Hello all, first post with a question. First off I hope I posted this in the right area. I was wonderinf if anyone has personal experience with any of Medieval Reproductions full armor kits? I am truly interested in the quality of their work. Is their mailee butted or riveted? Do they make their own gambesons or buy them from another source? Any help on this would be appreciated.

Scott

If you're refering to this company..........................
http://www.medievalrepro.com/
.....................I have a helmet made by Peter Fuller but not a full harness.

I can say the helmet is of the first quality and represents some very fine work. The service is as good as the quality.

That would be them Patrick. Thank you for the reply. I'm kinda putting the cart before the horse at this point as I do not even have any weapons yet. I am starting to do research into what I want to get for my kit. Even though They do not have a kit that works 100% for me they do have items I can use for a basis of one. I am thinking of creating a persona from between 1275 and 1325 AD. More than like ly a man at arms on the continent who by luck and scrounging has put together a mismatched kit of decent protection level. So right now I am just starting to do the research needed and also come up with people who others have use and are happy with to start getting an idea of how much this will cost me. By the way, what helmet did you purchase if I may ask?

Scott

ummm ok............. sorry i dont follow.

Quote:

crounging has put together a mismatched kit of decent protection level

for the dates you mention, it's pretty much gonna be mail, mail and more mail. maybe greaves, maybe some eastern lamallar, but its gonna be mail.

I guess I am trying to figure out what he could have put together in the way of supplementary armor besides maille. What is starting to become available during this time period? Like I said, I am just starting to do research and am hoping that the more knowledgeable folks here can help out.

Scott

The coat of plates was in general use by 1250, and provides lots of possibilities for decoration - the fabric covering (or leather), fancy rivet surrounds, the plate layouts, buckles etc.

For torso armour a type of armoured surcoat/coat of plates can be seen on the St. Maurice statue here:

http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/violator/

(I know nothing about the site or who runs it-this was google searching for me)

There are greaves, poleyn's, couters and gauntlets by the last few decades of the 13th. by 1300 more plate partsin limbs come into use but I assume a more humble men at arms would have more mail and be a few decades behind the newest technology in armour unless in a knight or great lord's household of some wealth so deciding on a specific few decades might be advisable. Have you decided helmet wise? you have a fairly wide variety to chose from great helms, early bascinets, sugar loafs,etc.. Minimun requirements of Edward II reign for a men at arm is a bascinet, a aketon, and gauntlets (not including weapons) in 1320. Less than a decade later his son add's a coat of plates and visor to the bascinet but the original word in french could mean an aventail but I am not sure nor those I have asked.

RPM

Thank you for the answers all. It at least gives me a starting point. Now I can start putting a list together of items I would like to have in my kit.

Eric, very nice looking helmet. I am thinking of going with either the kettle helmet or one of the early great helms with the front mask only.

As I said earlier. I'm looking to go man at arms who started with a gambeson and maybe a maille shirt for armor who then added to his protection with battlefield loot as it were.

Does anyone else have any experience with any of Medieval Reproductions items? I am really looking hard at them to get at least my helmet and maille.

Scott

I have to say....Peter Fuller stuff is really beautiful, really, but way toooooooooo much expensive for what you got!

Marc-Antoine, Do you have any suggestions for other manufacturers then of equal quality? Does anyone know if the Medieval Reproduction Maille is butted or riveted? I am looking for makers of quality riveted maille.