Greetings all,

I was wondering if anyone has heard or can tell me there impression of GDFB’s Milanese armor based on the Avant Harness? Any personal first hand information from those who have purchased the harness would be most appreciated, but opinions and comments are most welcome as well.

Thanks.

Matthew

http://www.casiberia.com/product_details.asp?id=AB0063

I would say avoid it like the plague considering they put it together wrongly for the promotional photos.

No actual experience with them, but would suggest that you save your pennies and get a harness made for you by someone that really knows there stuff.

All this GDFB stuff is made by Syndicate Armoury in India. I used to buy direct from them before they started the GDFB line. Their stuff is solidly made but sometimes ahistoric and a bit clunky. I notice their prices are astronomically higher with the name change and better marketing.

I would wait and see if it goes on sale! :D

It seems like a fun impression of the "Avante" harness, but not very authentically styled if you start splitting hairs. I have seen much worse. Fun is most likely all you will get out of such a purchase. Expensive fun at that, too. At least it comes with some maille accesories.

On the other hand, a well made harness would probably start in the neighborhood of 7-8 thousand dolleros. Really good ones are in the 15-25 thousand dollar range. That keeps them just out of reach of the regular folk. No wonder knights were knights in the good 'ol days, lol.

Good luck with whatever you decide upon...

the legs arent bad. they need some work. the upper thigh is thin at the knee area so beware if u have big thighs. the fan's need work to be more ahistorical as do the V rolls. the greaves need some reshaping to fit a proper calf. no one's ankle is that wide ehhehe.

Hello,

I found a new picture from the GDFB site where the armor is displayed more correctly.

Thanks,

Mattew

http://www.gdfbglobal.com/glpcat/clnt_cat_ep....d=10289022

Its still incorrect. The pauldrons are all wrong, and put on upside down. The helm is also not actually the correct one for the period. It comes from a different armour, but was probably chosen as its the easiest type to make.

I'd still say leave it and get a nicer one.

the helm is right for the period. its italian 15thc and so is the rest of the kit. BUT the harness it is based on is the advent harness, which was sold to a museum with everything but the correct helmet (the armet). the museum it was sold to used a barbuta in its place. at least thats what i've heard.

it's shown with a barbuta i believe still today and like that in many armouring books.

the pauldrons and arm harness are missing the wrapper plates. thats 1 reason it looks "off"

The helm is 50 years off the rest of the harness. It was put with the avant harness when the original helm was sold at a seperate auction to a private collector.

Yes, the re-inforcements will make it look better, but the pauldrons are still wrong IMO.

http://www.myArmoury.com/feature_gothic_armour.html

That is apparently the armour its based on (the first one).

I got to see most of this harness last weekend. Its OK generally. The gauntlets were somewhat bulky and clunky to me and some of the bits were not as good as the others. If you are going to fight you may need serious work on these gauntlets or new ones. The cuirass was well made and the arms and legs were decent, the limbs perhaps needing finishing work once you get them to size them better. The pauldrons if placed correctly are actually one bit I thought was good. The helmet is good but as Zak mentioned it is not the one that should go with the harness. Most view the barbute as a helmet for less complete harness or such. I'd look at an armet which likely was what went with it. It depends how much work you would like to do once you get the harness as it likely will not fit you upon arrival and if you can cut and form the metal.

Also from what I gather some harnesses of the same type are much better than others. I heard this from a few people and it is a general statement about GDFB so something to keep in mind. They were not at the event last week I was at; actually I have not seen them at any reenactment things this year..... but I see their stuff around quite a bit. Generally their helmets are ok but basically one size fits all, tends to error on the side of bigger.

As Zac said it might be work looking around and seeing what the same or a bit more money would buy if you do not want to make mods once you get it.

I emailed both places where the pauldrons were upside down a long time ago but no response of change yet... Maybe they think I am wrong?


RPM

Super-low prices on those helmets make me naturally warry - I know the work expenses in India is much lower than in Europe or US, but a close helm for 100 Euro???

I doubt if 16 gauge is enough for a helm to be able to take serious beating and go on - seems too light to me. We use mainly 2 mm (12 gauge, unless I am mistaken) steel helmets for sword and shield training, and even those require repairs after some time in active use. Of course if it would be a well crafted helm made from spring-steel, it might be a keeper, but then it would not cost under 100 euro...

thx for the pictures hal. this seems to be a different helm alltogether but i guess the finish would be the same (or more likely worse), also i would have to planish down those extensions of the faceplate that lead to the hinges since a hit there would transfere almost all force to your neck without deflecting any, which would be particularly unpleasent in case of a full blown vom tag. additionally the force would be unilateral which is even more dangerous.

btw I have seen some of these 1.3 mm helms:

http://www.kovexars.cz/routines/new_window_pi...vodoznak=1

and they seem to be able to take anything that wouldn't break your neck anyway for at least 1.5 years of regular sparring (twice a week). but again, these are obviously hardened and I don't suppose the SAY ones are?

Cheers, W.

you are welcome, here another armourer: http://www.tomala.lublin.pl/index.php?strona=wstep&lng=eng

you are right. i could buy from covex in the first place but I prefer to put every dime I can spare (=free time) in my actual suit: I am somewhat of an armourer myself, but in the time I would need to make a decent helmet I could make 3 grand in my actual job, not to mention expenses (torch etc.).

however, in the description it says, SAY produces them in 1.6 mm too so I wrote an email to the swords-and-more guys if they could order those, what they would cost and if the manufacturer says they are "schaukampftauglich". If I should get one I will definately post pic and a review here.


Cheers, W.

http://www.mittelaltershop24.de/index.html?ru...elme_3.htm

looks like I found the 1.6 mm version at an even better price. should be here sometime next week. for that prize I may even consider hardening, and while I'm alredy at it burnishing, it myself if it comes to it.

Cheers, W.

So, the swords-and-more guys have written me back and they say that the helms actually are in 1.6mm thickness already. SAY however would nor recommend them for battle, which they explicitly do for their GDFB items.

crap, looks like I'm gonna have a hell of a lot of work to do on them after all... like maybe welding a band to the lower rim of the faceplate, weld washers to the pivot points, perforated plate/grill for eyes....


Cheers, W.