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Post by Sir Didymous LaRoth on Jul 27, 2011 22:27:46 GMT -5
I have had several ideas as to things to add to my primary kit. Some of them that I will be working on are: Padded cuisses with steel splints and plates on the knees, a plated surcote based on a statue of St. Maurice, and a set of jambers. I was also planning on sewing some steel disks onto the elbows of my aketon.
Currently in the works is a blue velvet surcote upon which shall be sewed red shield patches. The patches may be decorated with my arms and/ or family badge depending on an experiment I am doing with various types of decorating techniques.
So what types of things are you considering for your kits? I know a few of our members are working on theirs. Come on and chime in!
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Post by Frere Reynald de Pensax on Jul 28, 2011 1:44:38 GMT -5
These all sound excellent ideas. I've got a few pairs of padded cuisses, and I've recently been working on my blue pair. I've added a mail fringe to the bottom edge, so that it protects the join line with my schynbalds; and to the latter, I've just added some mail sabatons, which are held in place with leather laces. I'm thinking about adding some genouillieres to my cuisses too. I've been doing a lot of work on my Hundred Years' War kit just lately as well. This outfit has evolved into quite a fancy one. I didn't set out on this path, but one addition seemed to lead to another, and some were happy accidents. I've made my rondel dagger much more elaborate, and I've added metal fittings to its scabbard: similarly on my falchion scabbard. To my waist belt I've attached enamel plaques, and my greaves now have a pair of Wisby pattern sabatons attached. This kit is based a lot on the descriptions mentioned in the near contemporary poem of the Combat, and the thing I'm currently working on is a cut-down lance. The poem mentions spears, but it's much more likely that shortened lances were used in the Combat, so I'm making my weapon look quite substantial, rather than just fixing a lance head to a piece of dowel.
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Post by Sir Didymous LaRoth on Jul 30, 2011 1:25:31 GMT -5
Well, the biggest kit project I have on my plate right now is transforming a Vietnam era US Army steel helmet into an open faced sallet. To make it almost passable for the moment, I flipped the liner backward so that the brim of the helm covers the neck, and splashed some heraldically influenced paint on it. I intend to put in a more historical liner and chin strap; add decorative rivets, and remove all but the needed parts of the iconic lip. Right now it has just received a rush job for the sake of being wearable for the tourney. Waislay seems pleased with the progress thus far-- and she's the one wearing it.
Update. This year once warmer weather hits, I will be finishing this project.
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Post by Frere Reynald de Pensax on Apr 23, 2012 12:16:15 GMT -5
Well, I think I finished my Hundred Years' War kit this afternoon (famous last words!), and I've just managed to snap off a photo before the light fails and the rain starts. Although I'm not in my full armour, this shot does show one or two of the latest bits and pieces that Dad and I have made for this outfit. I'm especially pleased with the plated cuisse with their decorative rivet heads, as well as the Wisby pattern sabatons; and I think that you can just make out the rowel spurs at my heels. The sword and scabbard are new, and I've added a chape to the end of the latter. Another detail is the reliquary around my neck which contains a thorn from Christ's crown of thorns. We've done some work on the rest of my armour as well, and I'll post some photos as soon as I can. How are some of your projects coming along? Attachments:
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Post by Frere Reynald de Pensax on Apr 24, 2012 10:49:08 GMT -5
I'm just posting a better shot of the sword and dagger in the previous photo, as these are items that have received quite a lot of attention lately. The dagger was a very basic example to start with. But Dad and I have upgraded both it and the sheath. I don't know who manufactured it in the first place as I got it at a fair from a dealer who was selling allsorts. The sword on the other hand is a first class weapon made by Mark Vickers of St. George's Armoury. I especially like the extra long quillons, and it's beautifully balanced. The blade is 30 inches, and although not a true hand-and-a-half, the length of the grip does allow the left hand to be brought up to the pommel for extra weighty blows; and when wielded in this manner there's not much that will get past it. In fact it is characteristic of an early to mid-fourteenth century type of sword that was designed to deal with opponents armed in a mixture of maille and plate in as much as it is good for both cut and thrust. The grip is cord bound with a thin covering of dark green leather - exactly as on original examples. The scabbard and belt is by Phil Fraser, and we've added a chape of our own manufacture. This shot also shows the belt of plates that was worn low on the hips, gunslinger fashion, at this time. We bought a period type belt, then set about making the plates and enamelling them in red and green (the latter being my favourite colour). We chose to make the plates circular to match the shape of the buckle. Attachments:
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Post by Sir Didymous LaRoth on Apr 24, 2012 12:39:20 GMT -5
Why must you torture me so? Green! It's my favorite color, and nearly any color looks good on a sword. In other words, I love it. I just pulled my tools out of storage and will be getting started on the helmet after the wind dies down. I did however just complete the great kilt for the new rennaissance scottish kit I'm working on. Though I am hesitant to share pics. My legs are nothing to show off. That and the blue color in the tartan is way too dark for the era. I will probably upgrade that as time goes by, as for now the price on it wat too good to pass up. I'm in need of appropreate stockings for it as well. But one thing at a time. Kitting is kind of like refining metals, you take the bare essentials and work from there untill you are content, which in most cases is never.
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Post by Sir Didymous LaRoth on Apr 24, 2012 13:35:47 GMT -5
Here is a pic of the kilt, the rest of the kit is still in the works. Attachments:
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Post by Frere Reynald de Pensax on Apr 24, 2012 14:22:04 GMT -5
I know exactly what you mean about constantly refining your kit. My Hundred Years' War kit has evolved in exactly this way. It started off as belonging to an esquire, but after making some alterations to the aventail on my bascinet, the status of my character began to steadily increase. I didn't have any steel rings, so I made some up out of brass instead. The resulting brass accented aventail looked quite fancy, so I ended up carrying through the theme to the rest of my armour. Now it's the armour of a banneret!
Seeing you in your Highland kit reminds me of an anecdote. About twenty years ago, I was visiting Edgehill Battlefield Museum, and I got talking to one of the English Civil War re-enactors on volunteer tour guide duty there. He told me that at one event, as the re-enactors were encamped for the evening, a gang of party-pooping drunken local lads looking for trouble invaded the camp. The police were called, but by the time they arrived, a regiment of seventeenth century Highlanders who were taking part in the event had taken matters into their own hands. In the failing light, they'd charged the locals, kilts a-flying and broadswords a-waving; which must have been an awesome sight. They herded them into a wood, where they had surrounded them. The police threatened that if they didn't come quietly, they'd send the Highlanders in after them. Needless to say, they promptly all gave themselves up!
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Post by Sir Didymous LaRoth on Mar 10, 2013 17:43:54 GMT -5
Well, I have gained a new great kilt that is of a higher level of accuracy for reenactment. It's a brick red themed tartan of a lighter weight wool, better for those summer reenactments. I'm also having a philibeg made for an 1803 kit that is less a full portrayal than a costuming option for a few multi-period events that I like to attend.
I do however have one specific project that I am working on as soon as the next pieces arrive. I am converting a generic brigandine into a plated surcote. I'll be posting pictures as they are available.
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Post by Dame Dorothia Karloff on Feb 24, 2014 18:48:05 GMT -5
I'm. Ready to start the tapestry for the order.I just have to lay my hands on the material for it.wait a minute! I just remembered I believe I have a good size piece of munks cloth stashed in my material boxes some where.I shall go now into the dangers of my bed chamber to seek it out.pray much that the boxes don't fall from the stacks and crush me beneath them.if I return to the sight you will know I returned the victor of the hunt!!!
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Post by Dame Dorothia Karloff on Feb 24, 2014 19:14:01 GMT -5
I have returned! I didn't find the munks cloth but I did find a nice piece that will work.I showed it to sir didymous and his lady.they agree that it will work for my project at hand.I'll be posting pictures of the tapestry in progress. So all can view it from start to finish.
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Post by Lady Latitia LaRoth on Feb 24, 2014 23:36:43 GMT -5
Sounds like a fine project foer you to be working on i hope it works the way you have invistion it.
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Post by Sir Andrew MacLir on Mar 16, 2014 14:26:50 GMT -5
The project that I am wanting to work on is making me a set of pauldrons for my fighting kit
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Post by Dame Dorothia Karloff on Mar 17, 2014 22:28:03 GMT -5
Sir didymous I would like you to help me with stencils so I can put the patterns on my tapestry cloth.my drawing is awful so your help would be great. Sounds like pauldrens would be a good addition to your gear andrew...I would like to hear more about them.
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Post by Dame Dorothia Karloff on Mar 20, 2014 22:24:44 GMT -5
i have decided on the pattern for the order tapestry.i will be starting to work on it soon.i'm planning on posting pictures of my work in progress.any imput would be a nice way for us all to enjoy this project.look forward to seeing it on this link soon.
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