I am a college student at the University of Idaho and a member of the Society of Creative Anachronism and I am constructing my own suit of armor. My ambition is to have my armor be as historically accurate as possible in construction and styles. My focus is on the German Gothic styles from 1450 through the early 1500s. I have been in contact with the Higgins Armory Museum and they have suggested I ask my questions to praticing armorers.
I have recently run into a road block with the construction of my pauldrons. In my research I have learned that the lames of the pauldrons were attached by sliding rivets at the back and leather straps on the side and front portions. The top lame overlaps the one below all the way down. I have pictures of the insides of historical examples which show the sliding rivets and the side leather strap which attach by blind rivets but the pictures don’t show how the front portions of the lames were connected. What confuses me is the fact that on the outside front, there is a row of rivets down the lames similar to the back side of the pauldron. It appears to me that these rivets couldn’t possible be attached to the respective lames below because it would inhibit movement of the arm.
My questions:
Are the lames for the front side connected the same way with blind rivets as the side strap therefore making the front external row of rivets just for aesthetical purposes?
Could you please help me with a verbal description and/or pictures of how the lames were attached? Attached is a similar example of the pauldrons I am constructing. Notice the row of rivets down the front and back. How would the lames move as shown in the picture?

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Pics that might shed some light;

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depends.. be careful with using modern reproductions for period interpretations. foot armour would probably be constructed differently than that of tilting armour. and 50 years and place of origin can have a drastic effect on how each piece of armour is made.

The pics posted by me was not for use as replacement for the study of period items, but rather a detailed view at how it can be done, when made by one of the best now adays. Also the way rivets, straps and lames are constructed here are of a fairly common method of period armour as it seemes to me.

If it helps, the time period I am specifically focussing on is 1480 + or - 10 years. The Higgins Museum said that the rivets on the front are connected directly to the leather strap and not through the lame underneath. This confuses me as the top of the lame beneth it would rest up against the rivet in the lame above. Are any of you familar with and could share some insite or how it would be useful?
Thanks for the pictures.

I have the book "Arms and Armor of the Medieval Knight" by David Edge & John Miles Paddock and in that book there is a picture of the an arm harness of the Waldislas type construciton and the front rivets apear as the museams states. I know the Waldislas armor is not in my time period but it is the the only authentic peice I have too look at some of the inside.


Also three questions that has arisen from the picture you posted,
1. I thought that the floating elbows of that time period were laced to the ackton and not to the cannons? Was it also done as the pictures shows? I haven't run across anything to support it.

2. Can you describe the motion of the lames when they have sliding rivets in the back? My books don't provide clear directions in my understanding.

3. What thickness of leather would be used to proved the lames to move most efficently?

Thanks for the help. I fell I am online with a good sorce.

So do the elongated holes for the sliding rivets go vertically (l) or horizontaly (-)?? I thought they were verticaly as one of my picts shows. About how long are they, 5/8"? I use #5 rivets which have a 5/32" shank.
Thanks for the help I really appreciate it.

I was wondering if you could answer another question, to attach a visor to a sallet, is a bolt and nut used or a very large shanked rivet? I was planning on using a carriage bold and taking off the square base, annealing it, and using it as a rivet.