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Main => The Armoury => Topic started by: Sir Ulrich on 2010-12-18, 22:50:49
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Ok so I got a mail hauberk coming in, but I'm wondering what to do for leg protection. I don't know if I should get chausses for leg protection. I mean I spent a ton of money on the hauberk I could get matching chausses from icefalcon armory. Maybe I should go for splinted greaves only place I know that sells them for a decent price is merc tailor but I am unsure of the dimensions if they'd fit my really skinny legs. I would like to get the GDFB padded cuisses but the size is a bit excessive, Maybe just get them modified by a tailor and then I'd be fine I think.
Now for a fitting coif am unsure if I could just buy some rings and make my own integrated coif by modifying the hauberk or just buy a ready made blackened coif. They only sell them in large size which I don't know the dimensions. I just want a blackened coif to match the hauberk. Don't want butted mail either.
As for knee and elbow protection I would probably go for merc tailor elbow and knee cops. They seem decent enough and I probably could get them in black to match the mail.
Anyone got any suggestions on what I could do?
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do u have a picture or a time frame/ erc you are going for? a certain look ?
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Agree you might want to consider narrowing down within 50 years or so of what timeline you want to base your harness off.
If you are going early to mid 1200's than maille all the way. Later in the 13th C was when the various plate pieces started to emerge.
You know you could do something truly unique and use Cuir Boilli pieces over the maille instead of steel. :)
http://www.amtgard-eh.com/library/howtocuir.html (http://www.amtgard-eh.com/library/howtocuir.html)
http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc-carlson/leather/hl.html (http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc-carlson/leather/hl.html)
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One thing to also consider is versatility, as this is an expensive hobby. For example, you might get more mileage out of a coif as opposed to an integrated hood on your haubrek should you want to change periods at some point. As far as what kind of look to go for, I've found it's much easier to browse effigies and period art until you find something that strikes your fancy, then use those dates to determine what combinations you can get away with. Here's a link that might help:
http://www.gothiceye.com/pictures.asp?categoryID=3&offset=18 (http://www.gothiceye.com/pictures.asp?categoryID=3&offset=18)
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Riveted mail will also be quite a bit harder to work with than butted mail, I agree with having a separate coif. A FANTASTIC effigy website is http://www.effigiesandbrasses.com/.
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ya, u can always wear your coif's mantle under your hauberk and it looks attached. :)
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Great link, Sir James!
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I'm mainly trying to portray a late 1200s early 1300s knight or man-at-arms, mostly mail but some plate parts such as elbow cops and knee cops. But I am kinda drawn to the Morgan Bible's style stuff, just wanna do a slightly darker version of what they did, like a black knight sort of deal. Only issue is I am a bit on the skinny side so most one size fits all stuff won't fit me as well as it would a typical person.
Yeah I may just buy a separate coif. Dunno when they'll get regular sized coifs in stock at Icefalcon armory, but I have a fairly large head so maybe large would suit me. The helmet type I'd prefer would maybe be a quality Transitional or Great helm, not sure if knights used kettle helms, otherwise I'd use a kettle helm.
This arm armor is a bit of what I want, at least the bracers http://www.medievalcollectibles.com/p-3134-14th-century-knights-full-arm-armour.aspx
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If you're going for plate parts, talk to Allan at Merc Tailor...he'll make them according to your measurements so you needn't worry about fitment. So long as the measurements are accurate (take them over all of your gear that would normally be under the armor).
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So he makes custom fitted plate? How much does it go for typically? Cause thats actually exactly what I want because it would probably fit me best. All I really want at the moment is thigh armor and splinted greaves.
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well 1200-1300 is a large span. not a ton of plate is involved yet. mostly still just mail hauberks, coifs and chausis, soupcan knees. if you moved your thoughts towards 1300-1360 you can do the splinted and plate pieces along with lots of mail. such as: mail hauberk, mail chausis, splinted or plate legs, splinted or plate arms, coat of plates over hauberk for body, and bassinets with aventails alone or with great helmets
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This arm armor is a bit of what I want, at least the bracers http://www.medievalcollectibles.com/p-3134-14th-century-knights-full-arm-armour.aspx
CRAP! Those splinted rerebraces look great! :o
~ Hey Allan I think I’ll be adding to that custom work request I mentioned in my last PM to you! ;)
I also agree with Sir Wolf. You will definitely have to adjust your timeline into the early 14th C if you want to add splinted or plate pieces.
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I did a pair of splinted rebraces for somebody like six yeras ago. I don't know if I still have the templates around, i'll look.
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ya you would do better to go with a splinted arm from Merc Tailor than those. I'm betting the leather isn't the best. that look definitely is in the 14th century hehe
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Yeah it would have to be Allan’s work since 90% of my splinted stuff is from him, something along the same style has the vambraces, greaves and gorget I have now. :)
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So he makes custom fitted plate? How much does it go for typically? Cause thats actually exactly what I want because it would probably fit me best. All I really want at the moment is thigh armor and splinted greaves.
I got the vambraces and greaves all told for less than $200, and I opted for the heavier gauge steel w/brass rivets affixed to heavy grade brown leather. Later on, I got the gorget in the same configuration...as you can tell, Sir Brian has the same one I do but he chose black leather. Allan's work is top notch...before I had these, I had the plate bracers and greaves from his site too but wanted a different look so I went with the splinted pieces. I also picked up a pair of his espauliers after having a pair of simple cops and wanting more shoulder protection- because I thought it looked better. I was right, it does. You can't go wrong with MT.
