Shoulders

Shoulders are an optional piece of armor, but I strenuously recommend that newer fighters armor this part of their body. Blows to the shoulders, especially the point of the shoulder really hurt. With enough lames, this style of shoulder protection also provides defence for the upper arms against blows coming from the outside of the body (not always for the inside of the upper arm, though). Properly constructed they are very flexible, and move well with your arm as your swing a weapon, or use a shield. Depending on how far down the arm you want the protection to go you will need 5+ lames. 6 or 7 seems a good compromise.

Step the first is to mark out how ever many of the lames you will need to complete the piece on your sheet of 2mm (16ga) steel. This will be 10, 12 or 14, in all probablity. Using your favoured means of cutting the steel, cut out the lames. File the edges to remove spurs, burrs and sharp bits.

Next drill the holes 10mm in from the top edge from each lame, a set of three for each lame. One hole will be in the centre, and the other two will be 300mm in from the short edges. Now decide which is to be your top lame for each shoulder. On this lame drill two more holes 5mm in from the top edge, each one 40mm from the centre line. These holes are to attach the lame by tying it to your gambeson, or suspending it from your gorget. Decide which two lames will be the bottom lame of each shoulder. Drill two more holes halfway down each short edge and about 10mm in towards the centre. these are for attaching the straps that go around your arm.

Assemble each shoulder using 3 strips of leather, split rivets and washers. Allow each lame to overlap theone below it by 10mm. Finally attach a strap long enough to go around your arm with a buckle to the holes you drilled for this purpose in the bottom lame. Either attach straps to goto your gorget, or tie the shoulders to your gambeson (the period way of doing it!).

You're done!

Two views of a variation of the shoulder armor that uses a knee cop piece over the shoulder and 3 leg lames to cover the upper arms. The photo of the inside shows the strapping position, and the 2 holes on the top for tying to an arming point.

		Azure, in chief in fess 3 frets couped Or
Fighting Videos SCA Combat Music Page Last updated 27-May-2007	Shoulders Shoulders are an optional piece of armor, but I strenuously recommend that newer fighters armor this part of their body. Blows to the shoulders, especially the point of the shoulder really hurt. With enough lames, this style of shoulder protection also provides defence for the upper arms against blows coming from the outside of the body (not always for the inside of the upper arm, though). Properly constructed they are very flexible, and move well with your arm as your swing a weapon, or use a shield. Depending on how far down the arm you want the protection to go you will need 5+ lames. 6 or 7 seems a good compromise. Step the first is to mark out how ever many of the lames you will need to complete the piece on your sheet of 2mm (16ga) steel. This will be 10, 12 or 14, in all probablity. Using your favoured means of cutting the steel, cut out the lames. File the edges to remove spurs, burrs and sharp bits. Next drill the holes 10mm in from the top edge from each lame, a set of three for each lame. One hole will be in the centre, and the other two will be 300mm in from the short edges. Now decide which is to be your top lame for each shoulder. On this lame drill two more holes 5mm in from the top edge, each one 40mm from the centre line. These holes are to attach the lame by tying it to your gambeson, or suspending it from your gorget. Decide which two lames will be the bottom lame of each shoulder. Drill two more holes halfway down each short edge and about 10mm in towards the centre. these are for attaching the straps that go around your arm. Assemble each shoulder using 3 strips of leather, split rivets and washers. Allow each lame to overlap theone below it by 10mm. Finally attach a strap long enough to go around your arm with a buckle to the holes you drilled for this purpose in the bottom lame. Either attach straps to goto your gorget, or tie the shoulders to your gambeson (the period way of doing it!). You're done! Two views of a variation of the shoulder armor that uses a knee cop piece over the shoulder and 3 leg lames to cover the upper arms. The photo of the inside shows the strapping position, and the 2 holes on the top for tying to an arming point.
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