Improving my faire kit

[Sir Wolf]

man, my faire kit needs some serious upgrading.  Looking at those pictures last year I went from hero to zero hehehe.  I did manage to buy a new helmet and am working on making a mail shirt with long tapered sleeves but thats all I've got.  I dunno what all to do to bring it up to Sir Ed and Sir Brian's level of par hehee.

any suggestions?

[Sir Edward]

Good question. Got any pics of the new helm? Thought about a crest+mantle+torse?

[Sir Wolf]

http://www.museumreplicas.com/popup.aspx?src=images/product/large/22_1_.jpg


yes i was thinking of it. just not sure about how to go about making it. colors are black and grey/er white means the same in heraldry

guess I need to make a new surcoat to match as well. hmmm

hmm what do u figure to make a surcoat? a yard of each color or 2?
http://www.fabrics-store.com/first.php?goto=big_fabric&menu=f&menu=f&fabric_id=26  white
http://www.fabrics-store.com/first.php?goto=big_fabric&menu=f&menu=f&fabric_id=103 black

anything else I should add?

[Sir Brian]

From the research I did concerning the mantle and torse, the mantle was typically the knight's primary
color and metal. The torse was the colors of your lady as the torse was originally suppose to be the
scarf of your lady's colors given to the knight as her favor which the kinght twists around his helm to
keep the mantle in place while he is on crusade. 

If your colors are black and white then may I suggest considering a checky/checker pattern
for at least the mantle. That pattern really stands out and has always been a favorite of mine.
I had considered it for my mantle originally but decided to do the torse in the black and white.

Do you have spurs? I will donate my old prick spurs to the cause if you want them. They are brass
and need to be polished after almost every use but they served me well, they are just a 100 years
past my harness's era. They are yours if you want them. 

[Sir Edward]

I forgot, you did show us the helm. Duh

For a surcoat in two colors, you need 2 yards of each color, minimum. Think of it this way, you need 4 or 5 feet of height, front and back (like if you were making a ghost costume from a sheet), so you might as well round up to 2 yards for each of front and back. You need more if you double up layers, add a lining, or whatever. I just usually use a single layer of linen, though my all-white one was two layers of muslin to get it to a good thickness. Linen comes in a variety of weights, so I'd stay away from the really lightweight stuff unless you want to layer it up or line it.

[Sir Wolf]

woah thats awesome Sir Brian! my humble thank yous would not even be enough for such a gift.


thanks for the surcoat thoughts.  the 5.3 weight is what I usually use for all of my linen needs. I was thinking of using the Surger around the edges and seams since linen has that fun way of unraveling hehehe.

my helmet dates from 1275 to 1300 AD so thats the range I think I may shoot for. so I think I really need to get moving on finishing the sleeves/mittens for my hauberk and then putting mail on my legs.... who wants to have a mail making party? hehehehe.

I also need to make a decent heater.  I just hope I can get that bloody curve right at the bottom.

the more I look at brass rubbing's the more it looks like the waist belt is really small (could be a rope belt even) and the sword belt is wide.... guess I gotta make one of those too.  any issues with the cut down, epoxied blades at the MDRF yet?

[Sir Edward]

Mail-making parties are a good idea. As long as it doesn't just turn into a purely social event, and people actually work on it, it's a great way to get things done. I still have more mail work to do on mine too.

You're right about the belts, from what I've seen. Most belts people wear to faire and the like are way too thick and wide. I'm guilty of this as well. Period belts tended to be much thinner and more flexible, with the sword belts being a bit heavier due to needed strength.

[Sir Wolf]

well catastrophe.  I was making my heather this morning and split the wood in half. UG!!!!!!!!!! So I'm trying to convince the wife to let me pick up one of these http://www.kultofathena.com/product~item~AH6758~name~Small+Medieval+Wooden+Shield.htm  I could redo the strapping or what have you since Sir Brian gave me the warnings.  now as far as the stencil, I can not find a large seashell nor a rampart lion. and the more I look the more I like the grey/silver (metal) vs just the white(metal)

and who'd a thunk I need a goat on top of my head anyone know of something that would work for that?

[Sir Edward]

Yeah, the shields from KoA are a very cost effective way to go. No idea on the goat.

[Sir Wolf]

maybe i'll make my helm have  a small beard hehe get it goattee hehe sorry

[Sir Wolf]

ordered the shield like Sir Brian. there not open till Tuesday so it'll be a week or so till thats here.

[Sir Wolf]

status update, I got the right mail sleeve finally to length. now all I have to do is sew it up and give it a good sand bath t get the oil off the rings I used.  we'll see how I feel about adding mittens or length to the hauberk after I figure out the legs.  ugg my fingers, ugg my BACK! I aint no spring chicken any more

[Sir Edward]

lol, yeah. When working on mail, I try to get into a groove, reclined back in front of the TV and working on the stuff in my lap, instead of hunched over it. With 2 pairs of bent needle-nose pliers, it doesn't mess up your fingers much.

[Sir Brian]

woah thats awesome Sir Brian! my humble thank yous would not even be enough for such a gift.


thanks for the surcoat thoughts.  the 5.3 weight is what I usually use for all of my linen needs. I was thinking of using the Surger around the edges and seams since linen has that fun way of unraveling hehehe.

my helmet dates from 1275 to 1300 AD so thats the range I think I may shoot for. so I think I really need to get moving on finishing the sleeves/mittens for my hauberk and then putting mail on my legs.... who wants to have a mail making party? hehehehe.

I also need to make a decent heater.  I just hope I can get that bloody curve right at the bottom.

the more I look at brass rubbing's the more it looks like the waist belt is really small (could be a rope belt even) and the sword belt is wide.... guess I gotta make one of those too.  any issues with the cut down, epoxied blades at the MDRF yet?

You are quite welcome to the spurs. Just drop me a personal message with your shipping address and
I'll get them in the mail for you. Good choice on the shield! I regretfully cannot offer you the the same
as I did for Sir Ed and get it painted for you because I have not had the access to the same resources
as I did then, nor does it look like I will anytime soon.   

As for a goat crest you could go with just the goat horns (then you'd be horny as a goat!) 
All puns aside that is a plausible alternative to representing a charge, i.e. having just a portion of the
charge represented.

As for the stencils you may have to go the way of Sir Ed and fabricate your own. His turned out most
magnificently!

As near as I can tell with MDRF and the cut and epoxied blades...they are still allowed. The security
may closely scrutinize you but I've found that they consider my and Ed's harnesses to be so fetching
that they loath to despoil the affect they have by denying us the whole ensemble. 

[Sir Brian]

Apologies for the double post but I wanted the links to be easier to access.

Here is are some possible goat figures:
http://www.catholicmedalsgifts.com/goat-figure-p-11208.html

http://www.stjudeshop.com/product/fontanini-nativity-standing-goat-figure/