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My new Scale Maille Armor

Started by robert of armstrong, July 18, 2008, 05:02:41 PM

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robert of armstrong

I picked up my scale maille hauberk last week and wore it to Sterling's opening day last Saturday.  Oh, I like it very much, thank you.  I have not yet seen anyone wearing anything like it, which makes me very happy.



It has been shortened slightly to save weight, it is around 60-65 pounds.  With the leather breast- and backplate, shoulders, bracers and full legs I carry around a total of 85-90 pounds, plus weapons.

The hauberk is made up of around 6,500 scales and more than 13,000 rings in an oriental 4 into 1 pattern.  Most of the scales are mild steel, with a few areas of "repair" which are made up of either brass or stainless scales.  The idea behind it was that my original persona was a man rich in honor, but not in gold, and made the hauberk from what he could find.  During various adventures, the armor had been damaged, and had to be repaired with what was available, hence the different materials used, from different areas of the lands visited.  The persona is drifting slightly, also willing to take on the role dragon/demon/monster hunter/slayer, as long as the quest is noble, and the creature in question is, in fact, evil.

I also choose mild steel so it would tarnish and rust, as it is to be worn under my brown leather armor, and with luck the color of most of the scales would eventually compliment the leather more, while the brass and the stainless scales will stand out even stronger.

I started making it myself, and promptly went insane.  In speaking to one of the guys I work with about RenFests and such, he mentioned a that his brother made various items of chain maille, and might be up to this new challenge.  Devin Rigole, with the assistance of the crew from Things From Rings (from MiRF, amongst others) made the hauberk.
Always on the lookout for my next noble cause.

And because a flail don't need reloading, that's why.

renren

Wow...That is some excellent armor! Looks great!
Renren
Wench  #  3783
Treasure Guardian and giggling interrogator of the "Feisty Lady"

Guppy # 32 ROoL

NoBill Lurker

Robert of Armstrong, all I can say is .........



Very Sweet, indeed!
So what are you doing this weekend?
I'm going to BARF!!!
You're going to...wait...WHAT???

Black Armor

My friend, I believe you did go insane!  Good Lord, 85-90 lbs!?  It looks awesome!  Nice touch with the scales of different materials idea.  I wouldn't have thought of that.  I can't wait to see it at MiRF.

Monsignor de Beaumanoir

Well done Sir!

Reminds me of Kenneth Haigh's  Sir Ranulf character in Robin and Marian.

Sir William Marcus

VENI, VIDI, VELCRO! Spelling and grammatical errors are beyond my control, it's the way I'm wired.

Chris B

I definately can appreciate that piece.  It is beautiful, and I am sure it was a lot of work.  I just finished a H/A Greek Scaled Linothorax with 450 Bronze Scales and it was enough of a pain.  I never want to make another scale again!  ;D  I cannot even imagine making 4,500 scales!  You should be proud of it, and I am sure it will be a head turner.  You don't see scale armor often for certain.  I personally would love to see some more pics of it when you get a chance.   

BrokenArts

Am I allowed to say..........*SEXY?*  Well it is.  Nice....... ;) ;D

Dirtfarmer

I've never seen anyone ever do scale mail at faire before... that is pretty awsome!

Pinn

I.P.B.
IWG# 3681
Ette
ROL #101
FOKTOP

jcbanner

I wish I checked this part of the board more often, that is some Fine Armor you got there!  do did I understand right, that is scales on top of chain?  with the leather on top of that, your covered for just about anything they can bring your way.

robert of armstrong

Quote from: jcbanner on August 11, 2008, 11:43:39 PM
I wish I checked this part of the board more often, that is some Fine Armor you got there!  do did I understand right, that is scales on top of chain? 

Not quite.  The scale is woven with the rings, four rings into the scale's one hole.  Like this:




Thanks a lot for the compliments everybody.  It was quite the undertaking, I am very proud of it.

Quote from: Chris B on July 25, 2008, 07:21:02 AM
I definately can appreciate that piece.  It is beautiful, and I am sure it was a lot of work.  I personally would love to see some more pics of it when you get a chance.   

I'll put up some more photos when I get the chance:  That one I really liked, it was taken at Sterling on Opening Day.  I have at least a couple from Great Lakes from not this past weekend, but the weekend before, and I will get some again next weekend at Michigan.

I have to wear it as often as I can to make it worth it, I have a baby coming in the fall and can't see myself wearing something like that and tending to an infant at the Faires next year.  I'll have to make the move to more of a Woodsman or something like that.
Always on the lookout for my next noble cause.

And because a flail don't need reloading, that's why.

Knevolin

Amazing.  "Envious" doesn't even begin to describe me right now.   :D
Visit my profile on - links not allowed in signatures -  Admin

Obadiah Jib

How easy is it to get into?  And how easy is it to get the plate on over the top?
First Mate of the Portobello Rose.
I'm not the captain, I just dress better than he does.

Malkavian

Very nice looking work sir :)  I haven't looked into scale a whole lot (still working on getting my first maille shirt done) but i adore the way it looks.  With the materials you chose it will def. be interesting to see how it ages

robert of armstrong

Quote from: Obadiah Jib on October 05, 2008, 09:37:59 PM
How easy is it to get into?  And how easy is it to get the plate on over the top?

Getting ready in a Faire's parking lot can be fun.  I haven't been to a Faire in armor without my buddy, Brent.  He gives me a hand a the end.  I should take a video of it sometime, it would be pretty funny.

First, you can't really see them in the photo, but I am also wearing a full set of leather gothic legs which includes sabatons (feet covers), greaves (shins), poleyns (knees) and cuisse (thighs).  All that gets strapped on first, from bottom to top.

Then, I put the scale hauberk, front side down on the floor of the cargo area of my Jeep Liberty (it has to be around laying thigh to waist high to be easier).  Crouching, I slide my arms inside and into the arms, keeping my hands in fists, thumbs in, to keep from having a fingernail ripped off (trust me on this).  Then I stand up, holding the hauberk in front of me, and using my legs and arms, kind of throw the body of the hauberk up and over my head while ducking, putting my arms straight up and hopefully sliding my head all the way through the neck hole before in stops falling.

After that, the belt goes on, with whatever weapons hangers/sheaths, pouches, straps, etc. I am wearing that day.  Then the breast/backplate/pauldrons combo goes on over the head.  At this point, doing up the straps on the sides (at my ribs) and on my arms at the bottom of the pauldrons is very difficult, and I need help.  Last of the leather is the pair of bracers, which I also need help with.  Last to go on is a chain maille coif, which I pull back off my head to act like a gorget or mantle and to keep the leather from rubbing my neck.

Flexibility is more of an issue with scale than chain, the scales will only fold and collapse on themselves so much.
Always on the lookout for my next noble cause.

And because a flail don't need reloading, that's why.

Ranna

But isn't it all worth it in the end? ;)
"The lasses have got to respect a man who can blow, finger and squeeze all at the same time." - Anonymous bagpipe player

robert of armstrong

Always on the lookout for my next noble cause.

And because a flail don't need reloading, that's why.