Armour Question

[Brian_Hook]

As my first post on the forums I would first like to give Hails to all, As for my questions, I'm am starting to look at prices and pieces to put together my first harness(I will be buying the pieces one by one slowly over time) and my first piece is going to be gauntlets, now as I would like to get my moneys worth I was wondering what would be useful for steel sparing as well good hand protection for about %75 force/speed waster sparring, right now I'm using hockey gloves but I do believe they are effecting my technique, especially when it comes to any type of seizure or grab, most of the hand armour I've seen looks more sca geared. I was also curious has to if I should go mitten style of fingered. And a last question if anyone has had any experience with MRL armour, I know most of their swords are junky from experience but I haven’t tried any of their armour.

[Brian Hunt]

Hi Brian,

before I could answer your questions about buying armour, I would need to know more about what type of harness you want. Are you looking at a 14th century churburg harness, a 15th century german harness, etc. As for mitten vs. finger gauntlets, I personally feel you get more dexterity with finger guantlets, but less protection. MRL's armour is more suited for SCA combat than as a historically correct harness. A couple of places to check out would be illusion's armour, and Valentine's armour.

hope this helps some.

Brian Hunt
GFS.

[Brian_Hook]

Sorry I forgot to include that, my first harness, will attempt to be German 15th as much as my wallet allows for, as for MRL I was referring to the small Gothic section they have, including this mitten style MRL German Mitten
that’s the full suit, it looks ok, but looks as always can be very deceiving.

[SzabolcsWaldmann]

http://bansaghimate.uw.hu/

That is our hungarian Armourer. He works for peanuts. a full suit is around 1.000 - 2.500.- Dollars (depending on fluting&co) , and we use it for full-contact steel blunts sparring. He does not speak any english or german, so if you have questions for him, just write me and I'll help translate.

byez,

Szabolcs

[Alfred Wong]

Also here a question to the armour combat expert :

Can one train in the 16th century style jousting plate?

Just like the one on Illusion Armoring, would that be ok for armoured trainning?

Regards,
Alfred

[Brian_Hook]

Thank you Szabolcs,
I would have never found that site on my own, he does some very impressive work, and for translation, thats quite alright, I can have my mother or grandmother translate(I'm half German, half Hungarian). Does he also sell shields like those I saw on his site? I would like one get one made with the crest of Miskolc shown in my icon.

[SzabolcsWaldmann]

I Just don't believe this <img src="/forum/images/icons/wink.gif" alt="" />
This is just great <img src="/forum/images/icons/wink.gif" alt="" />
Hy there, fellow! <img src="/forum/images/icons/grin.gif" alt="" />

Jes, he does all the stuff. Anyway, here's my email: szabolcs.waldmann@audi.hu and my phone number: 0036 20 667 3310, you may call me anytime you wish.

As for jousting armour, it depends on the Style of the shoulders and hands. Actually, you can use almost any kinds of armour for foot combat, yet you will probably lose your fight against a guy in high gothic armour with well-made pauldrons. Gothic armour is in my opinion the best plate-armour for foot-combat. Older styles like a breastplate with a Hundsgugel and mail armour are quite well manouverable as well, but offer inferior protection and are heavier. 16th century armours offer the most protection, are light, but not so agile than a High- or a Burgundian Gothic suit.
Attached Jousting plates, and frogface helmets of course just make the armour heavyier, and bulkier. Actually, you don't want to fight in a suit that is meant to withstand heavy jousting for foot combat. I'd say, make your decision or you won't be happy with either kind of combat.

best wishes,

Szabolcs

[Brian Hunt]

You might also want to check out illusion armoury at http://www.illusionarmoring.com/ , or valentine armouries at http://www.varmouries.com/, for good flat link triangel riveted chainmail I would look to either http://www.forth-armoury.com/, or http://www.historicenterprises.com/. If you are a do it yourselfer, the rings and rivets by the pound option is a good way to go to make your own riveted chainmail.

hope this helps.

Brian Hunt.
GFS.

[M Wallgren]

Hallo guys...

Do anybody have some experience with bestarmour.com ??? I Like what I see at their site but would happily take some advice from anybody who has bought things from them...

Ta!

Martin

[SzabolcsWaldmann]

One of the Best. They are in Poland. Yet are expensive! They make IMHO the best armour you can buy in the Internet. But take a look at the adress I just gave a few posts ago!

Byez

Szabolcs

[M Wallgren]

Expensive?!?!?! <img src="/forum/images/icons/confused.gif" alt="" />

Its about a third of what Swedish armourers take...

Well I looked at those links to and I like what I see. Yet there is some of the models at best armoury I realy like.

Please check out www.viaarmorari.com ... good stuff, but expensive...

Martin

[Casper Bradak]

Can one train in the 16th century style jousting plate?

Just like the one on Illusion Armoring, would that be ok for armoured trainning?

If you're training for 16th c. jousting.

[Shane Smith]

If that MRL armour is 18 gauge mild steel which I suspect, it is going to take alot of damage from throws like this;

[Mike Chidester]

which event was that?

[SzabolcsWaldmann]

"Expensive?!?!?!

Its about a third of what Swedish armourers take..."

And three times expensive than a hungarian armourer, any of them <img src="/forum/images/icons/wink.gif" alt="" />

And viaarmourary, that was a beautiful liunk, thanks a lot. I espetially like those overly-long tailed Sallets <img src="/forum/images/icons/wink.gif" alt="" />

byez,

Szab

PS: has any of you trained in a 16th c Armet? What was that like? Can U see the enemy the way you wish?