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Celtic Radio Community > Medieval Gateway > Arms And Armors


Posted by: Athalay 30-Oct-2006, 12:46 AM
Good morning, people smile.gif

Im looking for pictures about medieval weapons and armors. I made a chain armor but i heard about that was a variant which was opened at the front (like jackets). Do you know everything about it?

The another theme is weapons. Im fencing with one-and-half handed sword (longsword) and there is some good pictures of them:

http://www.albion-swords.com/

Which is your favorite weapon/armor? What do you know about it? Write down, discuss it... enjoy the Medieval Age smile.gif

Posted by: Athalay 07-Nov-2006, 11:45 PM
Do you know? The first steel armor was the chain armor. The crusaders use it in Jerusalem and in the VIII - XIII. Centrury. It was made little rings (the most simple form is 4 to 1 - It means one ring connect in 4 ring). It was very strong and it defense against the cut and puncture (but not perfectly agains the puncture). It was a big error: the crush. The chain armor haevy, but felexibile. If you get a big crush usually broken some bones or die in inner hurt.

So it started to get up armor coat which was abaout 1-3 centimeter thick textil under the armor. It defence against the crush but was very hot.

The plate armor started to favorite araound XIV. century. In this time the steel was good enought to forge exellent steeel plates to armors. About one generation (Maybe 40-60 years) the chain armor went out the fashion and the plate begin the main armor type. Until the XVI-XVII it has good defense but with te handgun it cant competation so it went out. From this time the soldiers wont wearing any armor exept helmet (until XX century).

If I remember anything aaout this i will write down, and if you get any question: dont hesitate smile.gif

Posted by: Athalay 15-Nov-2006, 04:14 PM
Nobody reply it? Nobody has questions?

Posted by: Roberto Phoenix 15-Nov-2006, 08:57 PM
I can agree with chain maile being heavy and hot. I've tried it but the temperature of the local Ren faires always manage to get into the high 80's/low 90's when I show up. One web site i visited suggest using PVC pipe to make the rings. It's lighter, less expencsive, and can be painted to look like the real thing. I have even heard of it being use for several movies. So looking forward to my kilt coming in so I can catch a little breeze. I've since had to adapt to a more rougish garb (shirt,doublet,etc). I'm still foil fencing at this point but my classes kept interfering with fencing practice. I'll probably end up favoring the rapier. Here is a site of a rennie friend of mine. Good site with lots of info.
http://www.sirclistro.com

Posted by: Roberto Phoenix 15-Nov-2006, 09:01 PM
You might also want to check out the links page at
www.renaissancemagazine.org

You'll find a few amour and sword merchants there. Check out Museum replicas also

Posted by: Athalay 17-Nov-2006, 12:38 PM
From PVC?? No... i have to say no. I made my own chain armor (abaout 16.000 circle in, and the weight is only 12 kg {abaout 25 pounds} and its comfortable). I cant make it from PVC... the swords that we use can destroy easily the pvc. Dont forget: the steel dosn't cut the steel: so if you use it to make really useful, you might to made by steel:).

I dont like the films: they are usually far away from the real armors, swords, culturals and persons. I dont understand why they dont ask only one museologist... or a knight.

Posted by: Rindy 14-Dec-2006, 07:00 PM
Hi Athalay and Roberto.

I just wanted to say I just received my first claymore 17th century battle ready and I am in awe. I bought it from a place called Armour Class Swords out of Scotland. Here is there site. Really very well made and they are wonderful to deal with. I would love to have one of those targes also..

htpp://www.armourclass.co.uk

Does anyone else collect swords?

Slainte

Posted by: Roberto Phoenix 14-Dec-2006, 07:16 PM
Nice site. I wouldn't mind one of those targes either. I have a couple of swords-mostly decorative stuff for the ren faires. The only one I can do any fighting with is my fencing foil but I'm hoping to get into rapiers later on. Trying to learn to do it right and that's not easy with the lack of teachers up here.

Posted by: Rindy 16-Dec-2006, 05:14 PM
Thank you. I am really pleased with them. Aren't those targes beautiful?

