Main > The Armoury
new member, new harness
westcoastgio:
so, first things first, I know I did everything wrong. Everything.
I bought things out of order. I bought cheap crap to save money. I compromised my vision for my wallet.
My preferred weapon system is probably incongruous with the harness I am aiming toward.
My first purchase was the cool looking (in my opinion) pauldrons and gorget. I got them from a website, off the shelf. they don't seem to fit right, and I am certain they are so inaccurate and unhistorical that it makes your eyes hurt as much as they make my shoulders hurt.
I have an unpainted metal heater shield from the same website, and a mediocre arming sword that are not pictured.
I got a local SCA blacksmith to make the cuirass, I am mostly happy with that piece. I have no idea what period if any it would fit in with.
after those purchases I finally looked into arming wear... and ended up with a sleeveless boxlike garment better suited for mail than my harness.
and then I got that helm, it was free, but I hate it. I hate the flat top. I hate the weight.
I just paid for a custom arming cotte that can actually be used for pointing. my next purchase is going to be a set of arms... from a blacksmith this time!
I am in the process of converting a pair of butted mail sheep-shearing blankets into a paunce and voiders.
my goal is something that fits the "rule of cool" over accuracy, that would be fight legal (with minimal pieces of exchange) for SCA and similar organizations.
I am interested in at least knowing when and where I am being horribly inaccurate. I welcome and request any and all pointers, critiques and criticism.
I cant figure out how to make my picture small enough to post so here is the dropbox link for it: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ir4glyx344rsfhl/20150830_135314.jpg?dl=0
Sir James A:
The cuirass looks nice, and would be early in the "transitional" period since it doesn't have a fauld or peaked front. Does it have a back plate too?
Arming garments is good, that should be the first thing to take care of. Work inside to outside for best results.
For SCA / rule of cool, I'll defer that to some of the SCA guys we have on here.
westcoastgio:
It is actually an articulated sculpted piece. my blacksmith had rejected the backplate for his personal set, because a couple of the sculptural elements didn't make him happy. he knocked down the price, and the time for the cuirass.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/vk3p6fqst39xp2c/DSC03257.JPG?dl=0
I have recently learned that a huge amount of hollywoodism has infected me, so I am running out and trying to educate myself. I'm still more into looks over accuracy, but I want to know where I have chosen looks over history.
edited pic and typo
Sir Rodney:
Welcome from a SCAdian hailing from the lands of mosquitoes and hockey (Nordskogen, Northshield). I know you’ll find a wide range of medieval related interests and viewpoints here, as I have.
Don’t beat yourself up about early acquisitions as that’s a road that many, if not all of us, have traveled. It must be in our genes to run out and get the shiny thing that first grabs our attention. In fact that may not be such a bad thing as it drives you to read and learn more, and more, and more…
Do, and purchase, what makes you happy. If you strive for kit that screams 1381 Prague with authentic materials and craftsmanship, then knock yourself out. If you’re more of a Ren Fest / WMA / SCA / LARP / whatever guy, then follow your happiness.
--- Quote from: westcoastgio ---my goal is something that fits the "rule of cool" over accuracy, that would be fight legal (with minimal pieces of exchange) for SCA and similar organizations.
--- End quote ---
The phrase “rule of cool” is new to me (I’m an old guy), but I understand the concept well. I think you can have the best of both worlds, and you’ve already started with the arming coat. Use that foundation to build your kit. I recommend (to no one’s surprise) a mid to late 14th century kit of French, English or Germanic origin. This period saw rapid armour development with regional variations. Minimal changes would be necessary to practice SCA rattan, SCA cut-and-thrust, Harnischfechten or LARP.
I’m currently replacing butted mail bits with riveted mail as picking up rings after every practice and war is getting very old. ;)
westcoastgio:
I think, at 36 I qualify as an old guy too!
trying to localize it to a region is kinda tough. the ideas in my head are too infused with hollywoodism. My only known European ancestry is Scottish, which to my knowledge copied British styles. Unfortunately for this hobby, my Choctaw ancestors never strapped on cool looking chunks of metal for me to copy today. ;)
once I have erased some of my hollywoodism I will start narrowing it down to a region, era, and social strata.
if my other hobbies are any indication I am about to end up with several harnesses.
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