Late Medieval Skis -- myArmoury.com

Christian G. Cameron · Posted: Sat 05 Feb, 2011 8:03 am Post subject: Late Medieval Skis

This may be a little too off-topic, but I'd like to make or purchase a pair of late medieval style skis. I'm having trouble finding, or reading, the information--there';s some in Norwegian, but I can't read it. Can anyone on this list help?

Thanks!

Tjarand Matre · Posted: Sat 05 Feb, 2011 8:11 am Post subject:

I'm Norweejun! Post links and I can try to translate.

Tjarand Matre · Posted: Sat 05 Feb, 2011 8:51 am Post subject:

This index site has a pdf of medieval skis with measures: http://arandoir.com/middelalder/ski/
It does however not mention how to make the correct binding. Traditionally it was a loop made from "vidje". That is basically just young and pliable twigs of beech or other available trees braided together like a rope. They will need replacement quite often as they dry and become brittle.
The skis would be waterproofed by smoking them over burning "tyri", pine with high amount of resin.
The skis would often have a "fell" on their soles, meaning fur from any straight-haired animal. This would make the traction uphill very good and the glide downhill acceptable. Speed and optimal glide was probably never an issue, it was an application to make you not sink hip-deep in snow.

Ken Speed · Posted: Sat 05 Feb, 2011 11:04 am Post subject:

Medieval? Well, I'm not that old! I used ski's virtually identical to these except for the length, when I was a boy that were made by my Swedish Great Uncle. They were shorter to make it easier to move in thick woods and the binding was a simple leather strap and buckle otherwise they were indistinguishable from the skis in the drawings.

Tjarand Matre · Posted: Sat 05 Feb, 2011 11:31 am Post subject:

I think the only thing that ever changed until mid 20th century was the length of the skis. Skiing as a recreational activity is a fairly modern concept so they did not need any refinement.

Thom R. · Posted: Sat 05 Feb, 2011 11:53 am Post subject:

christian not sure if you found this thread or not.....
http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t...hlight=ski

Christian G. Cameron · Posted: Sat 05 Feb, 2011 1:12 pm Post subject:

I appreciate all of that, but has anyone got any pictures of the skis themselves? There's any number of articles on the internet, saying there's 12th and 14th c. skis in Norway, Finland, and Slovenia (I think) but no one has any pics...

My friends and I do some winter trekking in kit (1770) and since two of us just decided to have a go this year in our new 14th c. kits, we thought we might ski. I assume deer hair would be about ideal for the "push" ski, yes? I totally see how that would work. And a single spear as a staff--again, I see that.

I think that there's a 14th c. account of Finns in a Swedish army scouting on skis. But I wouldn't want to fight on skis....

However, Swedish 18th c. regulations required men to be able to load and fire on skis,a so perhaps crossbow or archery from skis would be correct. Certainly sounds like fun....

Sorry to double post--I put the other on the wrong thread. Yikes, I'm a computer illiterate.