Author: wiladventurer

Greataxe

Axe ,

This is more than a good axe, it’s a greataxe:

greataxe
greataxe

According to the crafter’s naming of this axe, this weapon is apparently designed after a fictional axe in the Wheel of Time book series — the axe belonging to Perrin Aybara. I know nothing about WoT or Perrin, but this greataxe isn’t fictional. Although I didn’t opt to have the blade sharpened — I have enough (maybe too many) sharp weapons — the blade tip and the back spike are pointedly sharp. The axe is overall 50 inches long and weighs over 5.5 pounds. This would be another useful implement for the Zombie Apocalypse.

This is a fun weapon to wield. It feels good in my hands, and the wide hexagonal shaft allows for easy and natural edge alignment when swinging. I haven’t tried (yet), but I imagine this would be fun to burst pumpkins or watermelons. I might have to sharpen the blade on this so I can get nice clean slices.

The Old Adventurer

Spear

Polearm ,

This is my spear:

spearhead

I already had a shaft that I was using as a makeshift quarterstaff. It’s basically just a ~6-foot wooden rod I bought at Lowe’s Home Improvement some time back. I saw this spearhead available on Kult of Athena, liked the look (with the winged lugs), and figured I could affix it to my “quarterstaff”. I had to sand down one end of the shaft to get it to fit in the base of the spearhead. The head fastens on via two screws. I added the leather strap just for extra style, and to conceal the screws. Although the edges of the spearhead are not sharpened, the point is acute enough that a good thrust will definitely penetrate an unarmored opponent. When the Zombie Apocalypse happens, this weapon will easily puncture zombie skulls.

The Old Adventurer

Lake Neuenburg Sword

Sword

This is my Lake Neuenburg Sword:

neuenburg sword
neuenburg sword

This sword caught my interest as a mystery. The original sword (on which this replica is patterned) was found in Lake Neuenburg in Switzerland. It’s a late 13th century sword, possibly belonging to a Templar, with stylized letters etched in the fuller (on both sides): +NnSD+. No one has yet figured what the letters mean. My fantasy geek brain assumes the original is a magical sword.

Aside from the mystery, it’s still a very cool sword. The blade is a little wider and shorter than my other one-handed swords. It’s overall length is 32.5 inches and it weighs slightly over 3 pounds. It feels good in my hand, and is easy to wield, but I didn’t have the blade sharpened because I already have enough sharp blades for any cutting I want to do. Besides, I can always sharpen it later.

The Old Adventurer

Warhammer

Weapons ,

This is my warhammer:

warhammer

This smashing beauty is 25 inches long and not quite 2 pounds heavy. That’s not real heavy but the steel is very solid, and the hammer edges and spike point are sharp enough that you know they’d do serious damage to whatever they strike. Unlike with a sword, where you have a long edge to strike with, you have to strike precisely with the head of this hammer/spike to hurt a target. But where a sword edge won’t cut into/through plate armor, this weapon will no doubt either transfer painful energy (with the hammer) through plate armor, or will penetrate (with the spike) into plate armor enough to draw blood. Against someone without armor, give me a sword, but against someone in armor, give me this warhammer.

The Old Adventurer

Full Armor With a Little Flair

Armor, The Knight , , ,
Full armor with shield

I’m now trying to add some colorful flair to my armor. Blue is my favorite color, so that’s what I’m starting with. I’ve added a short blue underskirt to keep the mail from noisily scraping against my cuisse (upper leg armor). I’ve added a simple blue cape to my back.

This is the first time I’ve photographed my shield with my full armor. So I’m also holding a one-handed sword, this time. Also to note: I’m wearing my original sallet (helmet), and I have dagger sheathed and belted on my right leg. Having the dagger on my hip gets in my way — I’m constantly banging it with my arms, and it interferes with my range of motion wielding my sword.

This is all just experimental, to find a good look balanced with comfort and mobility.

The Old Adventurer

Plate Armor Over Mail Haubergeon

Armor , , ,
Full suit of plate armor over mail haubergeon

In Dungeons & Dragons, we sometimes called this “half-plate” or “plate mail”. That is, plate armor over mail — this was the second best armor behind “full plate”, which was more plate-encased, and tailored specifically for the warrior. I’ll have to be satisfied with this, as full plate armor is pretty darn expensive (in both D&D and the real world).

The Old Adventurer

Haubergeon

Armor , , ,
Haubergeon

This mail shirt is made of dome riveted round rings and alternating flat rings (no butted rings). But for full disclosure, this is the first (and only) piece of armor not made of carbon steel — this is aluminum. Aluminum is about half the weight of steel, but that’s not why I went with aluminum.

When I was researching all this stuff (weapons and armor), I learned about how much upkeep carbon steel requires — polishing, oiling, moisture control, etc. I can polish and oil blades and plates, but chainmail is more complicated. I learned the way to keep chainmail* armor safest (from rusting) is to keep it stored wrapped in an oiled towel. I didn’t want to keep my armor stored away. I wanted to display and wear my armor. So I chose to go with aluminum chainmail for this reason.

Now, although my reasoning for aluminum was not the weight consideration, I must admit the lighter weight is probably a good thing. I’m well over 50 years old. I already have various aches and pains in my joints and back without wearing 50 pounds of armor. So the lighter weight for this piece is helpful — it’s saving me upwards of about 10-12 pounds strain on my body that I don’t need just for a hobby.

*I know the proper, technical name for this is “mail” or “maille”. But I’ve known it as “chainmail” for 40 years (because of D&D), and that word just comes to mind and rolls off my tongue naturally.

The Old Adventurer

Bracers, Greaves, Cuisses

Armor

I now have all my arm and leg armor pieces:

Bracers, greaves, cuisses

As you can probably tell, I’m piecing my armor together from a limited supply off-the-shelf selection. The pauldrons and vambraces match each other, and the greaves and cuisses match each other, but the top doesn’t match the bottom. I’m ok with this. I’m building an adventurer’s kit, not a nobleman’s gear. But even though I’m putting together a “Frankenharness”, I’m still choosing real, strong, protective armor pieces. Everything is between 18 and 16 gauge thickness, and the plates overlap in several places, so I’m well protected. Now I just need my torso armor — I’ve ordered a mail haubergeon and a breastplate.

Oh, and this sword is new to my collection, also. But unlike my other swords that are battle ready and sharp, this is an unsharpened weapon for sport combat. I’m planning to wear this armor for Halloween (and Ren-faires in the future), so I figured I should get a safer sword to wear (and wield) when around people — especially, potentially, children. This sword is a spadona: almost 47 inches long, and under 3.5 pounds. The point of balance is only 4 inches from the hilt, so it is easy to wield even with the weight. It’s designed for battle — blade-on-blade and blade-on-armor contact — so it’s strong and solid. I really like this sword, a lot.

The Old Adventurer