Buying armor??

[zeroek]

Has anyone ever bought their armor premade on here?? With the lack of knowledge on how to make this armor I'm probably going to order premade I guess. Just curious where people order from. Talking about Chest piece btw.

[Taos]

Google Griffin Works or Schmithenner Armory for leather armor. Not sure who does good chain, but the Dagorhir national website has a Links page that has some excellent plate armorers, and probably chain, too. Museum Replicas is also good, although their stuff is pricy.

Tangent Creations is good and local, too. Support the LBTL.

[zeroek]

The more I think about it the more I really want to make my own.. =(

[Baethor]

i personally like Bythesword.com they usually have the best prices. Or make it yourself for an even better price. heck i commisioned oron to make my chestpiece and spaulders and it was much cheaper then online.


(still waiting on that hero's belt/mudflap combo their oron. )

[Rook]

I've bought stuff from Museum Replicas and while it is very nice looking it is really not made to be used. It's made to be worn as a costume or hung on your wall. Not remotely durable. Just an FYI.

[zeroek]

Yeah I know it's like 13/15oz for dag maybe a hair lower? I'm super interested in making the Roman Segmenta chest piece. So that's probably what I'll be working on mostly when I get my leather.

[Taos]

Nov 24, 2008 20:13:57 GMT -5 Rook said:

I've bought stuff from Museum Replicas and while it is very nice looking it is really not made to be used. It's made to be worn as a costume or hung on your wall. Not remotely durable. Just an FYI.

Well, there you go. I've never bought from them, I just remembered them as someone who had chainmail in their catalogue. Discount my suggestion of them.

[kain]

I've bought from bythesword and from Athena online (which has a storefront in Chicago, if you want to make a road trip and save shipping). The Athena site is kind of old and crappy, but I just use it to get the phone number and call them. I also know plenty of people that have purchased things from numerous sources

In all honesty, I've had mixed results, as have those around me. The fact of the matter is, you've got two kinds of stuff you can get your hands on: junk made by low wage laborers or high quality goods made from real craftsmen, and every website has a combination of both of these things.

For instance, the first pieces of armor I bought were from bythesword. I bought a lorica segmentata chestpiece (w/ shoulders, of course), a pair of bracers with plate elbow cops (this wasn't for Dag), and a pair of studded leather greaves. The end result? The Lorica was labeled as stainless steel, but rusted overnight the first time I wore it, the straps on the greaves all broke and I had to replace them (but the greave itself was nice), and the bracers w/ cops were fucking awesome, and I am brought to tears simply thinking about them because I can't find them anymore.

The lesson? Don't believe anything the websites say. Try to find something you like on any website and THEN ask people what they know about the company or the item. Since alot of the online companies are little more than distributors, they buy their actual product from the same sources. Look around and you'll see the exact same products being sold by dozens of companies. Chances are someone has bought one of those from some company, and they'll recognize a picture of it, and then tell you if it's crap or not.

And in defense of Museum Replicas, they're a distributor just like all the others. I've personally bought some great stuff from them, and I know others that have gotten crap. This goes back to who actually made the item, and that MR is simply a middle man. You can certainly find good stuff there, along with crap.

[Baethor]

maybe bythesword just does great bracers, cause my bracers were the first pieces of armour i bought two years ago, and everyone still compliments me on them when i wear them.

word of advice though, get replacement leather laces, the ones they come with are kinda crappy

[Cameryn Smythe]

ummm.... I make armor and sell it in the SCA I've been told I'm not too bad at it. After all, people by my armor. If anyone has concerns about durability watch some SCA fighting on you tube and check the abuse it takes.

As for your armor, maybe I can help you?

[zeroek]

Yes sir!! Make me armor!!! =)

[Cameryn Smythe]

well... theres a process... first what kind of armor are you looking for? Any specific historical period or element, or simple fantasy whatever-you-want? Essentially... do you know what you would like you kit to be if you were completely done with it? Let me know that and I'll help you with finishing your kit. I'll even give you a sweet deal on it.

