[Boris Bedrosov]

First, I would like to wish you happier and better New Year to all of you!

Just before the New Year's day I re-refined the maille sections of the greaves.
They looked like that:














I was not still satisfied by this appearance and made even another refinement.

[Boris Bedrosov]

After this new refinement, I've got the maille sections like this:



and the greave like this:









And again I was not satisfied with the result. If in the last case the maille appeared to be too loose, now it's short, especially at its upper part. As you see, this leaves too great distance between the plates and requires additional work over the maille sections in order to get them OK.

[Brian Robson]

Always look forward to seeing your updates on this project, Boris. Truly a work of art.

I've done quite a bit of tailoring in mail for odd parts of the body in my time (Almost finished my 2nd pair of fitted chausses right now), and pretty much the main insight I can give is that the process involves a lot of trial and error!

You can 'tack' joins by only connecting every 10th link or so to try it for size - but even then the mail pulls differently when all the links are in place - so at best it's still only a rough guide.

So I guess just be prepared for it to take a lot longer than you expected!

I think the biggest thing I've learned is that it would be a lot easier with a life-sized (and shaped) dummy!

[Boris Bedrosov]

[Boris Bedrosov]

These days I attached the carrying straps to the combat shield and it's ready now.

* back view:


** upper point:


*** bottom point and the buckle:

[Boris Bedrosov]

Hello everyone!
I haven't been here for a while and during that time I' ve done this-and-that.

* the straps and buckles - one pair is undone, the other - done:


** one of the pairs riveted on the back-plates (unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of the undone, so we have only this):


*** the second to last (really ) test-fit, this time with straps and buckles instead of temporary laces:








**** which showed me that I need an extra row at the inner maille-section here:


two extra rows at the outer maille-section and another extra row at the inner one here:

[Boris Bedrosov]

Hello everyone!

I haven't posted here for a couple of weeks.
Although I was far too busy at work, including several days with extra working hours, I managed to make some steps with my armour. These will be shown in relatively short time in sequence of posts.

* First, the infantry greaves are finally assembled for the last test-fit:











Please, note that the three free-standing sections (one at each side and one at the front) are just crude idea for the future sabaton.

** All sections of the greaves are ready for assembly, this time permanently, with riveted rings:

[Boris Bedrosov]

The greaves are assembled with riveted rings:



And this is what they look like, put on my legs (here, I'm not with my "event" boots, but with working shoes)









Now, I need to make and attach the sabatons, but so far I have only crude ideas for their appearance and construction (there are several different options).
So, my intention now is to leave the infantry greaves aside, until I clarify for myself what I want the sabatons to be. Instead, I will work on the cavalry ones.

[Boris Bedrosov]

As one might remember, the plates for the cavalry greaves were left aside covered with tar, ready to be etched.

I started the process, using 60% Nitric acid (HNO3) and simple plastic vessel:



What followed, was series of stupid mistakes:
- it was very cold outside (about - 15 degrees Celsius, or approx. 6 Fahrenheit), so I worked inside
- my gas-mask was not available, I worked without it
- due to the cold again, I hadn't the proper ventilation, while the etching process was slow
As a result, I managed to gas myself extremely efficient.

WTF , I still wonder what I did !
I worked with rocket fuels (known to be very toxic) more than five years, and being team-leader I often did this without full protective kit (for better control and leadership), but I never had experience like that during this etching.

I'm OK now - just don't this like me! I'm really very serious.

Bur nevermind - the result after neutralization and clearing is ..... just wow:
* before blackening:


** after blackenenig:






Although this was my first etching in such scale (so big plates with so many complex details), apart from my self-gassing, I really like the result.

[Edward Rees]

I've following this thread since I first joined the community and every time I think, "Wow. It can't get any better," you go and prove me wrong. Fantastic work. Stunning.

I'm sure you've gone over this before but what process do you use to blacken your armour?

[Kai Lawson]

I'm not actually sure that this level of perfection is legal anywhere in the world. As a craftsman, there may be one or two things that you might wish were changed or had come out differently, but I have honestly never seen this level of sky-high quality coupled with the level of detail involved, on top of living day to day and the birth of a beautiful daughter.

