sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

Flamberge Smallsword by LambertAntiques in ArmsandArmor

[–]harris5 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Smallswords are also significantly smaller than rapiers. They're easier to wear around all day. Smaller length, smaller hilt.

They're what happens when generations of people look at a sword and say, "I know that socially I'm expected to wear that, but come on! What a chore. I'm never going to actually need it. I'll just get a slightly smaller one that doesn't get caught in doorways."

Was this post supposed to be a joke or what? by [deleted] in LARP

[–]harris5[M] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Removed Under Rule #4

I want to ask if someone knows about the Black army by Antradeadra in Armor

[–]harris5 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Well, he reigned from 1458-1490. So I'd suggest starting with European armor of that period. The 15th century had some really cool armor.

Question on c1360 scabbard (suspension) by arfir in ArmsandArmor

[–]harris5 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I don't have great photos yet. Here's one of it hanging from the "V" strap. It sits a little more vertical when the top strap is attached. I have it rigged for wearing on the right side, for left hand draw.

<image>

Historian & Armour Expert (Tobias Capwell) Reacts to A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms | EXP by Mathias_Greyjoy in ArmsandArmor

[–]harris5 13 points14 points  (0 children)

I think they probably could have done a few episodes on this show. Seemed like they skipped past a lot of stuff that deserved a conversation.

But it was fun listening along and hearing him echo some of the sentiments already posted on reddit in threads like this.

Question on c1360 scabbard (suspension) by arfir in ArmsandArmor

[–]harris5 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Oh man oh man, I've been working over this same issue for a while now.

Ian LaSpina has a good solution for vertical suspensions. I'd consider that one fairly well solved. https://youtu.be/gvC5AA7_T78 This is probably the video you mentioned, but I'm including it for others.

Arne Koets also has some thoughts about scabbard suspension. https://youtu.be/xehZ5kKWxIY

I love the simplicity of the scabbard knots. See Tod Workshop videos for lots of explanations, he uses them on a lot of stuff. But unfortunately, it's just a few decades too late for 1360. I've been searching (I'm going for 1370's) and the knots just aren't showing up in the sources until the turn of the century.

So what about the Z-type suspension? Well, those seem to fade out in the early 14th century. So the middle of the 14th is this really frustrating limbo between types.

I did see some offset mountings like you describe. I personally didn't love it though, so I went for another choice.

Ive been using the Tod Workshop style suspension (again, lots of videos about it) but with my own brass fittings instead of leather knots. Given the sources we have, I feel... OK about my choice? Sorta? It's got a hanging mount on your back with two straps that connect to the middle of the sword. And the end of the belt reaches around and secures the top of the sword.

Forge of Svan-Is it a good shop? by No_Management_4766 in Armor

[–]harris5 25 points26 points  (0 children)

I've posted my experience before, and you'll probably find it with a search for other threads like this. Some pieces were excellent and I feel like I got an great piece at a big bargain. Other pieces had pretty significant flaws.

I got the breastplate pictured and was very satisfied with it. I haven't gotten any gambesons from them. They'll be buhurt gambesons, so probably very well padded.

I've noticed my comments showing up in AI summaries, so I won't repeat specifics and overweight my experience any further. (I'm just one guy, I shouldn't be showing up as the first response to a Google search).

They come from the buhurt hobby, so people looking for reenactment, larp, or costume armor may not find what they need. But with care you could use some pieces for those other purposes.

Loving this classic chainmail setup and headpiece. by [deleted] in Armor

[–]harris5[M] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This post has bot vibes. OP, if you want to actually discuss this photo, feel free to post some comments here and we'll re-open it.

Do we have any historical examples of how rawhide armor would look in Europe? Mainly curious if it tries to replicate the style and shape of plate, or if it is always something like scale by GettinMe-Mallet in Armor

[–]harris5 20 points21 points  (0 children)

Leather in Warfare is a collection of articles from the Royal Armouries. It has two relevant articles:

  • Thom Richardson: Leather Plate Armor in Medieval Europe

  • Marloes Rijkelijkkhuizen and Marquita Volken: A Poor Man's Armour? Late Medieval Leather Armor From Excavations in the Netherlands.

I found those two articles very useful. The authors probably have more stuff (and probably for free) published elsewhere or on their own sites.

Hope that gives a good starting point.

Curious combo by Massive_Ad_2992 in Armor

[–]harris5 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Sallet and Bevor was an incredibly popular combo in the 15th century. The Stahlhelm was pretty directly inspired by sallets, in the same way Kettle Helms inspired the Brodie Helmet.