[zeroek]

Basically I want a Roman Segmenta.

[Cameryn Smythe]

ok... I have good news and bad news... First the good news. I can make this and make it easily. It is just a bunch of rolled steel. The buckles will actually take longer to do believe it or not. Also I can probably do this in a couple days time. If you are local you are also welcome to come over and watch me work. I will also guarantee all of my work.

Now for the bad news... firstly, these f&#kers are heavy. They are just overlapping steel plates and basically just get heavy. Secondly brass work is a pain in the ass and usually will cost more than you want it to.

Now I have some questions for you.

These come in three styles: The Kalkriese, Corbridge, and Newstead styles. They are named after the places they were found, don't ask me I'm not a historian.

Kalkriese: I don't know how to make the Kalkreise. I haven't seen any believable diagrams of it and to be frank with you anyone that says they have an authentic one is lying since there aren't enough surviving pieces of one to tell what would be authentic.

Corbridge: The Corbridge style is the more difficult of the remaining two to make and consists of smaller plates with more flexibility. Also the pin and hook system in the back is a pain in the ass, but this is all doable and takes considerably longer. There are I believe about 40ish separate plates. 24 in the shoulder and collar section and 16 comprising the girdle. However this style will allow for more flexibility at the cost of added weight and higher fail rates.

Newstead: This type has just 28 plates, 18 collar and 10 girdle that are larger and more inflexible but are more durable. Also this type takes much less time to build and before the legions went back to their Lorica Hamata these were the type of choice.

The cost in steel wouldn't be that bad somewhere around 80-140$ depending on thickness and if you want stainless or not. Also theres about 40-60$ in brass, strapping, and buckles. Then there's compensation for two-ish days of my time depending on how much buckling and brass you want. I'd say you could get out of one for between 300-500$ bucks if you want. Of course fitted to you and with all the trappings and brass buckles and shit. If you want designs etched into it it will be more than that.

Let me know what you think. You might be able to get out of one online or 550$ without shipping, so I'm having to undercut a mass produced market. Have a little mercy ;D ;D

Hopefully we can do something like this together, it would be a fun project to get away from medieval armoring for a while

-Cameryn

P.S. I hope you wanted this out of metal, other wise this post is useless.... we can also do it out of leather... cheaper, cept for the time it will take.

[zeroek]

I'm really wanting one made out of leather. lol

[Cameryn Smythe]

ok... I'll look up what some hides cost and quote you that. It'll be "easier" but take more work at the same time. Do you want a muscled cuirass instead of the banded one? That will also cost more. Any idea what ounce/weight you want for the armor leather? Completely rigid or semi-rigid?

-Cameryn

[Cameryn Smythe]

p.s. its also not gonna be that much lighter... do you know which style you want?

[zeroek]

You have any armor made for yourself?? I'd like to see some pics.

[Cameryn Smythe]

yes, I have a full set of articulating metal legs circa 15c Italian and some elbow cops I made myself for SCA fighting. I also have an extra vambrace laying around somewhere, I'll have to find it. I dont have any pictures of the stuff but I imagine I could make some... its all mild since I ran out of stainless doing other projects, so I'll need to clean em up first.

[Kaida NyteClaw]

Cameryn,

Able to create an Elvish Armor Set?

Bracers, Pauldrons, Full Chest Armor, Helmet, Grieves??? (Think of Dark Elf Armor just not Emerald Green and Black)

Colors: Dark Blue and Black if possible, all in leather?
Price Range if you could give me one.

[Rojji]

mittelmarch.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=weapon&action=display&thread=1614

really good info for home made chain

[thigvald]

I make chest/back armor (cuirass), bracers, greaves, warbelts, sword frogs (I can make them big enough for dag one handers). Check out my photobucket: s297.photobucket.com/albums/mm233/mc1csmo/

Drop me a line at [e-mail] and I'll be happy to go over all the custom options I've done and can replicate. I'm sure I can accomodate ideas you might come up with too

[spoons]

I say make your own... it'll be a more rewarding experience, and you'll know how to maintain/repair it.