New Video of Armored Free-Play at Iron Door Studio

[John_Clements]

That was awesome! Love seeing full harness in action.

One question though: Do armor pieces really fall off so easily like that? I had the impression that each piece in a suit was strapped pretty sturdily.

The problem is...most armorers are NOT skilled martial artists, so they make products that they themselves do no put through the rigors that experts can. Instead, they typically are making items for less than expert fighters who then acquire their habits and understanding from using such less authentic equipment.

This is no slight on the modern armoring craft. It is an unfortunate truth that is just the reality of our times. We don't have a society that requires many master armorers any more, let alone that they additionally be skilled in real combat methods, and thus, provide a better product to those whose lives would be depending upon it.
Make sense? It's the same way with replica swords today.

JC

[Shane Smith]

I can't get the video to work. I'd love to see this. Oh well. Bring your harness to the next event. I demand a bout with both of you as long as my knee lasts

[Jason Romandell]

Ya aaron, a proper fitting gambeson is hard to come by as so few period examples exist. There is the Charles the ? one. One of the biggest differences I have noticed from that one, period art and the modern ones is our interpritaion. Our modern thoughts are that a baggie loose garmet is better. The charles gambeson is a bit tighter fitting in the chest, but the biggest revelation in that garment are the arm holes. Were the bottom part of the seam were the arm and chest part meet (sorry I have no clue as to my tailor's jargon) is nearly half way down the rib cage. What this did was alow the wearer to raise their arms over their head without pulling the whole thing up. I think that there is also a bit more fabric as well, dose anyone know a good and enterprising seamstress/er.

Thats a good thing when swinging weapons around, and one of the worst things about a modern gambeson, atleast in my experience.

ANd ya a proper fitting harness makes a HUGE differnce. A friend of mine has been playing around with hardend spring steel, and the few times I have worn his arms (we are basically about the same size) the lvl of comfort and ease was profound.

[Robert Bertram]

How difficult is it fence in armor safely? Trying to thrust your sword through the openings of your opponents armor seems kind of hard to control.

[Sal Bertucci]

I'm sure it's the old, "Do you think that would have gotten through?" dilemma.

[Casper Bradak]

I'm sure it's the old, "Do you think that would have gotten through?" dilemma.

Not at all. That's an SCAism, where the core assumption is that the sword must penetrate the armour, which holds up neither in practice, nor testing, nor in our source material.

It is extremely difficult to spar properly in armour, especially with feders. You'll notice that, though we used historical techniques, we did not thrust, which is the real way to end the confrontation, but of course, we wouldn't even be vigorously trying to thrust at each other's eyes, armpits, groins and throats at the halfsword, regardless of armour.

The bout wasn't ended by a thrust, but by a placement of the point, which due to the static hold and the target, I was able to do safely. I certainly wouldn't have placed it in his face, nor thrust the point anywhere. The bout is rather a unique and narrow example of historical technique, rather than representative of the ideal methods.

[terry brown]

I can't remember the bsource, but some italian guy advised that, if you met a fully armoured man on the bttlefield, there should be atleast 4 of you ganging up on him to be sure to dispose him.

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This should interest you, an account of the Battle of Flodden (1513) between the forces of England and Scotland:
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'A telling report Sept, 1513) by Thomas Ruthal, Bishop of Durham, stated that the Scots were so well harnessed that...they would not fall even when four or five billmen struck them at once. The Bishop makes quite clear that the bills of the English destroyed the pikes of the Scottish who then drew their swords to fight with. The swords were no match for the bills which the Bishop said, "lighted so thick and sore upon them."
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Best wishes,
Terry