I just picked up my new leg harness from Lancaster Armouries.

The metal-to-metal articulations use steel rivets, but the leather straps that secure the armour to you are attached with identical rivets in bronze.

The idea is that when the leather straps wear out/snap, it's much easier to knock a bronze rivet out with a chisel than a mild steel one, and replace the leather.

Good idea, but I've never heard this practice referred to in any book I've ever read on armour, and I don't remember noticing that there were different colours of rivets on any real armour that I've ever seen. OK, I wasn't looking, but it was something I noticed very quickly on my harness, and I do look at real armour a fair amount.

Anybody out there know anything about a period source for this?

I don't think it is a historical practise. From the examples I have seen up close, and the examples in various decent books on the subject (The Medieval Armour from Rhodes, as an example), when we see 'brass rivets' on armour, they are actually a decorative lateen cap (usually a swirly or a rosette) over an iron rivet. You usually see a row of lining rivets, some with their original caps, and some missing them.

I don't recall seeing any brass or bonze rivets being used in armour. Keep in mind, "What I don't know would fill a warehouse". As an example of never say never, John Howe, and through him Gerry Embleton and I had a conversation regarding brigandine nails. The concensus was that all nails were iron, brass 'never being used' (they hadn't come across any examples in their research). Several months later, in the reserve collection of the Higgins looking at 15th century brigandine fragments, we came across two examples of bronze nails used in the fragments - from a spread 50 years apart.

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I'm looking to buy new plate this offseason and lancaster is looking to be a to choice,

do you agree?

My current harrness is 25 year old first generation lancaster and the legs are looking a little worse for wear (i tend to hit the ground quite hard sometimes!), the arms are fine though!

But that aside are you pleased with what yo got?

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As I said, I only picked it up recently, so I've only actually worn it once to fight in so far.

The fit is very good, but then again I took the trouble to go up and get measured rather than just sending in a measurement form, then Roger did final small adjustments when I went to pick it up.

Leather straps on it are a bit naff, but I hope they'll improve with some saddle dressing. Otherwise, standard of workmanship seems absolutely fine.

If money isn't an object, White Rose or DTK might be a bit nicer. I don't know, I haven't worn their kit. I think it'd be bloody hard to get similar quality at the very reasonable prices Lancaster are charging right now - my leg harness was £185, fitted and ready to wear.

That's particularly important for me - I'll be riding in mine, and since horse sweat and mild steel don't mix well, I wanted leg harness that I could afford to replace.

BTW, I ordered a two-handed sword at the same time as the armour, and that is an outright beautiful piece. Flambard blade, landsknecht side-ring quillons, nice balance.

But it was £245.

Well worth the money in my opinion, as you can heal most injeries to the limbs and even the torso, by head wounds tend to suck....

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Interesting comment. Jeff and I tend to look at armour as a consumable commodity for the reason you cite and also due to damage through use, yet most US reenactors seem to think of armour as a costume that will last forever.

Absolutely! Armour is expendable - it's what gets expended instead of flesh and blood. It is also repairable, a nice point brought out by "The Medieval Armour from Rhodes", that shows so many working life repairs to harness.

This is why some people in some games run about in armour at least 1/3 to twice heavier than the real McCoy, and wear anvils on their heads (so they will be "dent proof" 10 guage tops with 12 guage sides = migraine headache).

Why armour is so comparitively scarce when so much was made. When it got used up, or too unfashionable, or 'modern' warfare mde it near useless, it was turned into buckets and scrap metal. As late as 1780, the Earl of Oxford cleaned out his ancestors "armour house", selling the remaining harness at scrap weight value.

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