I am curious about the custom fit and sizing of period armour.

I know that Charles ffoulkes concluded that most armour was not custom fit to the person. Instead most armour was made in a few sizes based on ready patterns.
The poster above who commented on his armour not fitting because the armourer was not local seems to have been the norm in Medieval Europe where most amour for the entire continent was made in a small number of towns in Central Europe.

However, I know that ffoulkes is a century old. Is his analysis contradicted by more recent research? If so I'd love to have the references so I can read up on the subject. (I wanted a more recent book like "The Armourer and His Craft" but didn't find one.)

Is there any better info on what proportion of armour was custom vs. off-the-shelf? Clearly munitions armour was off-the-shelf but that was a later period.

What evidence supports the conclusion that most armour was well fitted?

Thanks,
(curious) Steven

OK. The arms industry of medieval europe is anything but small or a one ways street.

Italy and Southern German towns like nuremburg and augsburg were main powerhouses in arms manufacture, both high end, medium and munitions. This meant that their gear went everywhere. That said the break down indicates the answer to your question.

There are also many other places that made armour. IN fact every country likely had some arms industry some like Bohemia and Flanders much bigger than the Scots, Welsh and Irish in this period.

High end armour, no matter if made by a italian or german for a Scot or English lord would have been made to fit well to him. No question. The amounts they pay for their suits are about 4 times plus the value of a simple off the rack harness... which I will get back to.

Now armour arriving in a country like england in bulk, the non upper end armour could perhaps have been sold and you match it best you could if you were in person buying it there.

My guess is that people of middling wealth would have had one of these suits modified to fit them or had a domestic harness made for them. Either way it would still be made to fit them.

The last catagory is like what you are thinking as off the rack. THis is like the Lord Howard buying 16 half harnesses to serve for men in the future but not specific men. THey likely were fit as best as could be but that is about it.

To make this more confusing is that Italy especially but also, GErmans and Spain sold steel and iron plates for breastplates, helmets, arms etc,. This means that in England at least the likely flat plates would be made into these pieces in addition to metal from home used for the same. Some of this could hvae been for munitions armour but it likely could be made to fit if being made by a guy in the next town opver etc.

IN the end there is no straight forward answer. Both happened I am sure. It is possible the suits were fine tuned once they were assigned to a person.

RPM

I know a number of people who fight in revival linen ones under armour so it works for them. If you like them give revival a call and talk with them. They may let you place less padding inside the sleeves.

RPM

Hugh,

I do not know if they have changed them or have not. One of the gents I am speaking of (but will not name as I am sure some here might know him and its not my place to), has handled quite a bit of original armour and I think made his own vambraces which look pretty close to originals to me. I am not going to question either his metal working or experience with original armour by saying they do not work how they should. For what he does which is quite high use it seems to work.

RPM

I am not saying anything about Rob or his armour. If he made your fit to your arm with nothing between you and the metal thats fine. It is not the only way to do it. If he fells that under armour should not be padded thats fine but there is enough period accounts to indicate that is not always how it always was done. My point is that their garment is not thick padding and people can and do have fairly close reproduction armour made and use it. I in no way am paid by revival, own one of their aketons or anything only that having seen people use them in pretty nice and fairly accurate harness it work for them, end of story. I have handled a pretty fair amount of original 14th century armour and other, have worn a few period harnesses even as well so I am not unaware on how either of them should or can work. I am not saying that you are wrong in thinking that heavy padding should be used as a stand alone armour. It should. My point is people can wear a padded under armour under their semi accurate harness and have a period accurate portrayal still.

RPM

I have a question for you more experienced gentlemen. My wife is going to make me a gambeson suitable for sparring with wooden wasters. We got directions off a website and they recommend using 1/2 inch cotton movers pads.

Will this be enough protection for my aging and tender body?

CC

@ Hugh
I regards to the full range of motion, I thought of the nearly 180°

Some detailed pictures would be very nice.