[Robert Hinds]

Hi there, this is my first post here so please forgive any mistakes.

I've been considering purchasing this cuirass but im not 100% sure on it's historical accuracy. And I was hoping some of the more expeirienced people here could tell me if this cuirass is accurate or not.

I know there's a few thing wrong, like straps instead of hinges on the left side, but id really like to be sure before I spent the roughly $405 bucks on it.

Here's the site where its at.

http://www.southtower.on.ca/armour/index.html


Thank's in advance!

[Sean Flynt]

Welcome! The breast should not be hinged to the back, so that's not a problem. The problem, I think, is with the proportions and fit of components. Keep in mind that the piece should fit quite close and the waist should be at your natural waist. For a man of 6'1", that means a distance of about 14" from top of the breast to the navel, with the flange just below. This one looks much longer than that. Fauld should cover to hip joints. There seems to be something funny going on with the construction of the fauld, too. Overall, it aspires to be something like the one below, by Canadian armourer Francois L'Archeveque--historically accurate, beautiful and a pretty penny. If you want to support the Canadian economy and get an accurate harness, I'd encourage you to contact Francois for a custom-fit but simple single-piece breast with fauld, which he can do for about the same price as the piece you posted. At least, that's about the price he quoted me for breast and fauld (on the other hand, the currency exchange rate was more favorable at that time). Breast and helmet was a very common equipment combination in the period. You don't need a back and tassets to be historically accurate.

http://flarcheveque.com/Homeb.html

[Sean Flynt]

Here's a middle ground between the piece you showed and something equivalent from L'Archeveque. This appears to be the Windlass Steelcrafts armour that some folks here find to be pretty decent, especially with some modifications (removing one of the fauld lames, for example). KOA has this kit for $448. I would be happy to buy or trade for a used one (PM me, owners!) though I'd probably modify it a bit.

http://www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=...ic+Cuirass

[Randall Moffett]

My thought is that he is combining late 15th with mid to late 16th designs. There are also some parts that are just rolled not formed. The breastplate looks like it needs some more work in shaping it so it is a bit more curved as it looks fairly flat in many places. If you were just using it for SCA purposes it'd likely be fine. If you want it for LH it might need some more work. To be fair some of his other breastplates look much more shaped so it might be just the one you are picking is just not his best piece.

Maybe you could help us out by telling us what you plan on doing with it and if you have a specific timeframe you are shooting for.

For $405 dollars you have a number of options from him and other armouries.

RPM

[Zac Evans]

Not historically accurate at all. Go for something simpler from a better armourer. Have a look through here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thoog/collections/72157600297115550/

and once you have acclimatised yourself with what the originals look like, make a plan of your finished harness and then talk to specialist armourers about it.

[Robert Hinds]

Thanks for all the responses!

sean thanks for letting me know about L'Archeveque, I really like some of his stuff but the breastplate you posted is listed at $1300 now. I know it's in canadian but it still sounds like alot.

And that windlass cuiras was the first one that I checked out, I really liked it but its made of 18g steel, and from the size it was listed at I don't think it would fit me very well. I'm not the averaged sized re-enactor, and the store I found it at never e-mailed me back about minimum girth.

Randall, I'm going to be joining ARMA sometime between Febuary and early spring, so I'd be using it for free play and the slightly more dangerous random "duels" with my friend lol, but also for the occasional ren faire. Most people on the ARMA forums suggest 16g steel for their kind of combat (thats why the 18g windlass cuiras wouldn't work).

and Zac thanks, I'll have fun looking thru that.

Thanks again for all your help.

Edit: And if anyone knows an inexpensive armorer please share it! all the places I know are either expensive or low quality places.

[Kel Rekuta]

And how much does it weigh? I think you should look around more.

[Robert Hinds]

There wasn't a weight posted as each one is custom fitted, so the weight is different for each one.

And yea I'm gonna have to. I'm a stickler for historical accuracy lol.