Medieval Armor | Ancient Roman Weapons

Different categories of Chainmail

2011-01-27T23:14:00.000-08:00

Chainmail is the word which was developed from the letter maille which means knitting. Chainmail was the armors which were widely used in the medieval period of times because they are flexible, trivial and bold.

There are various categories available of chainmail, which are:

- Chainmail full sleeve; this chainmail is very strong hence; it can be used for supervised weapons-contact re-enactment. This chainmail is constructed as dome head riveted, having round wire ring type manufactured with aluminum and finishing touch is provided with grey anodized.

- Chainmail gloves; chainmail gloves are perfect for re-enactors, stage plays and also for combat use. Chainmail gloves can be purchased in a pair, chainmail gloves are constructed with dome head riveted and having natural finishing however, being manufactured with mild steel.

- Chainmail half sleeve; chainmail half sleeve is very much similar to that of chainmail full sleeves but the only difference is of sleeves.

- Full length chainmail with hood; this chainmail covers entire body of the person including knees. Full length chainmail is very easy to wear and you can easily move with the help of full length chainmail.

- Coif chainmail; coif chainmail have an additional strength over butted chainmail as coif chainmail can be used for reenactments and combat use. Different varieties of coif chainmail are coif chainmail- steel, coif chainmail- aluminum and coif with ventail.

Viking Helmets and Warriors

2011-01-27T00:50:00.000-08:00

Viking helmets are some of the most recognizable medieval times helmets. The most popular design is the one with the horns jetting out from the side of the helmet. Many costumes and movies have popularized this design with different styles of horned helmets.Even a pro football team, the Minnesota Vikings, have the Viking as their team mascot and name.

The Vikings were a Scandinavian people who came out of present day Norway, Sweden, and that whole area in Northern Europe. They stared raiding and expanding their territory in the late 8th century ad and into the 11th century. They were famed for the long boats which cut through water and were very fast. They were also were said to have heads of dragons carved in the bow of the ship to intimidate the enemy as they landed near shore. The viking warriors were the terror of the early medieval ages. Raiding Great Britain and many villages in northern Europe spread their reputation as killings, stealers, and pillagers. Even modern day Canada felt their terror.

Greek Helmets

2011-01-20T23:38:00.000-08:00

Most Greek helmets will look like the Italic Corinthian design, which is characterized by a tall plume that may be made into a pony tail at the end. It also has the long cheek guards with a slot in the middle for maximum air flow. It also will be a tan plume, red, or black. Depending on the color of the rest of your outfit (black, brass, or bronze armor), any of these plume colors will do. The most popular out their for the Italic Corinthian is going to be the tan and red plumes.

Another popular Greek helmet is the Hoplite helmet. The Hoplite was a common soldier for the Greek armor and they carried the recognizable white round shield and a long spear. They were excellent for repelling cavalry and charges by soldiers. However, being not very maneuverable, they were vulnerable to attacks in the rear. The hoplite helmet usually has a tan or whitish color plume. Often times it was made into a braided pony tail at the end of the plume.

The main thing to remember when looking at Greek helmets is that many of them look very similar. This is most likely a good thing when you are doing your historical research or are looking for a helmet to purchase. Even if you accidently buy a helmet that is not quite historically accurate, your helmet will look similar enough to the others that the general populace will not know the difference.

Different categories of Chainmail

2011-01-11T02:14:00.000-08:00

Chainmail is the word which was developed from the letter maille which means knitting. Chainmail was the armors which were widely used in the medieval period of times because they are flexible, trivial and bold.

There are various categories available of chainmail, which are:

- Chainmail full sleeve; this chainmail is very strong hence; it can be used for supervised weapons-contact re-enactment. This chainmail is constructed as dome head riveted, having round wire ring type manufactured with aluminum and finishing touch is provided with grey anodized. Person should be above the age of 18years in order to purchase chainmail. There are two varieties in chainmail full sleeves which are; aluminum and steel.

- Chainmail gloves; chainmail gloves are perfect for re-enactors, stage plays and also for combat use. Chainmail gloves can be purchased in a pair, chainmail gloves are constructed with dome head riveted and having natural finishing however, being manufactured with mild steel.
Chainmail half sleeve; chainmail half sleeve is very much similar to that of chainmail full sleeves but the only difference is of sleeves.