Roberto, you mean to tell me there isn't a sword instructor on every corner..."just kidding" I think its a great art-


Slainte

Posted by: Rindy 14-Jan-2007, 12:05 AM
Here is a picture of part of my sword I just purchased. It is a 18th century sword. The handle is made of yew wood. It is all handmade. This sword took me 18 weeks to get and it was so worth the wait. It is 55 inches long battle ready "sharpe" It's the most beautiful sword I have ever seen


The name claymore is thought to be from claidheamh mor- a Gaelic term meaning "big sword" ha they got that right. However another theory suggests it comes from "claidheamh da lamh"' literally two-handed sword.. Claidheamh is ultimately conate with Latin gladius.


http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g60/rindy1/closeupofClaymore.jpg


The two handed claymore was a large word used in the medieval period. It was used in the constant clan warfare and border fights with the English from circa 1300 to 1700. The last known battle in which it is considered to have been used in a significant number is Battle of Killiecrankie in 1689.
It was somewhat smaller than other two handed swords of the era,, and was widely feared because its lightness may if faster in combat than its European counterparts. It was also and effective disarming weapon because of the design on the cross guard, which allowed for maneuvering the weapon in such a was that it could wrench an opponent’s sword free. The two-handed claymore seems to be an off shoot of Early Scottish medieval swords which had developed a distinctive style of a cross-hilt with down-sloping arms that ended in spatulate swellings. Claymores often had a ricasso to allow half-sword usage.

The average claymore ran about 55 inches in over all length with a 13 inch grip, 42 inch blade and weight approx 5.5 lbs. Fairly uniform in style the sword was set with a wheel pommel often capped by a crescent shaped nut and a guard, with a straight, down sloping arms ending in quarter foils and languets running down the center of the blade from the guard.

Another common style of two handed claymore (though lesser known today” was the “clamshell hilted” claymore.
It had a cross guard that consisted of two downward curving arms and two large, round concave plates that protected the fore grip. It was so named the Basket-Hilted Claymore The second later, sword to be designated “claymore” was a much shorter, one handed basket- hilted broadsword popular with Scottish troops from the 18th century onwards, even seeing combat on beaches of Normandy during World War II. The basket was designed to protect the hand in combat. The Scottish basket hilt sword was distinguished from others by the velvet liner inside the basket (often red) and also sometimes by additional decorative tassels on the hilt of pommel. This latter from of “claymore” (unrelated to the first) can be seen in some forms of highland traditional dance as well as on the dress uniforms of British Army regiments drawn from the region. A Claymore was carried in World War II by Lt. Col. Jack Churchill

Posted by: Athalay 28-Jan-2007, 01:16 AM
Sorry for my question but how many centimeter is one inch? 2,5?

Posted by: Rindy 28-Jan-2007, 12:15 PM
Hi Athalay No apologizes.. Think your pretty close..I think it's 2.55...

Slainte

Posted by: Rindy 09-Mar-2007, 06:28 PM
I heard something that caught my attention. The Celts went into battle totally naked as the leather and such would go into the injury and cause infection. I just thought I'd pass that along. lol wink.gif

Posted by: Emmet 10-Mar-2007, 03:51 PM
My targe (home-made):

user posted image

My dirk (also home-made):

user posted image

Would dearly love a proper basket hilt broadsword to replace my cheap 1831 pattern backsword, but can't afford one. I'll have to stick to bagpipes.

Posted by: Rindy 24-Apr-2007, 02:43 PM
Hi Emmet. Sorry it's taken me so long to comment. I think you did really well on your targe. I love your dirk. What did you use for wood on that?

would like a basket hilt broadsword also. Swords can really get costly. I had no idea. Then the shipping WOW...but I will say Armour Swords worked through it all. Thanks Iain!!! My next sword will be a basket hilt and not as heavy or long...lol

Emmet would love to see a picture of the basket hilt that you have.

I would love to see pictures of every ones swords...and knives, dirks ,targes and battle weaponry.

Slainte smile.gif

Posted by: Rindy 30-May-2007, 12:44 PM
I recently received my first ring made of Tungsten and it's true you can't scratch this metal. I am just learning about this.. I took a sharp knife to it and couldn't damage it. It's heavy though. I guess they use it in D2 Tool steel acting as a grain refiner. If you want to know more just google in Tunsten I like the Wikipedia one..

