Some new acquisitions

[Sir Brian]

Ach, you wound me, Sir Brian- you know how much I love my knightly family!  Such demonstrations would only cheapen the emotive aspect.

Good parry Sir! 

[Sir Ulrich]

I wanted a pair of Merc Tailor front greaves, but I would have to measure them over padded and mailled chausses. Maybe I should message Al about it because I'm sure wearing them over my chausses would make them easier to put on. I already got the knee cops and elbow cops from him through sheer luck.

[Lord Dane]

Ach, you wound me, Sir Brian- you know how much I love my knightly family!  Such demonstrations would only cheapen the emotive aspect.

You are right, Sir William. We'll accept the 3rd as a gift on your behalf to illustrate this love.

[Sir William]

I wanted a pair of Merc Tailor front greaves, but I would have to measure them over padded and mailled chausses. Maybe I should message Al about it because I'm sure wearing them over my chausses would make them easier to put on. I already got the knee cops and elbow cops from him through sheer luck.

I'd drop him a line...wearing your leggings as well as your chausses, take your measurements from knee to the top of your foot, around the calf and the ankles and see what he says.  He just built me two pairs of the front greaves, one blued.

[Sir James A]

I wanted a pair of Merc Tailor front greaves, but I would have to measure them over padded and mailled chausses. Maybe I should message Al about it because I'm sure wearing them over my chausses would make them easier to put on. I already got the knee cops and elbow cops from him through sheer luck.

I'd drop him a line...wearing your leggings as well as your chausses, take your measurements from knee to the top of your foot, around the calf and the ankles and see what he says.  He just built me two pairs of the front greaves, one blued.

  

[Sir William]

Yes, it is in fact your fault, my good Brother!

[Sir James A]

Yes, it is in fact your fault, my good Brother!

You can thank me later.

[Sir Wolf]

lol

[Sir Ulrich]

I wanted a pair of Merc Tailor front greaves, but I would have to measure them over padded and mailled chausses. Maybe I should message Al about it because I'm sure wearing them over my chausses would make them easier to put on. I already got the knee cops and elbow cops from him through sheer luck.

I'd drop him a line...wearing your leggings as well as your chausses, take your measurements from knee to the top of your foot, around the calf and the ankles and see what he says.  He just built me two pairs of the front greaves, one blued.

I just sent him a message on facebook about it. I hope he replies because I rather like the look of those plate greaves and I DONT think they would be out of place for late 1200s early 1300s. They DID have early coat of plates by 1250 AD but most of them were worn UNDER the hauberk which leads them to be hidden, I dont think it would be out of place to have plate front greaves by 1300 AD which is the era I am currently doing.

[Sir William]

You're absolutely right, Ulrich- plate front greaves, or schynbalds if you prefer, are perfectly acceptable for 13thC onwards (1200AD on).  You'll need them to your measurements, though- if you don't tell him, he'll build it according to his measurements and he's a bit taller and heavier than you are.

Do you have a reference or link for the statement

They DID have early coat of plates by 1250 AD but most of them were worn UNDER the hauberk which leads them to be hidden

- I ask because I'd love to read about that.  That is not to say I disbelieve you, just that I have never heard that in the research tomes I've bothered to crack so it is of interest to say the least.  It would also seem to be counterproductive, as maille's strength is that it conforms to the body and not the other way around; having something as hard and unyielding as steel beneath it would (and this is just my humble opinion) render at least some of maille's protective properties moot.

I am sure one of my more learned brethren will correct me if I'm wrong.

[Sir Ulrich]

http://www.myarmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=28317
I read it there, there was also this norwegian dude who posted stuff about coat of plates being worn under a hauberk, usually it was just a bunch of plates riveted to cloth or leather that did not overlap and the maille over it stopped your enemies from thrusting between the plates. Thats why I think they didnt just make shirts of plates riveted to cloth or leather instead of maille. The chinese I know did make brigandines of that similar type for their soldiers in the roman era, but with a thrusting weapon you could easily thrust in between the plates, sure it's easier to make but maille seems more effective as a defense.

[Sir William]

Well, it is actually quite easy to thrust into maille...how far you'll get depends on the quality of the rings, the pointiness of the weapon and the supporting garments under the hauberk, if by itself.

One common misconception is that maille armor will stop this or that sort of blow- I find that it is more likely to have been a preventive measure, one that obviously helped, but wasn't by itself a guarantee...think of it more as a way to leverage the odds of survival more in your favor than going w/out armor.

[Sir Gerard de Rodes]

Very nice Sir William. The splinted armour looks great.
G.

[Lord Dane]

Early plate armor like a CoP (attached to leather) was best over or in unison with rivoted maille and a thickly-padded gambeson. Then if you added plate armored pieces such as 3/4 arms, legs/greaves, spaulders, gorget, etc., I think that made the most of a transitional armor kit for the 1300's. Asian Lamellar & Roman Lorica Segmentatas utilized the overlayed plate system very effectively in their peak periods.

[Sir William]

Thank you, Sir Gerard...it looks even better when all put together, just haven't snapped any pics yet.  But I will!