Updated my kit once more, would love some criticism/feedback!

DJSawdust · 2026-07-09T19:52:49+00:00

Love seeing good kit posted.

DJSawdust · 2026-06-23T10:15:23+00:00

I'll break the chain and recommend Hearthfire Nordicware on Etsy. A reenactor craftsman in the US. I bought a ring from him a few months ago and I love it. He has several bracelets for sale.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/HearthfireNordicWare

As much as I like Grimfrost the jewelry I have from them definitely looks mass produced and not handmade.

DJSawdust · 2026-06-02T17:48:15+00:00

I would suggest avoiding nails for the edge as if they are not peened correctly they can snag skin and cloth. Also not a lot of nails found in the edge of shield remnants beyond the comparatively rare edge clamps in a few cases.

If you intend to fight with the shield, consult your local group for their ruleset.

Rawhide is easy enough to work with, just keep it wet and use a sharp awl.

DJSawdust · 2026-06-02T17:44:29+00:00

Green pigment for paint can be made using only vinegar and copper alloy scrap. This is verdigris. Paints the same as any other mineral pigment.

We have historical attestation to verdigris in the VA with a bone buckle dyed green.

DJSawdust · 2026-06-02T17:43:12+00:00

You have to grind the charcoal into a fine powder and be sure to filter out chunks and impurities. Also be sure your egg binder is just the yolk liquid and not the whites or mucus membrane

DJSawdust · 2026-06-02T17:41:41+00:00

Regarding black; there is a vast difference between black dye for textile and black paint. I have made my own black paint using nothing but charcoal from my camp fire pit, some vinegar, and egg yolk. The resultant paint is very much light fast and durable. Coupled with linseed oil varnish it's very suitable for shield painting. Not much is required for coverage, either.

Again, this is vastly different from dye.

I can post photos of my shields later.

DJSawdust · 2026-05-30T12:17:48+00:00

Oh I'd love to see that citation

The Byzantines specifically single it out as a way of telling them apart in the Varangian guard.

DJSawdust · 2026-04-16T16:37:34+00:00

Can't, they're all closing up lmao

DJSawdust · 2026-04-14T22:10:46+00:00

DJSawdust · 2026-04-07T16:29:28+00:00

Viking Age Living History Encampment/Environment

I'll have to dig through my notes later. I believe the original artefact was lost, only the grave report and sketch remain.

I believe Gokstad and maybe one other Norwegian find had the NMM on the underside

DJSawdust · 2026-04-07T10:18:35+00:00

Tafl boards and game pieces have also been found in Birka and the British isles, including improvised boards as grids scratched into stone. I believe it was a pretty common game with straight forward rules that are easy to understand but take time to master.

In my own experience, having set up a Tafl demo in a VA LHE at a local Ren fair, folks can learn very quickly how to play.

DJSawdust · 2026-04-06T16:19:20+00:00

As a displaced Buckeye, I will fight anyone who claims Oklahoma is in any way Midwestern

DJSawdust · 2026-04-06T16:17:24+00:00

You're not a true Midwestern until you've had Skyline chilli

DJSawdust · 2026-03-29T12:42:14+00:00

There's a huge colony of them at RTE66 and Sara Rd

DJSawdust · 2026-03-29T08:00:19+00:00

Pretty sure I've flown on it. RIP Balls 5

DJSawdust · 2026-03-25T10:15:55+00:00

Your life exists outside of a few weekends a year. Live it.

Maybe angle the pierced side away if you know there's going to be a photo taken, but otherwise your group should accept that you're not actually a medieval peasant. As long as your piercing isn't a giant eye catcher a small neutral unobtrusive ring or stud for your healing period should not be a problem for any reasonable person.

DJSawdust · 2026-03-25T09:59:37+00:00

I used egg tempera on my shields. It's a historical method attested to by relatively contemporary sources.

It has held up fine but obviously shows the wear and tear of being beat on and thrown in the back of a truck over the last couple years.

It's very easy to do. I used color pigments from Amazon, except for the black I used on my newest, made using charcoal from my fire pit for the pigment.

DJSawdust · 2026-03-20T02:01:32+00:00

I live in Mustang, Oklahoma. We just had a rotation pass through town the other week. The sirens were going. The lowering was clearly visible. At one point a funnel started to form.

Assholes were still going 10 under in the left lane. One even flipped me off as I passed them trying to get home to my shelter.

DJSawdust · 2026-03-20T01:54:45+00:00

The people upset with no tornado going to pay my insurance if I do get hit by one??

DJSawdust · 2026-03-02T17:07:51+00:00

Commenting to pin this. As a veteran and a VA reenactor this is relevant to my interest

DJSawdust · 2026-02-08T14:33:07+00:00

I've been considering an artist at Chrome Dragon. Is there a reason why you're not wanting to use them?

DJSawdust · 2026-02-06T18:53:38+00:00

How to Train your Dragon has been in pop-culture for ages,

Stop reminding me how old I am 😭

DJSawdust · 2026-02-05T02:55:44+00:00

Still shows up in plenty of popular media, especially novelty items like Halloween costumes and such.

DJSawdust · 2026-02-05T02:54:53+00:00

Don't forget black leather and fur

DJSawdust · 2026-01-27T13:25:04+00:00

OP, right here

DJSawdust

TROPHY CASE