I thought I would add this video do NOT repeat do not play with swords..lol...

http://www.realarmorofgod.com/video/stainless_steel_warning.mpg

Slainte

Posted by: Roberto Phoenix 19-Jun-2007, 11:10 PM
Rindy, I just now saw the video and hate to say it but I laughed my head off. That 44.95 price should have been the first indicator that thing was no good. And he said it was for practice? I can hear the lawyers sharpening their pencils across the country.

We just started fighting in the style that the Association for Renaissance Martial Arts (ARMA) uses. Here is a website with videos if you are interested.

www.thearma.org

I never thought I would enjoy using anything larger than a foil but I've really been having a grand time learning all the new stuff.

Posted by: Rindy 26-Jun-2007, 10:39 AM
Hi Roberto, wasn't that funny!!! I laugh everytime I see it. I finally had a chance to look at the site. Thats a good one. Lots of information. I saw a fight on you tube between a claymore and a katina was so funny. Guess who one...? The Claymore without a doubt. Good thing they had on helmets....

Slainte

Posted by: Rindy 16-Oct-2007, 10:55 PM
Roberto are you still practacing your sword fighting? I am so mad. I have had my claymore hanging on two brass hooks.. well went to pick it up and it is scratched all to heck makes me so upset. I should of wrapped it with leather long ago.
How do you folks hang your swords?

Slainte

Posted by: Rindy 10-Feb-2008, 11:51 AM
Just wanted to say that a good friend of mine, of Clann An Drumma makes wonderful swords and daggers in his spare time. You can see some of them he's made on the site listed below.

I have a dagger he made out of copper that is really beautiful. It has a celtic cross on the handle.
He will custom make them. See them here at http://www.kirkpatrickweb.co.uk/armoury.html

Slainte

Posted by: Rindy 28-Feb-2008, 04:46 PM
Has anyone purchased or made any new swords or daggers recently? I am starting to really get the urge to buy a targe why I have no clue.

Slainte

Adding this post/link

Hi jime307 Is this the one you were looking for?

http://www.kirkpatrickweb.co.uk/

Click on the links page and then Kirkpatrick Swords. I have the copper celtic cross dagger and its so neat. All are one of a kind as they are hand made and he does wonderful work-just drop him a email. I hope this helps. I hope you get one. Let me know.
I will post this post/link in the Arms and Armor thread so I don't lose track of it.

Slainte

Posted by: Emmet 20-Jun-2008, 05:40 AM
I love your dirk. What did you use for wood on that?

These were sometimes referred to as "dudgeon daggers" as their hilts were made of dudgeon (boxwood), as is mine.

Has anyone purchased or made any new swords or daggers recently?

Here's my latest creation, a Lochaber axe.

user posted image

user posted image

The distinguishing feature of a Lochaber axe (as opposed to a Jedburgh axe, bill, or glaive) is the hook opposite the blade.

Scotland was a feudal society, and battles were drawn up according to wealth and class. In the front rank would be the gentlemen, who could afford swords and firearms. The second ranks would be made up of freeholders, often armed with less expensive weapons like pikes and Lochaber axes and battlefield pick-ups. The rear ranks were made up of essentially serfs, armed only with scythes, threshing flails, and hayforks.

When faced with cavalry, unlike a shield wall or massive infantry square, the Highland Scots would break up into smaller formations called schiltrons, with the pikes and axes to the fore. The cavalry, unable to attack the schiltron's pikes from the front, would do what cavalry does best; maneuver; race between the schiltrons trying to outflank them. As they rode between the schiltrons, the axemen would reach out with the hooks of their Lochaber axes and suddenly convert the horsemen into footsoldiers. Besides the obvious cutting edge, in use the base of the blade could be used to hook inside a swordsman's guard, and the point could penetrate chain mail. The base of the haft was often sharpened or mounted with an iron point as well, making a very versatile weapon with which a crofter could attack and defend against an armored professional soldier at much greater than arm's length.

Posted by: Rindy 20-Jun-2008, 05:02 PM
Emmet wow that is fantastic. And what history is behind it. I can just visualize this battle taking place. Did it take you a long time to make? I bet they had fun with that even when they weren't in battle. "the hook part" lol

The dirk I have the Celtic Cross one isn't wood it's a resin.
The copper runs up underneath it. Kind of hard to explain but if you have more questions I'm sure the man that made it would be happy to answer them for you.