Have you considered doing this as a career? I don't particularly care for plated mail in terms of aesthetics, but I would buy this from you in a heart beat--you have made me re-evaluate a whole new culture's armor.

Thank you for opening my eyes.

--Kai

[Boris Bedrosov]

To Edward Rees
To blacken the armour, I heat the steel plate with a propane torch until it starts to turn blue, submerge it for a while in fine engine oil and after that - allow it to cool in the air. In order to achieve the desired result, this process could be repeated several times.
If the detail is so big, that it can't be placed in the vessel with the oil, I use a rag-pad (the brush simply melts) to apply the oil directly over the heated surface. Usually, in this case it's mandatory to repeat the process several times.


To Kai Lawson
Actually, I don't like many things done in this armour, and would try to make them better, if I make such armour again. This is my simple rule, if I want to evolve as an arms-and-armour craftsman.
Yes, I consider doing this as an career. But so far, I prefer to learn (and believe me - I have a lot to learn) and to stay in the group, which Nathan calls "Advanced Hobbiests".

[Johan Gemvik]

Oooo... Those etched greaves are amazing!

I know what it's like when you have a pet project almost done and you can just taste it, just almost there. And then you can't really get it done and you're just so frustrated you jump armud and climb the walls. In my case because I misplaced my thick piece of brass plate I was using for material and couldn't finish my current knife without it. But in this case the cold not letting you use proper ventilation. I know, over here in europe everything is freezing up right now. Is this the Ice age people warned us about starting early? Who knows, but just don't poison yourself -chemical pneumonia you know that's some serious sh*t. That reminds me of this one time I was making a larp helmet way back in my youth. I didn't know why I kept getting sick, until someone pointed out that you do know you can get sick from the aluminium dust? Well now I know.

Not worth gambling with life and health perhaps, but the results you got are stunning! I once again vow to try etching myself on armour pieces. But with ventilation in summertime.


Also I'm with Kai on this, you need to start making these pieces professionally. Some museums would probably be interested as well as a great many re-enactors.

[Boris Bedrosov]

Johan
May be I didn't explain my intentions correctly.

I do pieces occasionally as custom orders. What I haven't done so far is to make JUST them for the living - I have another job also and I still like it.
But yes, I have the idea to make arms and armour professionally someday.

[Boris Bedrosov]

Being sick of all this s**t after gassing myself, I decided to finish the front and back plates of the cavalry greaves as soon as possible. I just didn't etched them.
After the removal of the tar, I engraved them with my Dremel tool:



As you see, it's the same design, only the technique is different.
And this is the result after blackening:

[Boris Bedrosov]

Well, well, well!
This weekend I managed to keep a good pace on the project.

So far, the upper portion of the outer plates seemed so simple to me. I had an idea to decorate it with cut-through brass-plate. I'm almost sure that I have somewhere picture of such authentic decoration, but I can't find it to show.
In the beginning, I wanted to make some floral design, but I wasn't satisfied by the result. That's why I chose this



relatively simple design from Topkapi Palace, and the resulting pattern looks like this:



After that, the steps are familiar - they were the same, as when I made the other brass decorations (drill-bits and a lot of tiny files).
The plates somewhere in the middle:



One ready, one under-way.
In this case I managed to make my work easier by drilling the holes with appropriate drill-bit (that's why they are so good looking).
This was followed by drilling the holes for the rivets, some engravings with engraving tools (mostly V- and U-shaped), bending and finally - polishing

[Boris Bedrosov]

The outer plates with the brass decorations, riveted on them



and another closer view:

[Boris Bedrosov]

After attaching the straps and buckles, the front and back plates are ready:



In this case, the straps became too long and although everything was carefully measured, this initially surprised me a little bit. But in fact, there is no mistake - they simply will run around the half of circumference of my leg.

And all plates waiting for assembly:



Before doing this, I must attach one-ring row, running continuously around each outer plate. As you see, this is already done with the left greave (which is actually at the right on the picture).

[Boris Bedrosov]

The cavalry greaves were assembled:



and different angle



I think, I managed to get them as close as possible to the authentic ones.
What remains, is to add tiny triangular sections under the front and back plates, and to punch holes in the straps.

[Boris Bedrosov]

Well, the cavalry greaves are now ready. Here they are:



from different angles:




closer (with straps under the plates):






and more detailed pictures: