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Main => The Armoury => Topic started by: ECOX on 2011-07-26, 02:52:40
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Gentlemen, I have started making an "kit". Is that the right word for it? This is what I have assembled so far without doing research into it. This was my second year going to ren faires and I want look right. I have some better boots ordered, plan on doing something about the screen printed cross, and starting to construct a new more accurate coif. I would welcome some input from all of you. I do keep myself on a budget or I would get out of control.
Second question, I am making a torse, were they ever worn over the coif?
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Welcome to the Forum!
Are you portraying a Templar? Because you are bearing their insignia.
I personally am of the The Order of The Teutonic Knights of St.
Mary's Hospital in Jerusalem.
AKA Teutonic Knights.
First off, research is absolutely free! I know, if you impulse buy and later find out you wasted your money, you feel like a bloody idiot. Trust me. Been there.
First, what are you going for? Date, region, persona, modern uses for the kit, ect.
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Ah another Templar, well lemme walk you through on a bit of what they do. Most templar/crusader era knights used maille, so you got it right doing the coif and maille shirt. The helmet I'm not EXACTLY sure is accurate but it depends on the century you're going for. First crusade I believe they didn't even use great helm type helms. But if you're going for the third crusade I'm pretty sure it's period. You should get your hands on either a kite of heater shield as well unless your sword is a 2 hander which it looks like from the pics. I would also suggest some simple leather gloves or mittens to go over your hands, or if you have the time and patience make some maille mittens or gloves. If you're going for the late 13th century/ 14th century templar look then you could also get some pieces of plate as well, mainly in the knee cops and possibly schynbalds (early greaves). Hope this helps you.
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As others have pointed out, it looks like you're going Templar. I'm not 100% sure how they did the crosses on the surcoats most of the time, but in general, appliques AND silk-screening are both period methods. But I think an applique would have been much more common.
A torse is typically worn (with a mantle) on a Great Helm, or a Sugarloaf (which you have). The period dates work out OK. Torses started to come into appearance around the end of the 13th, and through the 14th Century. The Sugarloafs are late 13th through early 14th, and typically worn with mail and a surcoat.
One thing I'd recommend, if you haven't done it already, is to make or buy a fabric arming cap to wear under the coif. It's more historically accurate, and it keeps your hair from getting tangled in the rings. If you get riveted mail, you'll find this to be important, since the rivets tend to catch hair a lot more than butt links.
If you want to go all out with this particular look, the mail hauberks in the 13th were typically almost knee-length, and had full-length sleeves that ended in an integrated mitten. The coif was sometimes worn under the hauberk to keep the shoulder-mantle portion of it from flapping around. But not always. You can wear it either way and be correct.
As you get into the 14th, the hauberks started to be replaced with haubergeons with half-sleeves and hanging to the thigh in length. This was to accommodate early plate components, that at first were simple plates strapped over the mail, slowly evolving into complete plate armor. But the Templars were wiped out in 1307, so they never went too far into that. (Remember, 14th Century = 1300's)
For the legs, you can get away with just tights/hose and simple ankle boots. But ideally for a complete kit, some leg armor would help. You can get padded cuisses pretty cheaply (GDFB for instance), but you may need to resize them. The GDFB ones are pretty large. Mail chausses are available from places like Ice Falcon, but they cost a bit, and it's worth getting the riveted ones if you go that route, since mail on your legs gets pulled and tugged a lot more than other places on your body, so you don't want it coming apart on you.
A relatively inexpensive way to do the legs is the GDFB padded legs, and maybe some splinted greaves to wear on your shins.
It looks like you're off to a great start!
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Welcome to the forums, Ecox...looks like you're off to a great start. The arms and armor bug has bitten us all...let the madness begin. ;)
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Everyone else has covered the few things I could suggest. Welcome to the forums!
Which renn faire(s) do you frequent?
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welcome
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Thanks for your welcome and ideas. @ Sir Nathan: after reading Sir Edwards post, and working with what I have I guess I will lean towards the late 13th. I like this time frame because I am drawn to maile. What I wear I have made myself. My use is purely for looks and renning, no fighting or reenactments involved.
@ Sir Edward; thanks for all the info. I like the padded cuisess you suggested. @ James; I live in Oklahoma, The wife (who also likes to dress up and go) and I have attended the faires of Muskogee Oklahoma and The Kansas City Renaissance Faire, along with a couple of other local small ones.
I did mis speak in my post. I have attended faires off and on for about ten years but started going in gear about two years ago. This year we bought season tickets to Muskogee and only missed 1 of 14 days, and that was Mother's day.
The fever has set in hard now. Thanks again and I look forward to reading some of the past post.
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Hello and welcome ECOX.
IMHO you can`t beat the 13th century crusader look for your first kit. Looking good so far. ;)
G.
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Hello and welcome to the forum! Many of the suggestions I would make has already been covered. Happy armor hording! :)
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Or simply make the best of the disease you now have :P
IT WILL......CONSUME YOU!
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I do keep myself on a budget or I would get out of control.
Do tell us more of this "budget" you speak of! Is it like a strong willed steed that you must stay mounted on to retain control? ;)
Welcome and well met ECOX! :) The best advice is to take it slow and do your research before taking action. As others have stated, I too have been a victim of my purchasing impulses. :-[ Secondary sources, such as this and similar internet forums, will lead you to primary sources.
Start with your soft kit. Mine is a mess of wrong fabrics, patterns and eras that I'm correcting slowly, but surely. Buy a decent sewing machine (used if possible) and learn to use it. You will save enough coin to allow for a nice armour purchase down the road!
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Thank you Lord Rodney. I have been doing some reading of the older post on here and have picked up alot of good ideas, advice and resources. Definitely doing more research. As in my surcoat, the Templar (all though I love the look) is about 50 years earlier then I would like to be in. I would like a few pieces of plate but mainly the floating (is that right?) pieces like knee and elbow cops. I make my maille so I am partial to it compared to plate. So far I have assembled what I have for under $400.00. So now it is time to research and take the next step, slowly. So far I am thinking that I would like to devide my current kit into 2 kits, one a more proper early Templar and then a coat of arms based knight of the later 14th century. Again thanks for all the help already from all of you here on the forum. Tomorrow I go wire shopping to begin a better coif.
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It seems most of our knights in our order go for the late 13th early 14th century look, so you'll fit right in with us. And yes the 13th century the only pieces of plate were knee cops and elbow cops. Sometimes knights did have coat of plates over their maille or schynbalds over their maille chausses.
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For myself, I'm heading towards late 14th C so I can have the plate parts (arms, legs) but maille is still going to featured of course.