Thanks for sharing this Emmet!

Slainte

Posted by: Rindy 19-Nov-2008, 04:37 PM
I noticed my claymore is rusting in a few spots. Anyone have any recommendations on what to use. I have steel wooled it and put a small amount of turbine oil on it. Any help would be appreciated. smile.gif

Slainte

Posted by: McRoach 20-Nov-2008, 10:19 AM
QUOTE (Rindy @ 19-Nov-2008, 04:37 PM)
I noticed my claymore is rusting in a few spots. Anyone have any recommendations on what to use. I have steel wooled it and put a small amount of turbine oil on it. Any help would be appreciated. smile.gif

Slainte

Are you keeping it in the sheath or is it being displayed without? I have a couple steel blades and my home is fairly humid so I keep them in the sheath with a drop or 2 of oil spilt inside to aid a quicker draw and to keep off the rust.

http://www.homeabc.net/Cleaning-Laundry/1664-1-Cleaning-Laundry.html

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080817153749AA4CObV

Try these sites the first is better than the second but I found the second humorous so I threw it in anyway.


Royal08.gif

Posted by: Rindy 20-Nov-2008, 10:31 AM
Hi McRoach, no it doesn't have a sheath as it's battle ready. Thank you for these sites. I will definetly keep them oiled up. Where I live is pretty dry. I was shocked it had rust. It's hard to polish because it's so sharp one miss and your hand or fingers are gone. Next time I don't think I will get one battle ready.

Thanks for your reply and the links.

Haves anyone bought any new arms or armour?

Slainte

Posted by: McRoach 23-Nov-2008, 11:17 AM
I am looking to pick up a medieval hand and a half sword if I can find a good deal on one sometime this winter. I posted it under the Swords Forum looking for feedback and no one has replied yet.

Posted by: piobmhorpiper 11-Dec-2008, 11:12 AM
QUOTE (Rindy @ 28-Feb-2008, 05:46 PM)
Has anyone purchased or made any new swords or daggers recently?   I am starting to really get the urge to buy a targe why I have no clue.

Slainte

Adding this post/link

Hi jime307 Is this the one  you were looking for? 

http://www.kirkpatrickweb.co.uk/

Click on the links page and then Kirkpatrick Swords. I have the copper celtic cross dagger and its so neat. All are one of a kind as they are hand made and he does wonderful work-just drop him a email. I hope this helps.  I hope you get one.  Let me know. 
I will post this post/link in the Arms and Armor thread so I don't lose track of it.

Slainte

Hi Rindy, just wated to show off my 16th century dirk. My son gave it to me for christmas last year and I wear every time I get a piping gig. I'm not so much into the medieval arts as my son is. He belongs to a guild in Toronto and has several swords and bucklers. He is working on making his own armor and with any luck I will have his helm ready to give to him this christmas.

Posted by: Rindy 13-Dec-2008, 09:54 AM
Hi McRoach-just wondering if you found someone to deal with on a sword? Be sure to check out all the links that have been posted.

piobmhorpiper that's a nice looking dirk. That's wonderful about your son working on his own armor. Would love to see it when he's done.

Slainte

Posted by: piobmhorpiper 14-Dec-2008, 07:12 AM
Thanks Rindy, I'll be sure to post a picture when it's done.

Posted by: McRoach 20-Dec-2008, 12:31 AM
QUOTE (Rindy @ 13-Dec-2008, 09:54 AM)
Hi McRoach-just wondering if you found someone to deal with on a sword? Be sure to check out all the links that have been posted.


Hey Rindy, I'm still looking for a good deal on the medieval style, I'll check the links thanks!

I just picked up a Ninja Style for the heck of it. We'll see if it gets here by Xmas.


Posted by: Rindy 05-Jan-2009, 06:55 PM
McRoach hope you found what you were looking for. Did you get your Ninja sword?

I have been seeing a lot of articles on the Yabusame. I can't imagine riding and shooting a bow I'm afraid with my luck I'd shoot my horse loading the arrow. Slainte

user posted image


By ERIC TALMADGE
ASSOCIATED PRESS



It is about as far from the Olympic sport of archery as it can get. The bow is taller than the person shooting it, and, to the uninitiated, it appears lopsided and unbalanced. There are no sights, no high-tech stabilizers.

