[D. S. Smith]

Well, I have my first piece of armor on order for an event coming up this weekend. The brown Santa (UPS) is dropping off a chainmail hauberk and coif on Thursday...not a moment too soon. I would love to have been able to get a riveted set, but I just couldn't justify the expense for something that is purely for decorative purposes, and will only be worn very infrequently. Plus, I needed something in stock, and fast. So at the recommendation of people here, I ordered from Kult of Athena (great folks to deal with, I've been very impressed so far). I bought the butted chainmail with zinc plating. The zinc plating was not optional, and I would have prefered to have gone without it.

So I get it on Thursday and it's got to be good to go on Saturday. I'm hoping that I'll like the appearance right out of the box. But if it is too shiny for me (I can't abide shiny mail), my back-up plan is to remove the zinc. Here is where I'm hoping for a little advice. After reading up on removing zinc, my plan is to set the hauberk and coif in a 5 gallon bucket overnight soaking in vinegar. This is supposed to remove the zinc. Then once it's removed, I can bake it in the oven, and then quench in motor oil. This sounds like a pretty big project, and I'm on a very tight schedule, so I'm open to other options.

I couldn't care less if it rusts, in fact I'd love it if it did...I'm going for a battle-weary look, not brand new. Dirty would probably be great as well, if there is a way to dirty it without the dirt or grime just falling off and looking shiny again.

Oh, on another note, I'm supposed to have a very short stage combat type session at this event (fake weapons), where I'll have a sword and my opponent will have a halberd. From reading on this site a bit it sounds like I'll be at a distinct disadvantage, which makes sense, since I'm supposed to die. But if anyone has any ideas for how to make a fight look fun between a sword and a halberd, feel free to throw in advice on that as well. Chances are good that neither I nor my halberd-armed opponent will ever have wielded a weapon before (actually we both carry guns at work, but you know what I mean).

[Tom King]

GDFB mail comes a shiny gray color, so you won't need to get the zinc off.

As far as the impromptu unchoreographed stage combat between two untrained opponents, please don't. There are only 3 ways this turns out
1. it looks horrible because you are neither rehearsed, nor versed enough in combat to make it look like anything but larping
2. you get your skull stoved in by a halberd
3. you stove your partners skull in with a sword because he doesn't know how to block with a halberd

Please either choreograph your fight or do not do it. Personally i hate doing choreographed fighting, but I have known my primary sparring partner for 4 years and we know enough about the others style to not kill each other while fencing with BKS longswords. I did some light sparring with a member of my group that is untrained and almost lost an eye. Essentially his explanation for scoring his sword point across my eyelid was that he was "trying to get me." For your own safety and that of others please don't assume that you can just fight this random guy with a weapon you do not know and do so safely and in a way that impresses the crowds. I don't mean to offend, but i'm concerned more with your safety than your feelings.

I would suggest that you work out how the fight will go down. something along the lines of
He comes down with the axehead, you block with your shield
You turn the blow to the side and rush into him, he strikes you with the butt of the halliberd
he comes in to thrust, you block it with your shield but are pushed back
He hooks your ankle with the axehead, pulling you off balance to the ground
He stabs next to you in the sand

A framework will make the fight go a lot easier, and full choreography will make it a lot safer and more fluid

[P. Frank]

[D. S. Smith]

Thanks for the input Tom and P. Frank! No offense taken, if I didn't want to hear the answers I wouldn't have asked the question. Choreographed fight sounds like an excellent plan. And this will not be a street speed fight, or for points, or anything of that nature. My sword is made of bamboo (I've never seen it yet, just had it described to me), so there will not be a great deal of cleaving going on I hope. I got a chuckle out of the LARPing comment. That is probably exactly what this will look like. I should have gone into a bit more detail on the scenario, this is for a rehearsed "skit" sort of thing at a banquet at a castle (actually a really cool, REAL castle ). I am a minor henchmen that will not be the focus of attention as there will be three "duels" going on at the same time with the "kings guards". The fight will last a very short time and I'll be promptly killed. But after reading your choreograph recommendation Tom (and I really like how it sounds), I'm concerned that I probably won't have access to a shield. lol

Thanks for the info on the chainmail as well. I'm glad to hear that ti will be a grayish color rather than bright shiny steel.

[B. Pogue]

[D. S. Smith]

Hi Blake, it was the second from the bottom on your chart, round butted, zinc plated, mild steel.