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Well I'll consider it after Christmas and whatnot. Once I get myself a job and whatnot I'll have enough to save up for it. I love how the splinted stuff looks and getting it for a good price and custom made sounds like a good deal. Splinted stuff is hard to find elsewhere and I like how his stuff looks rather accurate.
Maybe I'll make my persona early to mid 1300s but I will use some old fashioned equipment such as a full mail hauberk and whatnot. I thought they had splinted armor in the Viking age though. Personally I think it would protect better than chausses as mail is only useful at defending against cuts and thrusts and is close to useless against blunt force trauma. I'd hate to get hit in the arm or shin with a mace or sword with only chausses on, the blunt impact may break a bone or 2 while splinted armor would probably protect better against blunt trauma if it was thick enough.
I would also like a coat of plates but maybe I am thinking too far ahead, would be heavy and hot wearing all that over mail and whatnot anyway. From what I gather plate is hotter than mail is as mail breathes and plate does not. No wonder the only crusades that succeeded were the ones in the age of mail.
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Actually, the only crusade that even thought about success was the first...the rest were bouts of foolishness interspersed with lapses of stupidity....
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Easy to say that now...I'd be willing to bet that it didn't present itself to them as thus, Sir Andrew, at the time.
Sir Ulrich, are you preparing to enter the lists of a battle organization like the SCA? Or are you putting together a battle ready kit simply because you want to?
That's what I did, so I am not being condescending- just asking.
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Unless you are planning on fighting in your kit, I would go with the maille. You seem to be going for a "darker" look with your kit. This is super easy to attain with maille. Don't buy it black, just get it about the same colour as iron. Check out GDFB for that. I would reccomend early 14th century/late 13th
Buy GDFB gamboised ciusses (they come in black for the "look" ;))
Get a surcoat made. Make it good 'n dark, like your COA.
Get a coif that matches the maille. and go for the greathelm, w/ a skullcap underneath the coif. and reccomended arming cap.
Get thyself a sizable shield, get it painted in your COA.
and seriously go for the greathelm. It's uber-intimidating and would match the "dark" look perfectly in the right colour.
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Well I got Icefalcon blackened mail on the way. Would of gotten GDFB mail but the sizes wouldn't fit me, considering I'm skinny and medium sized, most of their stuff is for large to extra large sized people apart from the shoes and helmets. I bought a surcoat from them and it literally was too wide and went down to my ankles. But cloth is easy to tailor but mail is not (unless you're experienced with riveting mail). Not sure about the padded cuisses but I may get them so I can tailor them so they fit my skinny legs. Thats why I got the Icefalcon stuff, it would probably fit me better and not be so baggy... Not sure about the coifs though, I wouldn't mind getting one of those, just want it so the riveting matches my hauberk. I'd actually prefer a painted great helm with a red cross on the faceplate and a crow or raven on the top as a crest. Would suit my coat of arms pretty well. Maybe I'll buy one of those cheap deepeeka blank shields and paint it cause I don't want to repaint my current shield as I want to also have a templar knight persona as well. I'd basically be the "black knight" of the modern chivalry team.
I do plan to fight but not in the SCA, I am thinking Markland because I don't care much for how the SCA armor or fighting looks or runs... If I ever do the SCA I'll just get boiled leather armor and will put the mail OVER it so it's hidden, and i'll wear either a transitional or great helm cause I don't care for grilled helmets...
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. I thought they had splinted armor in the Viking age though.
well no not really viking. it's more pre-viking like Vandal or Saxon cultures that had them in the 6-7th centuries if I'm not mistaken. and they are more like long metal stripes with possibly no leather backing other than a connecting strap. (this is a widely accepted configuration of the found pieces anyways) they think it was on forearm and chin type armour
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Yeah. Splinted was before the Viking period. It's really chic for vendel though :P
Anyway, sounds like a cool look.
Geez, will I be the ONLY guy not sporting a great helm or shield at our get togethers? ::)
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Yeah. Splinted was before the Viking period. It's really chic for vendel though :P
Anyway, sounds like a cool look.
Geez, will I be the ONLY guy not sporting a great helm or shield at our get togethers? ::)
LOL, no, I have a late-era gothic white harness and a 15th/16th-ish field plate one as well.
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ha, depends on what i'm in the mood for that day as to what kit i'm gonna use ;) hmmm maybe a lime painted nekked pict? heheheh jkjk
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Don't worry Sir Nathan, I don't have a great helm either. I do have two shields and plan to make two more this year, though.
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ha, depends on what i'm in the mood for that day as to what kit i'm gonna use ;) hmmm maybe a lime painted nekked pict? heheheh jkjk
Well you could pull it off now that you lost all that weight! :D
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Yeah. Splinted was before the Viking period. It's really chic for vendel though :P
Anyway, sounds like a cool look.
Geez, will I be the ONLY guy not sporting a great helm or shield at our get togethers? ::)
That is a possibility Sir Nathan...although I might be in the same boat since I'm doing a later period kit. Sort of. No greathelm or shield with this one yet.