[Sean Flynt]

Robert MacPherson's black and gilt armour in the English style of the mid-15th century, for Tobias Capwell:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12591757@N03/

The mind boggles....

[Jonathan Hopkins]

I like this shot--the range of movement is really impressive and counter to the myth of the clumsy knight in armor. This harness is also illustrated in Capwell's The Real Fighting Stuff.

Jonathan

[Chad Arnow]

Beautiful stuff. It's been discussed here before, bu the search function is erroring out at the moment.

[Sean Flynt]

[Chad Arnow]

There's also this: http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=9002

[Jean Thibodeau]

Really beautiful armour but I wonder on much scuffing or wear marks would appear in just normal wearing of the armour not to mention active wearing of the armour ?

One can see it as ART that should be under glass and protected from any wear or see it a functional armour and accept the marks as normal use and not get depressed about it.

If I remember from the previous Topic threads, I haven't re-read them to check, the armour is put to use by Tobias, and he does wear it and use it.

Now, from the pics, I don't see any obvious wear marks ! This means to me that either the pics were taken on first wearing, very careful wearing or the finish is more durable than I am imagining as well as the fitting of the various pieces is so good that metal on metal scuffing is minimized.

One other possibility is that the finish than be " spot " touched up between uses ?

Is the finish a bluing of the steel or some sort of more durable black enamel ? Not historically correct but a hard black chrome modern finish is almost scratch proof being harder than most things ( 70 R.C. if I remember correctly ? ).

( EDITED: Read the other Topics and the armour seems to have been blued, I am leaving questions about other ways to have a black finish above because it might still be an interesting question even if it doesn't apply to this armour ).

[Sean Flynt]

I read in another forum that the finish is via Black Magic chemical bluing. I have no idea if that's true, but it certainly is a beautiful and even finish. Robert MacPherson does mention on his site the use of a "rapid-bluing product."

I've been working this week with Birchwood Casey's PermaBlue on an armour project. It also gives a very dark blue-black color with a single application. Polished with steel wool or other mild abrasives, it evens out pretty well (little streaking or spotting). Given that this was my first attempt at bluing anything, I wouldn't be surprised if an experienced armourer could get a blemish-free finish from a premium chemical bluing product. If it is a chemical process touch-ups would be possible.

[Jean Thibodeau]

[Chris Gilman]

I pretty sure Mac told me he had this professionally black oxided. Toby wears this (or did) jousting on a regular basis. Being heat treated spring steel (1050) the surface is much harder to damage. I have Mac's last mild steel suit, which scratches pretty easily. He was frustrated by the scratches in mild, among other reasons, so he went to 1050 spring after my suit and is pretty much all he uses now. I have a couple of spring steel piece, both blackened and white. They both stand up to use much better than mild steel treated in the same way.
Here is Mac's Max.

[Sean Flynt]

Another beautiful harness! Thanks for the finish clarification as well.

[Jonathon Janusz]

Two beautiful suits. The photo showing how well the torso articulates is very nice to see.

In regards to the durability of the finish. . . I remember hearing something about the look on Mac's face the first time Toby hopped up on a horse headed for the tilt was priceless.

. . . Also remember, for all the talk of marring the black finish, all of the brass work is covered in gold, if memory serves. . .

[D. Austin]

All I can say is "wow!"

I've seen this piece before but those pictures show a lot more, and I am impressed. It just seems to feel right. I now have even more respect for Mr McPherson's work. Something for us amateur armourers to aspire to.

[Chad Arnow]

[Jean Thibodeau]

[Randall Moffett]

McPherson's work had always inspired me. He has been one of the top armourers I knew of since I was first getting into this. He also is very kind in his advice on armour and armour making which is good to see a person so talented helping others so.

That armour of Dr. Capwell's is fantastic as armour and artwork. It is just fantastic. The black contrast with brass is so stunning. It would seem to fit on a battlefield or decorating almost any formal place.

Chris your suit is great. I really like the look of the close max style fluting. The suit looks just like one I got to look at in storage at the RA not many years ago. Another great McPherson suit.

The scuff and scratches just at to the character of the suit. It gives each piece personality If your armour is still like new it would be unused. What fun is that?

Thanks for all the pictures.

RPM

[William Knight]

One thing I love about it is that it's based on English effigies (on which Dr. Capwell did his thesis); the gilt bands are present on several that I've seen from the mid-15th century. It's refreshing to see someone do something that isn't based on our rather narrow (southern german and Italian) range of surviving pieces.
-Wilhelm

[Sean Flynt]

Something comparable, from an Austrian painting with provenance back to 1457. Note the quality of the finish and the very simple design in the gilt edging. Also note the gemstone set in the middle of the backplate's edging. Blair mentions that this was done but I think this is the only contemporary depiction I recall seeing. No doubt these gems tended to go missing through the ages even if the armour survived. I don't think I've ever seen decorative drops like those shown here attached the edging. Maybe he made his fortune in the ear bob industry and used the armour for advertising purposes . Could those be pearls? Hawk bells? I've read that hawk bells have heraldic applications. I wonder if this is an invention of the artist, but then everything else seems to be so well observed. The helmet visor shown here seems a little strange in form/mechanism, but I don't know much about the type.

[Gabriel Lebec]

Astonishing work (that I had not seen before), done at least some measure of justice by very good photography. An instant favorite. I love every detail.

[Robert MacPherson]

Thanks for the kind words guys!

I haven't bean to this board in a week or so and was surprised to find my armor being discussed.

The (now ex) Capwell armor was indeed blackened by a commercial firm. The product name I saw on the vats in the plant was "black magic", but I don't know much about the process except that the solution is aqueous and kept hot.

Sean Flynt mentions using Birchwood Casey's Perma Blue. I've had some experience with this one many years ago. As I recall, by using three or four applications, with fine steel wool in between a very nice black can be achieved. Like all the instant blues of that sort, this stuff contains selenium (as selenus acid) and must be used with caution. By no means "puddle" in this stuff bare handed. Selenium goes through your skin with surprising ease and rapidity. I am by no means a safety nut, but I always wear gloves with instant blues.

The kastenbrust armor in the posting above is very beautiful. I am trying to get Chris Gilman into one like this but he keeps resisting.....

Mac

[Chris Gilman]

Well Mac,
If you want to make that kastenbrust armor I don't think I could resist.
BTW You say, now ex-Toby armour. Has he sold it?