And, of course, it is done on horseback, at upward of 40 mph.

It's called yabusame, and it is the sport of the samurai.

Each year, archers in feudal shooting gear climb atop their decorated mounts for a lively competition on the beach of Zushi, a town just south of Tokyo, galloping in the sand as thousands of onlookers cheer and shout. The first competition was held here in 1199.

The scene is like something out of a movie by the great Akira Kurosawa. Banners flap in the ocean wind marking the beginning and end of the shooting runway. Little boys in bright robes and black hats scamper about collecting the arrows and the debris from the wooden or clay targets destroyed by each hit.

"There is nothing like this outside of Japan," said Ietaka Kaneko, who heads the Japan Equestrian Archery Association and the Takeda School of Horseback Archery, which traces its origins back more than 800 years.

The targets, held about seven feet aloft on small poles or scaffoldings, are roughly the size of a mounted opponent's chest. There are three along the runway, which is only 165 yards long, giving the archer just enough time to raise his bow, load and shoot -- three times -- all the while spurring on his horse.

When the dull, turnip-shaped tip of an arrow strikes just right, the board explodes in a blur of splinters. But as often as not, the arrows miss, sailing past the targets and thudding into the canvas behind them.

In battle, hitting the target was the whole idea. But yabusame has from its origins been almost as much an art as a sport. In many competitions, hitting the target is almost an afterthought -- archers are judged, if they are judged at all, on the beauty of their run and the form they display as they release each arrow.

Here, hitting counts.

"Many schools today see yabusame as more of a ceremonial thing," said Kaneko, a retired veterinarian. "In our school, it is our earnest desire to connect."

Yabusame in Japan is something like polo in England, or rodeos in America.

Very few people actually participate in yabusame, because few have access to horses or the time to learn all the technique involved in riding them for sport. But Kaneko, whose family roots are in the now-defunct samurai class, grew up around them and his steeds were trained specifically for archery competitions.

"I have been shooting since I was 17," he said. He's 87 now, and was on hand to officiate at this year's beach competition.

"The most difficult part is staying absolutely stable no matter how fast the horse is galloping," he said.

Archers don't actually sit. They squat, using special stirrups and very light saddles.

There are three main types of shooting.

The first, and most common, involves releasing the arrow at a target directly to the side of the archer from about 10 feet. Targets can also be placed obliquely to the front of the archer's path, or up to 50 feet away.

"When people think of the samurai, they don't realize that in the old days, archery was more important in battle than swords," said Hisashi Yoshimi, one of the featured shooters at the beach competition. "Archers didn't shoot at targets close up.

They kept a distance and fired upward so that the arrows would rain down on advancing troops."

Yoshimi said that tradition is reflected in the longbows, which are better suited for long-range attacks on a general area rather than picking off single adversaries.

"The bows haven't really been adapted for this kind of shooting, because there is a big part of the sport that is spiritual, rather than practical," he said. "That's a lot of its appeal."


Posted by: McRoach 06-Jan-2009, 12:10 AM
QUOTE (Rindy @ 05-Jan-2009, 06:55 PM)
McRoach hope you found what you were looking for. Did you get your Ninja sword?

Rindy, yes, it's awesome. smile.gif
I didn't think it would be quite so heavy for as short as it is but is has a good balance to it and is sturdy as can be, I could probably lop down a several trees with it!


Thanks for sharing about the Yabusame, I had never heard of it before. Are there any links to some video of it? I think this would be really neat to watch.

Posted by: Rindy 06-Jan-2009, 09:25 PM
Hi McRoach. I am happy about your new sword. That's good to hear. Trees huh..

There's so many links out there. Here is the wiki link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yabusame
Here is a link of one on youtube. The riders ride so fast its hard to see them. What balance they must have and a good horseman as well. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywRP725u11k
Here is another link that I thought was interesting. http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Mounted-archer I have been watching many youtubes on this so just start typing in yabusame. These are some great archers. I would love to see them at a competition. There's something that tells me "don't drop the reins" lol

I always liked watching the Huns as well. The shorter bow sounds like it would be easier. Anyhow good luck in your searches. I hope these links helped.

Slainte

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