As near as I can tell, I have most of the stuff I need to participate with Novae Militiae, thanks to the kind help of Erik Schmid, Steve Sheldon and Wendy and Peter Bailey. I have (completed):

Soft kit:

2 pairs of braies (one linen, one woolen)
2 pairs of chausses (linen)
2 shirts (linen, from the St. Louis pattern)
1 coif (bleached linen from Historic)
1 padded coif (linen stuffed with cotton waste)
10 yards 7.2 oz. black linen

Note: All of the soft kit is hand-sewn.

Expendable durable kit:

1 pair of boots, turnshoe style
1 falchion (with scabbard by Hot Black)
1 Del Tin "St. Maurice" sword"
1 baselard dagger
1 spear
1 riveted mail haubergeon
1 riveted mail coif
1 steel "Mac Bible" chapeau-de-fer, unlined
1 pair steel prick spurs (from Historic)
1 leather drinking bottle (beeswax lined)

1 steel "Phrygian" helmet with nasal, unlined

Things I'm still waiting on:

1 linen aketon
2 long tunics (1 black linen, 1 black wool)
2 surcoats (black linen)
1 woolen cope
1 woolen garnache
1 "geteld"
1 flanged mace
1 leather bag (for haubergeon)
eating gear, all kinds

What do you think?

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Originally posted by Glen K:
Wow, sounds pretty good to me. Much more than I've been able to scrape together so far; I don't even have a helmet yet!

Most of the items I either made or already had. It's helpful to have a very patient wife who does hand-sewing for relaxation!

Regarding the helmet---when is your impression set? I seem to recall your impression is that of a knight---what are you looking for? E-mail me privately on this one...I may be able to help.

[quote]Originally posted by Glen K:
VERY nice is the riveted mail.

Got lucky on that---a bunch of friends got the mail in a mass-order, and got it on the cheap. I couldn't be happier.

[quote]Originally posted by Glen K:
Have you thought about doing a bedroll? I've made one, but I haven't had the chance to use it at one of our events yet.

Haven't a mumbling clue of how to make one. I'd like to learn though.

I'm currently working getting an Eastern bow---once I acquire it, I'll make my bowcase and quiver in the Turkish style. Seems to me doing a Turcopole impression is the most plausable way of doing the Templar sergeant thing.

[quote]Originally posted by Glen K:It is fun to go down the list of Templar equipment and check things off, isn't it?

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Well the Rule of the Temple is my primary source for ideas...plus I got some pattern help from Erik Schmid. I'm still puzzling the aketon and other things, though. Send me an e-mail.

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Gonna need that aketon pretty quick to wear under the mail, eh?

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I'm currently working getting an Eastern bow---once I acquire it, I'll make my bowcase and quiver in the Turkish style.

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i've got a couple of fellows down here that are setting up a venetian impression of the stradiotti kind that could use any info you got. i too would love to see what kind of reference you have on period bowcase in the turkish style.

we had an exibt up in ft. lauderdale of the palace treasures of Topkepi which had some recurves from the 1400's and beyond. there was a wooden quiver that was a beut' all inlaid and such. the only leather quiver was from the 1700's+ though.

daniel

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Db

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Originally posted by LHF:
i've got a couple of fellows down here that are setting up a venetian impression of the stradiotti kind that could use any info you got. I too would love to see what kind of reference you have on period bowcase in the turkish style.

daniel

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Most of the stuff I'm doing is based on icongraphic evidence, coupled with things pictured in Strong's Glossary. Since I'm at work, I don't have any of these items here, but...tell ya what, I'll send my source material to you if you send an e-mail.

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I should have the whole kit finished in time for the Kennesaw event.

Bob, to get back on topic, I've now gotten myself a helmet (norman conical w/nasal), Wendy is working on my gambeson, I THINK I've got some leads on a shield, and I just put my spear head on a 10' fir pole (I decided that presenting a proper length was much more important than presenting the proper wood). I've got most of my personal kit (including proper fire-making tools).

I've got about everything I need to do sergeant, and soon I want to work on doing up the knight impression. I should be able to get a different helmet (pot w/faceguard, or chapeau de fer, or both ), white mantle and white surcoat. Also, I'm working on getting a basic "medical kit" together, cause I'd love to do an talk on the treatment of battlefield wounds with accompanying gear.

As for a bedroll, etc. there is a thread at http://pub44.ezboard.com/fnovaemilitiaefrm1 (started by me!) discussing exactly how to go about making a bedroll of the kind suitable for our impression.

Way cool. So hows the wrist doing?

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I have a question about the bedroll, since this is somethink that is also necessary for WOR reenactment.

I see that 3' wide X 6' long seems to be where you guys settled. Trying to think like a medieval person, doesn't that seem kinda big? I have no idea what is right or wrong, but when we went through this with our guys, the conclusion was that you wanted just enough to keep most of your body off the ground. If your arms and feet hang off, oh well, you're a soldier and a soldier's life is rough- at least your hips are not digging into the ground.

I'm thinking more like 24" wide and 5'-5.5' feet depending on how tall you are.

I'd like to see other's thoughts on this, and if there is any sort of evidence or research available.

It's interesting to see that some of your guys do the same thing ours do, which is to put sleeping bags and or pads into the canvas bag. We have some serious allergy sufferers who would have to be hospitalized if they slept on straw, so camping pads and/or egg crate foam sheet in the sack make great beds for those guys.

Thanks-

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It's interesting to see that some of your guys do the same thing ours do, which is to put sleeping bags and or pads into the canvas bag. We have some serious allergy sufferers who would have to be hospitalized if they slept on straw, so camping pads and/or egg crate foam sheet in the sack make great beds for those guys.

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This is exactly what I do. I use a pair of canvas bags purchased from Panther Primitives, with an army closed-cell foam pad on bottom, then an eggshell mattress on top of that inside the bag. We then use a wool blanket sandwiched around a cotton sheet on top of the mattress. Very comfortable, although I am hot-blooded and usually sleep on top of everything, with the sheet only to protect against mosquitos.

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Ginerva, those dimensions are based on the experience of a couple of folks who made one narrower as you described. Basically, when they went to stuff it with straw it ended up more like a sausage and rolling off the thing became a problem. Starting out with it at 3' flat makes it (well, mine anyway) slightly wider than my shoulders once stuffed with straw. That explains the width, but the length issue is (I think) based purely on convenience. As for research of this item, we haven't been able to find any visual representation of such a critter until the early 19th century.

Also, this item is not only a campaign piece, but was also what the brothers used in their conventual life, and while it might seem a bit "comfortable" for a monk, the Templar rule is rife with passages on how the brothers SHOULDN'T subject themselves to a lot of the abuses other orders would as it would make them less than 100% for battle against the 'heathen Saracen foe'.