Greek Helmets by Armor Venue

2010-12-15T01:27:00.000-08:00

Are you looking to Greek Helmet to add your collection, or are looking at a Trojan helmet to buy to help cheer your team name on, then you'll be in for a real treat when researching what helmet to buy. Many schools have the Trojan as their maskot, so that right there takes a large amount of the searches done for Greek helmets. Others are historical enthusiasts looking to bolster their collection.

To Remember when Looking at Greek helmets

2010-08-22T22:37:00.000-07:00

The main thing to remember when looking at Greek helmets is that many of them look very similar. This is most likely a good thing when you are doing your historical research or are looking for a helmet to purchase. Even if you accidently buy a helmet that is not quite historically accurate, your helmet will look similar enough to the others that the general populace will not know the difference.

All in all, finding the classic Greek helmet is a matter of research and visiting many web stores and history sites. Many of the helms you'll find are about the same design, so you'll get the general idea as to what the different types of Greek helmets are. Of course, some of the best ways to research Greek history is reading articles and news snippets on major websites and in encyclopedias. After that you may try visiting web stores to find the most historically accurate Greek Helmet.

The Most Popular Ancient Greek Helmets

2010-08-22T22:34:00.000-07:00

What do you think of when someone says "Greek Helmet"? The first thing that pops into your head is a picture of a Spartan soldier, complete with a red cape, round, bronze shield, long spear, and a bronze or brass helmet with the ever-so popular plume. Fortunately, stores have recognized this fact and this type of helmet is widely carried online and in brick-and-mortar stores. Commonly names as the Italic Corinthian helmet or just plainly a Spartan helmet, this replica will be a great addition to your collection. What you'll most likely see are three types of helmets: a brass helmet with tan or red plume, a black helmet with a tan plume, or a silver (plain metal) helmet with a tan plume.
Each of these will work just fine as a Spartan or Greek helmet. However, you may be surprised to hear that none of these was historically the actual helmet common Spartan soldiers wore. Most Spartans wore helmets that were quite plain and had no plume. They were characterized by two long cheek guards and a slit in between them for breathing. Though they were historically made out of bronze or brass, today's replicas will be made out of steel or brass.
Another popular Greek helmet is the Hoplite helmet. The Hoplite was a common soldier for the Greek armor and they carried the recognizable white round shield and a long spear. They were excellent for repelling cavalry and charges by soldiers. However, being not very maneuverable, they were vulnerable to attacks in the rear. The hoplite helmet usually has a tan or whitish color plume. Often times it was made into a braided pony tail at the end of the plume.

Types and Uses of Medieval Armor

2010-06-24T00:52:00.000-07:00

The earliest form of medieval armor -- mail (a.k.a. “chain mail”) -- traces its origins back to around 500 BC. The Celtic people developed this kind of armor -- iron rings
woven together into a protective garment -- and the Roman Army later copied this engineering to protect its soldiers. In the early Medieval Ages, armor craftsmen added discs, plates, and groin caps to standard mail gear to protect vulnerable areas. Leather coats, kneecaps, underarm protectors (a.k.a. “besagews”), and skullcaps (such as early forms of the bassinet) all provided critical support for soldiers as well.

As the Middle Ages progressed, however, advanced new weapons -- like the crossbow, battle-axe, long bow, and mace -- gained popularity among warriors, making mail and even plated mail far less effective at defense.

Plate Armor
Armor for Horses
Shields

Civil war weapons- introduction of advance weapon technology

2010-04-28T23:59:00.000-07:00

The civil war weapons were basically brought into operation when the Union and the Confederate troops went to the first ever modern war in history. Civil War weapons exemplified a revolutionary change from earlier nineteenth century forms of artillery. The civil war weapons may be distinguished into artillery, small arms, Minnie ball and edged weapons. Mostly, the two types of cannons were used in the war, the first was the riled cannon and the second was the smooth bored cannon. The artillery used during the civil war showed classification on the basis of siege artillery and the tactical deployment.
Rifles and handguns were more frequently used in Civil War. The advancement in newly developed weapon technologies like rapid-fire guns and hand grenades give new form to war. Guns were becoming the most advanced weapons in the Civil War as earlier swords and other blades had been serving this purpose for centuries. However, due to advancement in weapons in the Civil War, these edged weapons were assigned to decoration for officers.
Along with small arms including revolvers and rifles cannons and other large artillery were the pick of the Civil War. These were used when the distance was farther than a hundred yards apart, because of the limited range of guns were not producing fruitful results during the war. In close range, the cannon could be used much like a shotgun. It was filled with a canister full of iron balls. The can split up as soon as the cannon were fired, spraying iron balls at a range of 250 yards or less. As large artillery, cannons were one of the most important weapons in the Civil War, inflicting heavy damage on both sides. Over 600,000 men were killed in the fighting.
When talking about the ancient armory collection, American Civil War weapons are some of the most popular and recognizable collectibles today. Whether you're looking for a Civil War gun, rifle, or an officer's pistol, you can have authentic and historically accurate weapons that are sure to be the ornament of your collection.

