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Post by Lord Newport on Nov 30, 2019 5:14:42 GMT
I want to thank everyone who helped me out with my question on chainmaille armor. I now want to try and find the closest to period correct armor grade gambeson for the mid-late 13th century.
I can look at various vendors inventory online, I just do not know what is closest to historically accurate.
Thanks.....
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Post by strigoil on Nov 30, 2019 5:44:57 GMT
Depends what quality and price range you are looking for, or wait times, so here goes!
I'm gonna be the snob and say don't get an arming garment off the rack, get it custom made and if you can by someone close to you so they can see you for fitting, lacking that..Get proper measurements taken according to the maker you chose either by yourself or by a tailor.
My biggest recommendation also comes with the longest wait time, odd how that works innit? He will get you something accurate and well made, I am sure he can also help you find one that is accurate for what you want.
His work is just fantastic and several professional reenactment groups use his stuff, can't go wrong here really.
Have a look at the Maciejowski bible if you want to find depictions of what you are looking for as well.
But really, if you can..Look around for local reenactment group and try to get in contact with local people who craft for them, if any..You will get a better fit and fit = King.
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pgandy
Moderator
Senior Forumite
Posts: 10,296
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Post by pgandy on Nov 30, 2019 14:41:33 GMT
Strigoil offered good advice. I’ll throw out, FWIW, my personal experience. I have two and they are as different from each other as night and day. And my preference swings back and forth. The first was custom made. It is the thinner of the two and best served when worn as a foundation as it alone offers little protection other than from my own external armour. I can move more freely with that one and it works well at keeping my other armour in place. For example the sleeves proved to be slightly too long but I found that I can cuff them and by inserting the lower end of my vambracers in the cuff the bracers stay in place. It is the more comfortable of the two. The other is off the peg, Lord of Battles I believe. It is quite thick requiring more energy just to bend my arms. It offers good cut resistance but I wish more for blunt trauma. I believe a hard strike across my forearm would break it and therefore back to plate. It is so thick that some plate won’t fit over it. And it doesn’t support other pieces of armour as well as I like. Such as my splint vambracers (my favourite) as gravity in time will pull them down requiring readjusting. I’ve glued course sandpaper on the back side of those for additional griping power and that works but nevertheless after several hours they will still need to be pulled up and refastened. I suppose it would be more accurate to say it depends on how I am feeling that day, the weather, etc. as I find myself no locked into strictly choosing on over the other. If I prefer to feel lighter and freer I’ll go one way otherwise the other. With the lighter gambeson I’ll put on more padding that I wouldn’t ordinarily do with the heavier one such as a skirt and leg padding feeling better protected in that area in addition to being cooler. I could use the leg padding with the heavy gambeson but normally don’t. The skirt no.
In my avatar you can see the light gambeson under the mail with the cuff just above those black gloves.
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christain
Member
It's the steel on the inside that counts.
Posts: 2,835
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Post by christain on Dec 1, 2019 0:58:13 GMT
Anything that isn't poly-fill for padding. It's HOT. Unless you live in a cool climate, you'll die of heat-stroke in anything but a wool or cloth padding.  The outer layer is just personal preference. |
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The outer layer is just personal preference.
