[Ryan Hobbs]

Howdy! I'm finally getting around to something I've been ruminating on for about six months of so. My hope for this thread is threefold:
First, I want to record my experiences in researching, purchasing, and using my own suit of armor. I'll also be putting on here my own thought processes and ponderings on different subjects that come up through this project.

Second, I hope this can become a resource for others who are just starting out on building their own harness. It would be awesome if I could, in time, help answer other newbies questions before they even realize they have the question!

Third, I hope for others to contribute their own advice that they think would help out myself or other guys who might be considering putting together their own harness. Anyone else that has started down this road can tell you that it's a daunting task! I think this could be an awesome go to resource for anyone interested in the subject.

I'll be adding in new posts periodically as time allows and as the project develops. My first post will be up in a few days, I'll probably go over my inspiration for getting a suit of armor, what I want out of it, and whatever other crap come to mind.
Thanks for reading, and thanks to anyone and everyone that contributes!

[Chris Gilman]

Based on your post, I'm not sure of your experience with armour, so apologies if this is a well researched subject on your part.

There are lots of people out there making armour, and it is such a lost art that many "Modern" techniques are used in place of period ones (Use of sheet metal for example). The range of skill and knowledge of these armourers is widely varied. Some are very good, (more so in the last 5 years) while others are completely wrong with their "facts" and conclusions of how armour worked or is built.
It can be difficult for people to separate the BS from the real deal. There is so much crap out there, that purchasing an armour can be an incredibly varied experience, with most people having no idea of what a truly good armour feels like.

If you haven't already, I would suggest reading this thread by Robert MacPherson on the Armour Archive:
http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB3/viewto...t=+cobwebs

He is one of the worlds best at replicating armour and his in depth understanding of how it works / worked is invaluable.
Mac is no longer taking armour commissions, but there are 5 or 6 others that are also worth researching.
Jeffery Wasson
Piotr Feret
Eric Dubé
Андрей Юманов
Old world armoury

[Mark Moore]

I've become much more interested in armor in the last few years, even more so than sword collecting. I don't know your intended purpose or your financial budget, but 'ArmStreet' makes nice looking plate.

Really more for costuming purposes than actual use, but nice looking products. --------McM

www.armstreet.com

[Dan Howard]

Start with your soft kit. Don't even think about the rest until you have this sorted out.

[Ryan Hobbs]

I'm back! Work gave me a little bit of extra time to update this, and it's nice to organize one's thoughts while enjoying a nice beer! I saw the comments above, instead of answering them individually, I'll go ahead and put everything here in the body (I was already planning on writing about the topics that the comments covered).

My inspiration and purpose for getting armor is pretty simple. I've wanted a suite of armor since I was a kid, and I want a historically accurate harness to do HEMA in and to possibly reenact in. My chosen harness is that of an English knight of the early 15th century, around the battle Agincourt. I've always loved the aesthetics of the armor and weapons of this period, and I've also had a deep fascination with the battle of Agincourt. I've loved studying military history in general since I was a kid, however I started getting deep into my medieval armor research about 2 years ago.

The armourer I have chosen is Piotr Feret at https://www.platener.eu/index_en.html. I've been in love with his work for years, before I knew it was actually his work! He's another member on these forums and has produced some amazing kits.

For my mail pieces, I'm going to work with Tom Biliter of Historically Patterned Mail, at https://www.historicallypatternedmail.com/. He's another craftsmen that makes high quality, historically accurate gear.

For my soft kit, I'll be using the patterns in book "The Pourpoint of Charles de Blois" by Tasha Kelly. My original plan was to work on my soft kit with my grandmother, an amazing seamstress. She and I have already made gambesons for HEMA, and she's a great teacher. However, the Army saw fit to station me in Korea instead of Georgia for a few years, so that plan was shot down rather quickly. Instead, I'll be taking sewing lessons here on post (nothing wrong with a Soldier making pillow cases and doilies), and plan to make my own soft kit far before my armor is ready to fitted.

When I get the next chance, I'll try to answer comments, and go on to my next topic: What I specifically want out of my armor, both in its form and function, and the painful topic of what my budget is. I mean really, this stuff isn't cheap, and I think it's the biggest shock to people just starting to research this topic.

Til then!