Finger bucklers -- myArmoury.com

W. Schütz · Industry Professional

Looking throught one of my armour books there was a picture of a pair of hourglass gauntlets with added finger bucklers. And im trying to find other reproductions, and souces, of these - when they first appeard, how they where attached and so forth. Anyone know more about 14th cen finger-bucklers?

Chad Arnow · myArmoury Team

You couldn't scan and upload a pic, could you? That might help.

W. Schütz · Industry Professional

It looks so as the finger buckler is just held by a strap, but im not sure. I would like to find more repros of these, maybe some in a deeper rondel-style. And ofcourse any historica images of em would be a dream...

Poor mans scanner: digital camera..

Chad Arnow · myArmoury Team

Is that pic from Brian Price's Techniques of Medieval Armour Reproduction (I think that's the name of the book)? The gauntlets look familiar.

This kind of info is really helpful to know.... :)

W. Schütz · Industry Professional

Yep thats the one, i thought i had included that info but apparently forgot..

Chuck Russell · Posted: Tue 08 Aug, 2006 3:27 pm Post subject:

as far as i know they jsut have a tight strap. some have a leather lineing on teh back of the buckler to buffer the steel on steel.

Al Muckart · Posted: Tue 08 Aug, 2006 6:06 pm Post subject:

Oaks Armoury makes some gorgeous hourglass gauntlets one set of which is pictured with finger bucklers. http://www.oaksarmoury.com/14thcentgaunts.html.

I have no idea as to their authenticity though, but I'd love to find out more because I type for a living and have never really found good looking finger protection I'm entirely comfortable with for SCA heavy combat.

Phill Lappin · Posted: Tue 08 Aug, 2006 6:24 pm Post subject:

What's a finger buckler? I've never heard of it.

Chad Arnow · myArmoury Team

Bill Grandy · myArmoury Team

This is second hand information, but from what I understand there is no strong evidence for these being used historically. If I recall correctly, I was once told that there are some period images that hint at these possibly having existed, but there's nothing really concrete. They seem to work well for many modern groups (I've thought about getting a pair for my finger gauntlets myself), and they're reasonably easy for modern makers to make them.

Christian Henry Tobler · Posted: Tue 08 Aug, 2006 7:49 pm Post subject:

There are certainly illustrations from the 15th century showing rondels on the back of armoured figures' hands, but it's not clear exactly what they are and how they're fixed to the wearer. There are illustrations in Talhoffer and Kal that show this.

I know of no evidence for use of any such devices in the 14th century.

All the best,

Christian

Tomasz Rajtar · Industry Professional

Strange device... Good made "hourglass" gauntlets does not need such things. Of course that is just my opinion...
I've received many blows into hands - last it was two or three blows with heavy sword right into fingers. It was 3 weeks ago in the "Battle of Tannenberg 1410" event. And I still have my fingers and I still can use them ;)
True that few days I felt like a volleyball player which played without worming up his hands... But it was not dangerous at all.

My gauntlet (photo taken 4 year ago, before attaching lining and leather gauntlet):
[ Linked Image ]

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W. Schütz · Industry Professional

Yes this fingerbuckler is a strange litte thing indeed. Maybe it was used when facing poleweapons, cos a pair of good gauntlets will, like mensioned above, protect you well from swords. I would like to incorporate a pair of these into my armour but i want more historical backing first, but i sure do like the way they look.

Chuck Russell · Posted: Wed 09 Aug, 2006 3:37 am Post subject:

in sca , some kingdoms u have to have finger bucklers or the finger guants are illegal

Gavin Kisebach · Posted: Fri 18 Aug, 2006 10:45 am Post subject:

No idea where I found these. They don't look too obtrusive, and the added protection is rather nice IMAO.

Randall Moffett · Posted: Fri 18 Aug, 2006 10:08 pm Post subject:

As was said there are a few instances of them but I like Christian said have not seen any 14th and there are few sources later, (In fact Christian just added some to my few I had never known of, thanks!). I think people in certain reenactment groups use them with finger gauntlets as the fingers especially can get hammered side to side and fully enclosed mitten gauntlets and these finger bucklers counter it. I have known some nastly finger injuries in the SCA but in the end it depends on what you are doing with then and how often you (ever) get hit.
Thomas,

How was the "Battle of Tannenberg 1410" event this year? I have been following it for some years now but never gone. Don't suppose you have any pictures you'd mind sharing of it?

RPM