Almost perfect ranger armor

[Willrett]

While I was doing alittle ebaying I came across this item http://cgi.ebay.com/Harry-Potter-Prop-Q ... |294%3A200

I think it would make perfect ranger armor. I think it could be altered a little to better fit our needs. Let me know what you think.

[Greg]

My biggest problem with it is that it's quilted. It's not thick enough to save you from a blade; it's intended use is to make bludgeoning attacks hurt less, as one would encounter in said quidditch match. But that's just my two cents.

[Willrett]

Yeah thats true but what if it was harder or boiled leather or maybe even reinforced.

[Peter Remling]

Wouldn't look or feel the same. Boiled, it would be stiff and wouldn't move nearly as quietly as this quilted armor.

Though it might make good practice armor as it looks fairly blunt force resistant or as padding under maille.

[R.D.Metcalf]

You would also need some padding to keep it from chafing you.

My vision, for what its worth, of Tolkienesque arms and armour centers around Viking age, that said, warriors of this period did not use leg protection, at least greaves have never been proven to have been used, despite earlier finds of splinted limb armour, some warriors only used a shield and helm for armour, even those who could afford to be heavily mailled....This tells me alot. Sometimes being nimble is better than being armoured.

Also from a Historical fencing perspective, low line attacks are dangerous, one very basic technique is to simply slip the targeted leg back while simultaneously cutting to the head or sword arm of the attacker.

Just my opinion, probably worth exactly what you paid for it . But I do think that leg armour looks very cool....

[Gareth]

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[Greg]

And Greg, not sayin' your wrong but, I would rather have padded soft leather than cloth or nothing.

I'd smoke some longbottom to that. However, with the big knee pads on those, I think I'd find it a little difficult to run. I wear knee pads at nerf wars (basically paintballing with plastic toys) to save my poor skin and kneecaps the brutal abuse I put them through, but they're really uncomfortable to run in. The bulk in front of the knee just gets annoying. I'd wear them, but I think I'd probably grow to dislike these.

However, for Ranger purposes, I think they could do a fine job. Especially when moving through rocky terrain, climbing up and down over and under again and again, knee and shin guards could make things FAR more comfy and workable. Nice find, Willrett.

[Gareth]

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[R.D.Metcalf]

I only paid attention to the greaves so forgive the tangent on lowline attacks

With regards to splinted armour check out this thread from MyArmoury:

http://www.myarmoury.com/talk/viewtopic ... sc&start=0

[Gareth]

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[R.D.Metcalf]

Its the thread about Vendel period arms and armour....

[Gareth]

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[R.D.Metcalf]

Thats it! This would be a fairly easy recreation, I dont know what guage sheet for the splints he used. personally I would go for 16 guage sheet and 6-7 oz leather, Leaving splints "forge finished" with a coating linseed oil dried on, before riveting them in place.

[Gareth]

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[R.D.Metcalf]

You're exactly right. I have gorget made by Jeff Richardson that is 18 guage but because of the edge rolls is stout a'plenty. Heat treated 18 guage would be perfect....not to mention a little bit cheaper

I have a load of old truck springs and I've been thinking about putting some of that steel to use on some splinted armour and going one step further and tempering the splints. It would be labor intensive but it would make the armour nigh indestructible.