How a Grad Student Shall be Armed
Thanks to Jan for snapping the photos!
My armor before it's on: Arms and legs by Mercenary's Tailor, helmet and flat-ring wedge-riveted mail by GDFB global, gauntlets by the Moore Brothers, greaves by Jeff Wasson (with Yours Truly doing the grunt work). Not all that expensive! Everything is mild steel except the gauntlets, which are stainless because one broken finger is enough, thankyouverymuch. I scuffed them up with a pad so they wouldn't be so shiny because stainless is an abomination unto the Lord.
My cuirass, which began as a blank by David Rylak from Rough from the Hammer, was shaped and had the fauld patterned by Jeff, but I did most of the grunt work on it. If anyone is in the NYC area and wants similarly spiffy kit, I recommend signing up for Jeff's class at SVA.
Close-ups of the lance rest, shoulder pins, and helmet strap. I made them all myself with Jeff's guidance (except he did a couple of spot-welds since he's way better with a MIG welder than I am). They're mild steel blackened with linseed oil; the rest of the cuirass is stainless under the fabric. The fancy rivets are from Doug Strong.
"He shall
have no shirt upon him..." Me, I prefer UnderArmour. Note the Henry IV
beard.
Arming doublet (and amazingly comfortable boiled wool hose and turnshoes) by Historic Enterprises. Joe and Duncan are helping me arm. The voiders were kind of sewn on hastily since I'd just gotten it back from the dry cleaner's. They're the reason why the doublet is gaping - it should close in front.
Duncan helps me with my legs. My next project will be sabatons.
Duncan ties on my arms
Arms, legs, and standards. I was trying for a c. 1410-1420 impression - the era of Agincourt, Fiore dei Liberi, etc., and about as late as I'm willing to term the "Middle Ages." I've seen evidence for voiders and skirts as early as 1430 or so (see Ffolke's appendix), and backdated it, asking Gwen at Historic Enterprises to specifically cut the doublet along earlier lines. In Italy, though, they wore hauberks under their armor until the end of the century. My main concerns were fit (it's hard to find a well-tailored hauberk in my size that will let me ride a horse) and weight (to save the horse's back).
Jeff is gettting impatient
The cuirass goes on.
My bascinet. The camail is sewn to the under padding, which is in turn strapped to my breastplate. The string pulls it taught against my chin (it should really come up higher on my temples.) This system gives a very effigy-like look and the aventail functions like a chin strap.
Jeff, on the other hand, can put his armor on all by himself like a big boy. Note the groovy Henry V saddle he made. I'd been exercising our jousting horses in the hot sun elsewhere in the Preserve earlier in the day, so I was already pretty tired...
