Armor for Reenactments

**Teutonic Joe** · June 16, 2010, 02:21 PM

I am trying to build up a suit of armor for reenactment purposes. What I am working on is a 13th century Teutonic suit. So it will be mainly chainmail. I am having trouble knowing what is required for the armor. Do the layers for armor go

gambeson and arming cap, then chainmail haubergeon with chainmail coif, then teutonic tunic with helmet

I guess my issue I am having right now is I am accustomed to following lists or instructions, but right now my main help is a copy of the Teutonic Knights osprey book.

**Ringeck** · June 16, 2010, 02:45 PM

An inner textile armour of layered textiles sewn together. The most common early 13th century one would have integrated mittens. Similar leg armour (hose with feet) and head/neck.
The inner textile armour should be real armour, not just a soft padded garment - thicker in non-flexible areas, and sewn to fit you. It should be a shirt - 13th century textile armour did not, as far as we know, have a front opening. Lacing, not buttons.

Over that, maille. There are a number of people that sell riveted maille fairly cheap. The best cost-to-historic quality ones would be flat ring maille, riveted with triangular rivets. Size 8-10mm outer diamater, inner 6-8mm.

The coif should be separate. The hauberk likely needs to be fairly wide to fit over the textile armour. If the textile armour has integrated mittens, so should the hauberk.

Maille hose. Foot knights should not have mailled soles.

Helmet. A dismounted warrior would wear an open-face helmet, like a chapel-de-fer or a cervelliere.

The rest depends on what part of the 13th century you are aiming at.

Osprey is...mostly useless for reenactors.

**Teutonic Joe** · June 16, 2010, 03:42 PM

Do you know a better armor dealer? So far I have worked through the website Kult of Athena.
There selection seems have dropped in certain categories.

I used Osprey because of their pictures showing the armor.

**Ringeck** · June 16, 2010, 04:50 PM

Europe or U.S?

**Teutonic Joe** · June 16, 2010, 05:57 PM

U.S

**Medusa0** · June 16, 2010, 06:58 PM

There's a good picture of an reannactor in a 13th century kit here on the first post:

http://www.myarmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=13319

You could also dig around that site a little, I'm sure there are people that make their own kits...

**Ringeck** · June 17, 2010, 09:01 AM

Hmmm. I'm not all that knowledgeable on U.S. suppliers. I recommend registering here:

www.armourarchive.org

and asking the question again. They have a very US focus.

MyArmoury also has some good stuff here and there.

The myarmoury guy is decent enough for starters, but the spaulders are too late, his gloves, arm braces and boots are way off (as, they're modern) and he's wearing the reenactor's Christmas Tree kit - too much ahistorical junk hanging from the belt. I'm not sure, but it appears his scabbard is hanging from a baldrick, which would also be a bit wrong. His helmet decoration I think is too modern in style.

I also suspect the surcotte to be made from cotton. Boo!

[edit]

What I actually would recommend you is to start off small. Make or get yourself a full civilian kit:

A set of underclothes: Braies, Shirt and coif. In linen/flax.
A set of overclothes: A tunic (ankle-length, no buttons or anything fancy, in wool), some sort of cap or hat, and a set of footed hose in wool. A leather belt with a buckle and strap-end. The belt should be pretty long (it should reach your knees, at least) and not much broader than 3/4 of an inch.
A pair of decent shoes - turnshoes. Also, a pair of pattens come HIGHLY recommended for rainy days.

Now you are kitted out as a civvie. Then you get yourself an infantryman's helmet - a chapel-de-fer would be typical (make sure to get one big enough to wear outside maille, for later) and a padded coif to wear between helmet and head. Get a shield, with the Order's arms. Get a spear and either an axe or a sword. The sword should have a scabbard and be typical for the period (search for Oakeshot's (semi-)typology of medieval swords)- nothing looks worse than a naked sword worn from the belt.

Voila. Levy with some funds.

Next stop, get a padded aketon/gambeson as noted below. Maille hauberg for that. Now start kitting yourself upward in style, getting more and more armour until you reach knight level.

Remember to do this properly and meticolously. Instead of going for the full kit at once, do your research on the basics. Look at MyArmoury and Armourarchive, and I can recommend you some books if you PM me, for each step. I can also get you some how-to compendia, but they will be in norwegian