m-fighters-msg - 9/6/10
Protective gear for male armored fighters.
NOTE: See also the files: f-fighters-msg, armorers-lst, SCAweapons-msg, armor-chklst-msg, helm-padding-msg, W-T-Shields-art, Sword-Fighting-art, Wel-Rnded-Ftr-art.
************************************************************************
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 separate 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 originator(s).
Thank you,
Mark S. Harris AKA: THLord Stefan li Rous
Stefan at florilegium.org
************************************************************************
From: Fields Family Farm <fields at texas.net>
Date: August 2, 2010 4:32:21 PM CDT
To: Barony of Bryn Gwlad <bryn-gwlad at lists.ansteorra.org>
Subject: [Bryn-gwlad] Another Heavy Fighting Equipment Question
I have a helm, and will hopefully have a helm padding/lining soon.
I'm working on my armor, and have the linen for the gambeson coming in.
We've got a discussion on footwear going on.
I've asked about knee braces.
So, logical next question - cups.
I've worn cups in the past. They were always uncomfortable. Hard plastic does not make comfortable underwear, especially in the Texas heat, and the sharp-edged air-holes don't help.
Any suggestions/recommendations for something more comfortable? Should I make myself a hardened leather codpiece when hardening the leather of my scalemail? What works well for y'all?
And please try to keep the conversation on this subject less than crude, to avoid offending the delicate sensibilities of the ladies on the list. ;)
Hrethric/Rick
From: Zach Most <clermont1348 at yahoo.com>
Date: August 2, 2010 4:41:30 PM CDT
To: bryn-gwlad at lists.ansteorra.org
Subject: Re: [Bryn-gwlad] Another Heavy Fighting Equipment Question
<<< I've worn cups in the past. They were always uncomfortable. Hard plastic does not make comfortable underwear, especially in the Texas heat, and the sharp-edged air-holes don't help. >>>
The triangular cups of our youth have thankfully been eclipsed by more protective and comfortable gear. Some folks swear by the Nutty Buddy. Hockey goalie cups work for others- if they'll stop a slap shot, they'll stop a pole arm. I've been happy with the bannana shaped cups they sell for football and baseball. I haven't run across anyone building their own, though it's not an easy subject to bring up.
Gaston
From: "jan_downs at netzero.net" <jan_downs at netzero.net>
Date: August 2, 2010 6:32:37 PM CDT
To: bryn-gwlad at lists.ansteorra.org
Subject: Re: [Bryn-gwlad] Another Heavy Fighting Equipment Question
www.nuttybuddy.com
From: "jan_downs at netzero.net" <jan_downs at netzero.net>
Date: August 2, 2010 6:52:47 PM CDT
To: bryn-gwlad at lists.ansteorra.org
Subject: Re: [Bryn-gwlad] Another Heavy Fighting Equipment Question
You can make them out of hardened leather and they will work. But I ask you, how much is your wedding tackle worth to you? A nuttybuddy cup or a steel muay thai cup is worth the investment. It will be lower in profile and trust me, no one wants to see your cup.
The period solution depends upon your period. The sheild, some layers of linen or wool (possibly stiffened with glue), a hard leather phallus sheath, a cingulum, a mail shirt, a brayette, a codpiece: all these are period but they don't all go together temporally or culturally.
Just get a good cup. No one will see it, no one will care if it is period or not. Keep it simple.
Martel (who really has no dog in this hunt)
[Martel is a female fighter - Stefan]
From: Fields Family Farm <fields at texas.net>
<<< Thank you for the information. I'll go by Academy and see what they have these days. I was remembering the old, horrible triangular cups. I should have anticipated that those would have been replaced/updated, but then again, I was never sure how people stood wearing them then.
As for making my own protection, that's an interesting thought. Was there any protection of this sort worn in-period? If so, what? Could there be a period version of this? Would hardened leather be sufficient?
If there was a period hardened leather protection of this sort, I can only imagine how they would have decorated them...
Hrethric/Rick >>>
From: Marlin and Amanda Stout <ldcharles at sbcglobal.net>
Date: August 2, 2010 7:09:52 PM CDT
To: Barony of Bryn Gwlad <bryn-gwlad at lists.ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Bryn-gwlad] Another Heavy Fighting Equipment Question
Fields Family Farm wrote:
<<< I've worn cups in the past. They were always uncomfortable. Hard plastic does not make comfortable underwear, especially in the Texas heat, and the sharp-edged air-holes don't help. >>>
I've found that, provided you're using the elastic supporter the cup's designed to be worn in, they're not so bad as all that. They're certainly less uncomfortable than the injuries they're designed to prevent.
I'd be careful with any cup-substitute. Not all of them are as good in all the ways a cup can protect you. And considering the painful (to put it mildly) results of poor protection in that area, I'd be very, very careful how any substitute groin protection functions.
However, if you can come up with something that'll give you comparable protection to an athletic cup, the rules do allow that. Just don't be surprised if the inspecting marshal asks some questions about non-standard gear.
Charles
From: Sir Lyonel <sirlyonel at hotmail.com>
Date: August 2, 2010 10:56:14 PM CDT
To: Barony of Bryn Gwlad <bryn-gwlad at lists.ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Bryn-gwlad] Another Heavy Fighting Equipment Question
Salut cozyns,
My knight, Duke Brion Tarragon, incorporated a cup/codpiece into a set of Maximilian plate he built once. He incorporated the padding into the codpiece of his hosen, underneath. Without going into painful, swollen, purple detail, His Grace learned after only one use that you should NEVER DO THIS. If you design your own groin protection, the rigid material must not be separate from the padding. Great drama, er trauma will ensue.
I've seen quite a few others build steel groin pieces since then, but they all used modern, store bought athletic cups under the shiny stuff.
En Lyonel
<the end>