I am interested in making some splint arm and leg armour. I have hopes that this might be a nice supplement to a hauberk and pass for some type of 12th to 13th century transition phase of kit.

I would like to know "what kind of soldier" would have used splinted arm and leg armour, and around what time period.

An example is the Icefalcon Armoury models that the call "Rondell" style. I don't get any internet search results when I try looking up examples by this name.
http://icefalcon.safeshopper.com/2/67.htm?531

A less wealthy knight or man-at-arms between 1325 and 1375, maby longer in eastern eourope.This style is rather distinct to the 14th century. Here are a few examples.

I wondered if splint armour is considered legal for SCA. I have not seen ratan sword combat, but figure it might reward different armour qualities than sharp swords.

Plate seems to dent. If one doesn't wish to do a lot of plannishing and hammer work, splint might not be a bad option.

I figure you could incoporate some wool or padding within the leather backing, and the splint might be pretty good for against impacts.

yes splint is legal in the sca

Hi Jared,

Jared Smith wrote:

I wondered if splint armour is considered legal for SCA. I have not seen ratan sword combat, but figure it might reward different armour qualities than sharp swords. Plate seems to dent. If one doesn't wish to do a lot of plannishing and hammer work, splint might not be a bad option. I figure you could incoporate some wool or padding within the leather backing, and the splint might be pretty good for against impacts.

I fight SCA rattan combat and you're right - it does reward different armour qualities than sharp swords. Because the SCA rules are, how shall I put this, more concerned with basic safety than with serious authenticity :) there is a very wide range of armour quality we see, from museum grade reproduction to hideous plastic ugliness.

There is a much much lower incidence of mail in SCA armour than you see in more focussed living history groups because it's basically useless against rattan when worn as anything other than an aventail. Mostly people go for padding in various quantities and whatever plate floats their boat. I used to fight in vambraces with formed 16ga mild steel splints which bent fairly readily. Over decent padding - some tens of layers of linen or a few layers of batting splint armour offers excellent protection against the kind of impacts you get from rattan weapons.

Because rattan flexes, it's actually hitting with less force than rebated steel would, and over a slightly larger area so it's not as hard on armour as you might expect. If we hit as hard with rebated steel as we do with rattan we'd break people and their armour.