fun and take some pictures.
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Sir William

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Re: West Windsor medieval faire
« Reply #3 on: 2012-05-11, 15:28:26 »
That's next weekend...I'm reasonably sure I'll be in Philly - unless my daughter decides to come visit.  Take lots of pics man!
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Sir Ulrich

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Re: West Windsor medieval faire
« Reply #4 on: 2012-05-19, 23:45:34 »

Thats what I came in at first, I really need to tailor my maille.

This fellow I met had a rather interesting convo with, he was looking for a group that did reenacting similar to the stuff in Europe, reminded me of myself in some ways. I invited him to join MC and he seemed rather interested in joining so if we have a new group member you'll know why.


Tried on a new helm cause the kettle helm wasnt really worn in the 1000s and 1100s. I literally couldnt wear my helm, it was way too heavy so I just went around with my coif and people kept asking me to sign their papers as a knight and I had like 5 girls approach me and I had no clue what to say so I showed them my stuff and they liked it. I had various random convos with people and in the end I enjoyed myself, I didnt really feel awkward much at all apart from when the 5 girls approached me which was the FIRST time something like that happened. Later the one reenactor told me "women love armor" and I was like yeah they do. Still the maille is a shoulder killer thank god i went with the riveted 9 MM rather than the 6MM would woulda been heavier and dont even get me started on butted. Maybe I will switch to riveted aluminum cause honestly everyone noticed I was slouching more and more. I went to this markland group and they said apart from me needing a helmet I could fight with live steel stuff as my kit is basically qualified for it. Looks like I wont have to make those expensive purchases for the SCA stuff after all. In any case I enjoyed myself and I may go tomorrow if my shoulders arent killing me from wearing that maille, I feel an inch shorter cause of it.

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Re: West Windsor medieval faire
« Reply #5 on: 2012-05-20, 00:41:02 »
:) welcome to markland lh. i've fought there stuff before during hastings battles etc. most maryland, northern va area groups that are not sca are LH are former markland groups that splintered off to be more LH and less recreation fighting. some good guys left in that group though.

www.markland.org i think is there website. 

Sir Matthew

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Re: West Windsor medieval faire
« Reply #6 on: 2012-05-20, 03:31:11 »
You're kit is coming along nicely. I like the Maille and Allen's shield looks good with your kit.

Sir Wolf

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Re: West Windsor medieval faire
« Reply #7 on: 2012-05-20, 07:36:42 »
Wait. Are you left or right handed? Why are you wearing your scabbard on the same side as your sword arm? You should draw across your body not like the romans did with their short gladius.  Nice pics. You need to cut down your brais string :)

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Re: West Windsor medieval faire
« Reply #8 on: 2012-05-20, 08:03:33 »
Did you buy that norman helm there? It looks a lot like my old patrick thaden helm i sold a few years back cause it was to small.

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Re: West Windsor medieval faire
« Reply #9 on: 2012-05-20, 12:29:28 »

Yep, I see that you aren't wearing a nice tight belt to help with the weight. That's the first thing you'll want to do. Add a belt separate from your sword belt. Pull the belt tight, and pull the armor up a bit by raising your arms, and let it drape over the belt slightly. This will move about half the hauberk's weight to your hips, and off your shoulders.
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Ian

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Re: West Windsor medieval faire
« Reply #10 on: 2012-05-20, 15:28:22 »

Yep, I see that you aren't wearing a nice tight belt to help with the weight. That's the first thing you'll want to do. Add a belt separate from your sword belt. Pull the belt tight, and pull the armor up a bit by raising your arms, and let it drape over the belt slightly. This will move about half the hauberk's weight to your hips, and off your shoulders.

Make sure you wear this belt at your waist too... not where you jeans sit, but your actual waist, the narrowest part of your body in the vicinity of your belly-button.  A lot of people make the mistake of wearing everything where you jeans sit, but that is the modern waist (and is really a misnomer because it's not your waist at all).  But this will ensure that you get a good chunk of the maille supported by the hips.  The lower you cinch the belt, the less maille it will be supporting.
« Last Edit: 2012-05-20, 16:11:19 by Ian »
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Sir James A

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Re: West Windsor medieval faire
« Reply #11 on: 2012-05-20, 16:06:57 »
Looking good so far, Sir Ulrich. As mentioned, the scabbard is on the wrong side, and add another belt that isn't for the sword belt. I'd also use the separate belt for the pouch, but that's personal preference. The norman nasal helm looks more appropriate with the earlier mail (without chausses).

The thing that will help most with the weight of the mail will be tailoring (less rings = less weight), and wearing it more often. There's only so much you can do to shift weight around, but in the end, you still have to carry the full weight; it's just a question of how distributed it is. Some small "cheater pads" on your shoulders might help. The majority of knights were, during their rise and peak, in great physical condition because they had to be in order to be effective in armor.

Wearing the mail around the house, and just general conditioning, is going to make the biggest difference. I randomly wear my full leg harness and arming coat at home for no reason other than the mood strikes me to do so. I can't get the rest of my armor on by myself, or I'd have moments of "run around the yard in armor", just because I can. :)
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Sir Ulrich

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Re: West Windsor medieval faire
« Reply #12 on: 2012-05-20, 17:05:10 »
I didnt buy the helmet, the guy there let me wear it and take a pic of it cause at that moment I had no helm because it was too hot to wear as it didnt breath as much as the coif with arming cap did. Can only imagine how bad the great helm would weigh and be unable to breath.

I am right handed it's just that thing I ordered doesnt work unless I put it on the right side. I am gonna order another belt from viking leathercrafts just so I can have a belt exclusively for cutting the weight of the maille down and then one for my sword and other things, thats why I used to wear 2 belts and I thought that one would be enough, guess I was wrong. I wonder if a padded collar would work for reducing the strain on me.

Tailoring the maille would be hard, wish I could just hire someone to do it for me as I have no clue how to do as such. I was told there was a local maille tailor yesterday but I havent found anything online about them.

Sir William

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Re: West Windsor medieval faire
« Reply #13 on: 2012-05-22, 16:20:50 »
I think you're coming along nicely, Ulrich...just need a waist belt and maybe some leather string to tie the blousy sleeves a little closer to your arm, especially at the wrists and elbows...take it from me, the former Bingo Wing King.  lol
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Sir Matthew

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Re: West Windsor medieval faire
« Reply #14 on: 2012-05-22, 21:47:02 »
Nothing will get you used to the weight and movement of the armor like wearing it. I wear both my brig and peascod during the "off season" just keep accustomed to the weight and how them move/feel on me. Having everything properly adjusted and the weight better distributed will greatly improve your armor experience.