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armor-chklst-msg - 9/23/98

 

Things to check on your armor before heading to an SCA event or war.

 

NOTE: See also these files: rattan-msg, duct-tape-msg, armorers-lst, armor-msg,

chainmail-msg, p-armor-msg, P-stories-msg, melee-tactics-art.

 

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NOTICE -

 

This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that

I  have collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some

messages date back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday.

 

This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium.

These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org

 

I  have done  a limited amount  of  editing. Messages having to do  with

seperate topics  were sometimes split into different files and sometimes

extraneous information was removed. For instance, the  message IDs  were

removed to save space and remove clutter.

 

The comments made in these messages are not necessarily my viewpoints. I

make  no claims  as  to the accuracy  of  the information  given  by the

individual authors.

 

Please  respect the time  and efforts of  those who have written  these

messages. The  copyright status  of these messages  is  unclear  at this

time. If  information  is published  from  these  messages, please give

credit to the orignator(s).

 

Thank you,

    Mark S. Harris                  AKA:  THLord Stefan li Rous

    mark.s.harris at motorola.com           stefan at florilegium.org

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Subject: ANST - Pre-War Preps

Date: Wed, 04 Mar 98 11:13:04 MST

From: Dennis Grace <amazing at mail.utexas.edu>

To: ansteorra at Ansteorra.ORG, ansteorra-armored-combat at Ansteorra.ORG

 

Salut, Cozyns

 

Lyonel aisai.

 

Many thanks to Erik Wulfriksson (et al.) for the Gulf War Checklist.  I'd

like to add to that a discussion of a few preparations our bold Ansteorran

troops should make prior to departing for the War.

 

Armor straps.  Check over every strip of leather or canvvas holding on your

armor.  If you have weak, stressed straps, now's the time to replace

them--even the ones that have miraculously held for a year or more in an

obviously weakened condition. You know Murphy's law--that strap's just

been waiting to get you in the middle of a battle a thousand miles from

home.

 

Speed rivets.  Give your harness the once over.  Replace any

questionable-looking rivets.

 

Thrusting tips.  Verify that your thrusting tips meet the size,

compression, and marking standards.  If you've constructed a new spear or

glaive for the war, have a qualified marshall check it before you go.  If

your thrusters are too stiff, you may have over-taped them (common

problem).  Try splitting the sides.

 

Swords.  Grab your sword by the handgrip and near the sword tip.  If you

can twist the sword, it's broomed under the tape.  Replace it.  Breaking

your sword over the first enemy you encounter on the battlefield can really

screw up your day.  Also, have a spare sword rounded, taped up, and ready

to go (just in case you break one at the war).

 

Basket hilts.  Check the connectors holding hilt to sword.  I strongly

recommend replacing any hardware with strapping tape.  I tape my hilts

on--sixteen wraps of strapping tape covered with a layer of vinyl electric

tape to keep out the elements.  This method is vastly superior to any

combination of hose clamps and bolts. I've never had a hilt break loose

during a war or tournament. My swords *always* outlast the tape.

 

Shields.  Check the edging for splits--if it's split, replace it or edge

over it with a wider hose. Check the cord/strapping holding on your edge

to make sure it's not worn through anywhere.  Verify that your arm-strap,

handle, and handguard are intact and that their rivets are in good repair.

 

Authorizations.  Get your authorizations *before* you go to the war.

Remember, if you're authorized for armored combat, that doesn't mean you're

authorized for archery or pultruded fibreglas spear.

 

Personal hygiene.  I don't want to sound too parental here, but be sure you

clip your fingernails and toenails before you go.  Boots and gloves can

become distractingly uncomfortable in a long day's fighting if your nails

are just a little too long.

 

lo vostre por vos servir

Sir Lyonel Oliver Grace

 

 

Subject: Re: ANST - Pre-War Preps

Date: Sat, 07 Mar 98 00:40:27 MST

From: "James Crouchet" <jtc at io.com>

To: ansteorra at Ansteorra.ORG

 

I have a question and some suggestions.

 

> Speed rivets.  Give your harness the once over.  Replace any

> questionable-looking rivets.

 

What is a speed rivet?

 

Additional suggestions for archers:

 

Test your quiver before you go. Everyone seems to wait to the last

minute on this one, and then some folks end up with a quiver that

drags the ground or is easily tumped over. What happens if

you squat down with a full quiver? Can you run with it on? Remember,

you cannot pick up an arrow once it hits the field, so a spilled

quiver ends that battle for you. I remember they made us turn our

arrows POINT UP year before last, so make sure your quiver is stable

with your arrows upside down too.

 

If you are using wooden shafts and removable heads (Baldar Blunts,

Thistle Missile, Crane Break) make some extra shafts. Get them

completely preped (fletch, nock, tape shaft) except for the head.

When your arrows get broken you can use the time between battles to

slap those heads onto a new shaft so you keep a full compliment of

arrows. Don't forget the extra tape to do the attaching.

 

Put your name and kingdom on all your arrows. It is the surest way to

get them all back. I also number each arrow so if I loan some out

then one or more are lost we know whether to look where I was

shooting or where the other guy was shooting.

 

Inspect all your arrows before you pack them. No need taking damaged

arrows. Also, check the tape on the shaft to make sure it has not

dried out and started to peel off. Replace any screwed up feathers,

broken nocks, bad shafts, etc.

 

Get an extra bow string. Even if you have a brand new one, battle

conditions, armor mishaps and even packing miscalculations can result

in a cut bowstring and you won't find a replacement on merchant row.

 

Remember, archers need 2 athorizations -- combat archery and armored

combat. If you forget to get that armored combat authorization they

will not even let you on the field, even if you plan to wear a white

diamond and be non-contact.

 

Don Dore

 

 

Subject: Re: ANST - Pre-War Preps

Date: Sat, 07 Mar 98 12:56:20 MST

From: Dennis and/or Dory Grace <amazing at mail.utexas.edu>

To: ansteorra at Ansteorra.ORG

 

Salut, Cozyns.

 

Lyonel aisai.

 

In response to my suggestion:

>>> Speed rivets. Give your harness the once over.  Replace any

>>> questionable-looking rivets.

 

Don Christian Dore' asks:

 

>>What is a speed rivet?

 

And Mayne de la Croix responds:

>A Speed rivet is basically a screw together rivet. I know you can get

>them at Tandy Leather Stores. They are available at other locations I am

>sure, but I can't think of where right now.  Most fighters I know have an

>armor repair kit they take with them just about everywhere, even when not

>fighting you can make lots of friends by fixing THEIR armor.

 

Um, well, not exactly what I had in mind.  In my experience, the two-piece

screw-together rivets are usually called post-and-screw rivets or Chicago

screws.   If you use Chicago screws, I suggest you take along a bottle of

Loc-Tite to keep them from working themselves loose.  Also, most hardware

stores carry these critters.

 

When I said "speed rivets," I meant the hollow, two piece rivets that you

hammer together (also available--in a range of sizes--from Tandy Leather

stores and most tack and saddle stores).  They're useful for holding

leather to leather or leather to metal.  For these, you need a hammer and

an anvil of sorts (for mobile repairs, I usually take along a ball-pean

hammer and a John Henry--I use the head of the John Henry as my anvil for

replacing speed rivets).

 

lo vostre por vos servir

Sir Lyonel Oliver Grace

 

<the end>



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Comments to the Editor: stefan at florilegium.org