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Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2009 21:52:45 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2009 4:15:22 GMT
Heard rumours and seen a personal review by a customer on MRL that the inner panel is cloth like and not like the suede on the outside making and heavy wear liable to tear and I dont think its real suitable to take a blow (rattan or blunt)
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Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2009 9:56:28 GMT
I used to have one in 2003-2004.
The biggest problem I had was that there is too much space between the plates (which are too small to begin with) and absolutely no overlap, leaving painful gaps. The interior on the one I had was suede, but this might have changed with the newer version. It stood up OK - but it loses stitching pretty quickly which is an easy fix. If you get one, be sure to buy some waxed thread and quilting needles.
In the end, it's pretty much a costume item rather than the real thing. Its ok to wear over mail, but does not do a good job as a stand alone chest protection like it should.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 18, 2009 3:48:13 GMT
Odingaard - Do you think it could be modified to remedy the gap problem by adding plates or padding? If so, would that be something that would require professional attention or could a do-it-yourselfer like me get away with it? I was thinking it might make a decent base for a mod job resulting in a decent brig for a low cost.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 18, 2009 3:56:15 GMT
It could be used as a fair platform as it comes. You could supplement the existing plating with some hardware 18ga steel that you bandsaw into suitable scales. I'd use standard leather rivets to match the MRL ones - these can be gotten on eBay for $4.00 per 100 and set with a regular hammer and a block of wood.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 19, 2009 15:02:42 GMT
I would be cautious of any armor from MRL - the steel is usually 18 gauge which is really too thin to be considered adequate protection, unless we're talking chainmail which is 16 gauge butted but again, not very suitable for long term protection interests.
I had a set of vambraces from them, the all steel ones. They bit into my wrists (could've used a rolled edge and maybe thicker layer of leather making contact with the lower arm) and had a tendency to spin around- they were more cumbersome than they were worth.
There was a fellow forumite at SFI who'd had the thick leather ones with the 'aged steel' plates riveted on that go for $90- one foray and one of the riveted plates came loose.
I have the Norman helm from the movie KOH that came from Windlass...nice looking but I won't be charging down any lists with that one on...18 gauge and on the light side of things.
I think the brig differs from the Wisby coat of plates in that with the Wisby there's overlap as it should be, but I don't recall reading anywhere that there are overlapping scales on a brig- lamellar, wisby, sure, but not a brig...I think the scales, whether open face or not, are placed side by side.
MRL's armor and assorted other offerings are primarily for costuming and not re-enactment; that is something I tell myself all of the time when I'm browsing one of their catalogs. Keeps me from buying anything, really. Cheers!
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