How do I strap the thing in a period fashion?

* I have an arming coat that should be in by next week so I am leaning towards pointing the appropriate pieces...

Photographs are here: http://www.19sixty9.com/sca/14thC_Kit/

And my assumptions as how to strap the suit are:

1) Sabatons - Scott used a spring closure, is this historical or would you suggest replacement with a small buckle? Then in regards to keeping them on my foot how would I go about that? Also, along the same lines, are turnshoes safe for SCA fighting as they seem to have no ankle support? If not what would you suggest?

* Spring closures are also found on the Greaves and Gorget and would like to
know if I should replace them as well.

2) Legs - I would like to point these, but have no idea as to how it should be done (size/thickness of the leather, etc...) and to what garment they should point to?... as for straps what I have seen on local fighter is astrap at the top of the calf and one on the wrap plate.

3) Breastplate - Is the assumption that I need a strap at each shoulder and a belt keeping the front and back closed correct? Should the faulds also have a strap or two to keep the from un-faulding ?

4) Spaulders - To point these to my Arming Coat how big of a piece of leather should I use and is it correct that a small stap/buckle on the last lame is enough?

5) Besagews (sp?) - Not trying to become an exotic dancer, but they came with the suit... how do I attach these?

6) Arms - How should I point these and in regards to buckles for closure what is needed?

There might be a few more questions, but for straps/buckles that is it...

Now to pick the brains of you fighters:

1) Solid 1 pc Breastplate as I currently have or Churnburg or Brig/CoP/Corazina? Which would still be period (14th C) and allow enough movement to maybe win once in awhile?

2) Brig Gorget or the plate one I have now... ?

Nope, the rules regarding FireStryker in no way have changed. I haven't any practical experience fighting SCA, although I have been a student of HWMA since 1997 (years before that if you count rapier and dagger work), and I draw my experiences regarding footwork from that.

I can't answer what works best in an SCA context. Truthfuly, the context of this forum is to ask and answer what was historicaly done. In the sense that what was historicaly done was sone by men who's lives depended on how their harness worked and went together, surely that response would be sufficient for any context - the reader however will be obliged to add or subtract any detail that did not fall within the rules of their club.

D.W., to the best of my knowledge, and keeping in mind 15th century harness is what I study - not 14th century, I will give you the best answer I may. The first requirement would be a pourpoint as an arming garment - only lightly padded, cut to the civilian fashion of the time, but who's outer layer will be a strong material such as Fustian. It has to be tailored to litseraly fit you like a dress glove.

IN a 14th century context, the shoulder defence is usually seen as a spauldier - this points at the top to just above the point of the shoulder on the arming doublet. If it is not attached direcly to the rerebrace, a single strap suffieces to keep it in place on the arm at the bottom lame. The rerebrace is either connected directly to the spauldier, or the top pints to the pourpoint. A single strap goes round the elbow holding the couter in place - ocassionaly there are points that point through appropriate holes in the couter as well. The vanbrace usually has a full cannon, and either spring pins together, or a single strap straps it together.

Your cuisse point to either holes or tabs in your bottom edge of the pourpoint, or in some documents point directly to special arming hose - no one has successfully costructed practical, functional arming hose satisfactoraly to this date to the best of my knowledge.

If you want your armour to work well, and assuming it fits you very closely, the best thing to do is to emulate historic practice - which is how the men who fought, triumphed, or died in this harness did in the past.

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