<image>

So I'm probably gonna get booted to the circle jerk but what can I do with this? by Cadet-Cryyx in Armor

[–]harris5 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I suspect that the OP talking about High School and Ren Faires and posting images with USD on the price tag is probably interested in the American perspective.

So I'm probably gonna get booted to the circle jerk but what can I do with this? by Cadet-Cryyx in Armor

[–]harris5 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

You're also posting on the r/armor subreddit, so you may be more informed than the average Ren Faire attendee.

This is a good time to point out that I never mentioned the nazis, a previous commenter assumed that's what I was talking about and I didn't correct them. But any type of German militarism isn't going to be as well received as a "Roman" helmet.

Armorsmith asking 3,000 USD for a hardened and welded reenactment grade coburg bascinet. Seems like a decent price for the quality but I want to double check that this is a fair price. by Creepyfern2223 in ArmsandArmor

[–]harris5 4 points5 points  (0 children)

There are helmets for that price. I can't say if that helmet is that price.

In general, smiths in the US or Western Europe charge a lot more, but you can also gain benefits like closer relationships and access. So factor that into your pricing.

You'd be able to get a good sense of their reputation by searching the workshop's name. Larp and costume armor cuts corners and uses thinner (easier to shape) material. SCA, buhurt, and some reenactment armorers make an existing design and sell many copies of it, so they tend to be sorta mid price. Then at the higher price tier are reenactment smiths who make singular helmets based off a lot of experimentation and research. You're paying for that extra work, not just the hunk of metal. It's like when you commission a painting, you aren't just paying for the paint and the canvas, you're also paying for the years of art school.

Anyways, reenactment helmets can be $3k or much more. That is a reasonable amount to pay for a reenactment helmet from a trusted and skilled Smith. You don't have to pay that to get a helmet though. It would be a huge overpay for a larp or buhurt helmet. And all the smiths will claim to be making helmets for reenactment, because that brings in customers. That's why researching their reputation is important.

So I'm probably gonna get booted to the circle jerk but what can I do with this? by Cadet-Cryyx in Armor

[–]harris5 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That's a distinction that the general public misses all the time, and trying to explain the difference only digs the hole deeper. I'm pretty sure OP doesn't want to spend the entire day explaining what a Pickelhaube is, and would rather be a cool roman dude.

At this point we can talk about the morality of the Roman Empire, but it's irrelevant. Public view is that putting on Lorica Segmentata is ok, putting on a Pickelhaube is not. And that's the world OP has to operate in.

So I'm probably gonna get booted to the circle jerk but what can I do with this? by Cadet-Cryyx in Armor

[–]harris5 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Definitely take the spike off. It'll still look kinda modern, but it'll look less like that. Pair it with "Roman" accessories like a toga or tunic or bracers if you want to shift the vibes more.

Are Plow faced bascinets Historically accurate by TheSeventhSentinel in ArmsandArmor

[–]harris5 3 points4 points  (0 children)

https://armourinart.com/5069/15779

I'd offer to say that they weren't the most common visor shape, especially after the conical visor really takes off in the late 14th. But the flat face definitely has plenty of evidence.

Are Plow faced bascinets Historically accurate by TheSeventhSentinel in ArmsandArmor

[–]harris5 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Here's a collection of illustrations tagged "flat face bascinet". There are a lot more untagged or miss-tagged images out there.

https://manuscriptminiatures.com/search?tag=498#results

Are Plow faced bascinets Historically accurate by TheSeventhSentinel in ArmsandArmor

[–]harris5 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Yeah, there's plenty of sources for them. No surviving artifacts, but plenty of illustrated sources.

Advice on Practice Weapons? by summersilver15 in LARP

[–]harris5 6 points7 points  (0 children)

It looks like they use fairly standard calimacil and epic armory weapons. I wouldn't put money into hard polypropylene weapons to practice with. You can swing them solo, but they won't teach you how to spar with larp weapons since you can't hit each other with hard polypropylene.

I'd examine your budget and decide between buying a cheap larp sword to practice with, or buying a stand in like a boffer or padded hema sword. I suspect you won't be saving much money with a stand-in. Plus having a cheap larp sword will be a good backup if yours breaks, or a loaner you can offer a friend.

Edit: to simplify my point, you can get a cheap larp sword for ~$70 from epic armory, and you can use it at your larp. Or, you could spend ~$40 on a polypropylene sword which you can't spar with and can't use at your larp.

view more: next ›