[Iain Ritchie]

Hi,

Im new to all this, currently own a pig faced basinet and chain mail(maille) shirt+a coif. will soon be getting a full suit of armour.

Also in the process of learning longsword. I have a couple of questions 1 do you wear the mail with the plate armour?

and the basinet visor is loose is there a way of increasing the hinge resistance so it stays open? its a single pivot point either side.

thanks in advance for any advice you give.

[Scott Bradley]

From what I know, a full mail shirt was almost never worn with full plate armor. Mail was used to protect the areas (such as the armpit) which could not be protected by mail. However, fourteenth century armors were often a combonation of full mail with plate protecting the hands, upper chest, etc.

Just my two cents.

[Brian L Brown]

Scott, by late 14c to early 15c plate covered the majority of the body and mail shirts where still worn undernieth. Yes mail skirts and voiders came into popularity for adding mail protection in the gaps. With mail and bascinet, globlose type breast plates are the norm allong with simple spaulders, full legs and arms with small fans.

As to your visor pivots Iain, are they nut and bolt or riveted? if nut and bolt tighten them up, if rivet take a ball pien hammer to the inside and tighten the rivet up with a few taps.