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Author
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Topic: Polishing armour
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Woodcrafter
Member
Member # 197
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posted 06-16-2004 07:41 PM
    
I don't imagine that a mirror polish was achieved or maintained. Some armour must have been cloth covered or painted or left with tempering scale.What I am interested in, is how was plate maintained in 14th or 15th centuries? I desire to polish my armour in as accurate a manner as is possible. I have heard of Cuttle fish bones being used. And it does work to some extent, but what about really rusty surfaces? I do not mean vinegar and sand mix in a barrel for chain. What is the vinegar supposed to do at that point anyway? -------------------- Woodcrafter
14th c. Woodworking
Registered: Jul 2001 | IP: Logged
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Martin
Member
Member # 603
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posted 06-17-2004 01:13 AM
Hi Dan,
polishing, was done, and has a good effect against rust, the smoother the surface is, the less likely it will start to rust, as moisture can not cling all to easily to the surface.
As to the actual polishing, well one method is using pumise powder and a bit of oil, that is a very old method, which works great, but costs a bit of elbow grease! That mehtod is still being used now a days by some tradtionally working goldsmiths on their juwellary. The thing is keeping up the gloss, then you only need to give your stuff a short rub over, and that is it. If you let rust get a good hold on your gear, then you got a good portion of work ahead of you! Painted and burnished armour did exist, but at least burnished armour seems to have been cheaper gear. Looking at existing armour that all seems to have been polished on a regular basis. The easiest protection is a thin film of oil, and seeing to it that when ever the armour has been used that, that fim is renewed.-------------------- Verpa es, qui istuc leges. Non es fidenter scripto!
Registered: May 2004 | IP: Logged
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Fire Stryker
Admin & Advocatus Diaboli
Member # 2
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posted 06-21-2004 02:48 PM
Olive oil and brick dust I believe was a method of polishing.Jenn -------------------- ad finem fidelis
Registered: May 2000 | IP: Logged
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Woodcrafter
Member
Member # 197
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posted 06-22-2004 01:44 PM
Thank you everyone!
The online Dragon issues 10 and 11 had the articles about polishing. All the Dragon articles are great.
Both articles show the polishing boards in use from the Mendel Housebook. They look like a drawknife with a strip of leather or sheep skin impregnated with... either olive oil and pumice, or emery and oil. Original texts call for oil and the above stones, but do not mention whether they were powdered or not.
They also show Grinding benches with the large wheels, from Spiezer Schilling.Reference was given to Theophilus's _On Divers Arts_ which I failed to find it in. So I shall have to check again. Thanks again! -------------------- Woodcrafter
14th c. Woodworking
Registered: Jul 2001 | IP: Logged
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