Armory

Viking Shield (3-27-2008)

This shield is constructed based on historical remains of shields from Gokstad and several other sites. The shield boss and handle (from Catherine's Quest Medieval Wares).

The shield is made of two standard white pine 1x10s and ran them through a wood planer to be 6mm thick instead of 3/4 of an inch. 6mm is less than half an inch.

The edges were glued together with standard wood glue and then large clamps were used to hold then together; you have to be careful not to over tighten the clamps at this point or the boards just come apart from the middle.

When dry the shield was a square that was about 38x38 or so; the boards did get a little shorter out towards the edge but were large enough to make a 36 inch round shield with extra to cut off. The boards flexed badly so the outer circle and inner circle were marked while flat on a table and the inner circle was cut first. A piece of scrap material was then screwed onto the planks to make a temp handle going the opposite direction of the planks (just like the final handle) to hold the boards together so it would not flex and break while the outer shape was cut out.

Then it was hand sanded to make sure the edges where your hand is in the boss is splinter free as well as both surfaces front and back.

The milk paint was mixed (http://www.milkpaint.com just add water) a few coats of paint are added to the shield over a couple of days and then sealed it with a natural sealant (also from the milk paint co).

Small pilot holes are drilled for the boss and handle; the same holes we used from the temp handle for the good handle. Then Tremont cut nails (http://www.tremontnail.com) were used to affix the metal boss and handle. The nail tips were then bent over and clinched into the back of the boards.

Raw hide strips 2 1/2 inches wide were stretched over the edge of the shield giving little more to material the back than the front and then was tacked it down with push pins and left to dry. Important note is that raw hide shrinks when it dries so give some overlap to your pieces.

After it dried the push pins were removed and the lacing holes were drilled linen cord was used for the lacing.

Sword Sheath for Hedeby Viking Sword (10-24-2007)

I bought a blunt Armour Class Viking sword in a configuration for a sword appropriate to Hedeby. The construction is a thick wooden core with a 6oz cowhide leather cover that I will later go back and tool. The last image is of me wearing the sword at a Halloween party.

Jeff Johnson and I made the scabbard in his workshop with a band saw, router table, and a chisel. First we cut the two wood planks to the shape of the sword leaving on the band saw cutting them together. The shape was a tapering rectangle. We then drew the blade shape in the wood and set the table router up to the proper thickness and width then did a few passes to start the void in the wood for the sword. Some of the work could not be done with the router due to the tapering shape so I finished it with a chisel. We then glued the two pieces together. After it dried we cut the end shape into the wood, leveled off the top end, and passed the outer edges through the router to bevel the corners off.

I then cut a rectangle of leather about 3 times the width of the wood core to wrap both sides and the edges and have a little left over at the stitching line. A few museum fragments of leather scabbards from this time period have a visible seem stitched on the back were later scabbards has a hidden seem so I stitched this with a visible seem.

Sword Sheath; made in March 2006

In march 2006 my freind Chuck Russel made wooden cores for two of my blunt reenacment swords. One is a Paul Binns type X sword for Norman Reenactment the other a 15th century Italian sword reproduction from Del Tin I use as part of my archer impression for Lord Grey's Retinue

Below are images of my scabbard for my type X Paul Binns sword. I stitched a 2oz cowhide leather cover over the wood core and added a belt like seen in the early 12 th century CE statue of Dietrich von Brenah.

Riveted Maille Standard

So I have been working on improving my 15th century archer kit for Lord Grey's Retinue. Fall 2004 I finished my jack and started my riveted maille standard but didn't get it done before the fall events. During the winter 2005 I finished riveting the 2400 plus links together

Ok here are the details. It has about 2400 9mm Forth’s Armory do it yourself rings in it. It is alternating rows of solid and riveted links. I used expanding row construction, the first 7 rows are straight and starting at 8/9 they expand having a total of 19 rows. The top row was about 29 inches fully stretched out. I have a 17 1/2 inch neck and I didn't want the rings stretched out when I wear it so I made it big.

Whole StandardUpclose of the padding and leather liningUpclose of the leather liner

I made a 20 inch lightly padded linen collar and hand quilted it, it was about 18 1/2 inches after seem allowance and quilting. It over laps about 1/2 and inch when closed comfortable tight over my neck. I then evenly laid out the top of the maille standard to the top of the linen collar and whip stitched the maille to the linen with a thick waxed linen thread to hold them together to add the leather to the top. I then cut my leather top and doubled it over and pre punched holes with a leather awl. I then used thick waxed linen thread and did a running stitch to hold the leather down over the linen collar and maille. I then closed the bottom 3 rows to keep them from laying open when wearing it.

To finish it I am ordered some brass "D" buckles from Guakler Medieval Wares. I hand stitch them onto some leather and stitch the leather straps over the maille. The opening over laps about 1/2 an inch in the back preventing a gap.

The standard is very comfortable to wear and looks good with my military kit in Lord Grey’s Retinue.

Chuck and me with maille standards from the frontMe with my standard from belowChuck and me with maille standards from the side

English Maille Standard from the British Museum in London http://www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/

Here are images of an actual 15th century maille standard in the British Museum in London . It was found at London Wall near Moorgate Street . It appears to me that that neck links are 8mm but made of a much thicker wire than normal, maybe 14 or 12 gauge wire and they are round wire to increase the thickness. The lower portion of the collar looked like your standard 18 gauge wire flat riveted link. The brass dags were butted flat wire with one or two round links that dangled from the thicker neck area.

Evolution of My SCA Armor

2004

I started heavy fighting just in time for Pennsic in 2003, I purchesed a good helmet for White Mountain Armory and picked up a used coat of plates online. I got a side of leather and some simple elbow and knee cops and made my arms and legs. I make my own arming cote of four layers of linen and raw cotton between the 03 and 04 Pennsics. The guantlets came from Clang and the shoulders were on loan.

2005

This year I picked up a bascinet from Master Cad and added a Historic Enterprises aventail. I also picked up spring steel arms and shoulders made by Jeff Hedgecock. Before Pennsic I made a set of padded cuisses and got some soup can knees from Knight's Armory. I also picked up a set of spring steel clam shell gauntlets that I had to sell later because they were too small for my hand. I barrowed the shynbolds in the pictures from Pennsic

2006

This year I added splints to one side of my padded cuisses and replaced the knees with a set of spring steel knees from Jeff Hedgecock. I added leather shynbolds made by a friend and a set of Knight's Armory Wisby style gauntlets. In the pictures from Pennsic I have on an 8mm wedge riveted maille shirt under the coat of plates.

2007

In the first pictures from a demo in April I am wearing a friends set of hourglass gauntlets, a kettle hat I own, and a Churburg globose breastplate. I forgot my shynbolds unfortunately.