Mail Armour Manufacture

2010-02-27T11:28:00.000-08:00

Several patterns of linking the rings together have been known since ancient times, with the most common being the 4-to-1 pattern (where each ring is linked with four others). In Europe, the 4-to-1 pattern was completely dominant. Mail was also common in East Asia, primarily Japan, with several more patterns being utilised and an entire nomenclature developing around them.

Historically, in Europe, from the pre Roman period on, the rings composing a piece of mail would be riveted closed to reduce the chance of the rings splitting open when subjected to a thrusting attack or a hit by an arrow.

Up until the 14th century European mail was made of alternating rows of both riveted rings and solid rings. After that it was almost all made from riveted rings only. Both would have been made using wrought iron. Some later pieces were made of wrought steel with an appreciable carbon content that allowed the piece to be heat treated. Wire for the riveted rings was formed by either of two methods. One was to hammer out wrought iron into plates and cut or slit the plates. These thin pieces were then pulled through a draw-plate repeatedly until the desired diameter was achieved. Waterwheel powered drawing mills are pictured in several period manuscripts. Another method was to simply forge down an iron billet into a rod and then proceed to draw it out into wire. The solid links would have been made by punching from a sheet. Forge welding was also used to create solid links, but the only known example from Europe is that of the 7th century Coppergate mail drape. Outside of Europe this practice was more common such as the well known "theta" links from India.
Practical uses:-Mail is used as protective clothing for butchers against meat-packing equipment. Workers may wear up to 8 lb (4 kg) of mail under their white coats. Butchers also commonly wear a single mail glove to protect themselves from self-inflicted injury while cutting meat.

Woodcarvers sometimes use similar mail gloves to protect their hands from cuts and punctures.

Scuba divers use mail (against shark teeth) as do animal control officers (against animal teeth). Shark expert and underwater filmmaker Valerie Taylor was among the first to develop and test the mail suit in 1979 while diving with sharks. The British police use mail gloves for dealing with knife-armed aggressors.

During World War I, mail was evaluated as a material for bullet proof vests, but results were unsatisfactory as the rings would fragment and further aggravate the damage.[citation needed] A mail fringe, designed by Captain Cruise of the British Infantry, was added to helmets to protect the face but this proved unpopular with soldiers, in spite of being proven to defend against a three-ounce (100 g) shrapnel round fired at a distance of one hundred yards (90 m).

Stab Proof Vests
After an intensive period of study and analysis of stab vests starting in the 1980s revealed that vests capable of providing ballistic protection were insufficient to protect against "ice-picks" or knife thrusts. The highest threat-level of modern stab-proof vests are now being made which incorporate mail armour.

There is anecdotal evidence to suggest that mail is a viable alternative to heavy leather for protecting motorcyclists from injury should they be thrown from their motorcycles.

Mirror armour

2009-12-29T10:41:00.000-08:00

Mirror armour (Old Russian Зерцало Zertsalo which means a "mirror", Kazakh: Шар-айна Shar-ayna were Kazakh: айна ayna means a "mirror" too), sometimes referred to as disc armour or Chahar-Ainé (Persian چهاﺮآﻳنه ) where "آﻳنه " means mirror and " چهاﺮ" is the number "four". It literally translates to "four mirrors" which is a reflection of how these pieces looked, which resembles four rivetted metal discs or oblong mirrors. It is a kind of oriental partial plate armour which was developed initially from round metal mirrors (a kind of rondel) worn over other armour (usually over mail) as enforcement. Metal mirrors in this armour were considered not only as protection from cold steel and arrows, but also from supernatural influence. It was believed that mirrors could reflect the evil eye, so they were polished and worn over other armour.

Early mirror armour consisted of a round mirror attached to the body with a few leather laces (similar to the Roman phaelerae of Romulus' time).

Late mirror armour took the form of a mirror cuirass, helmet, greaves, and bracers worn with mail. There were two alternative constructions of mirror cuirass:

* with discs - two large round mirrors surrounded by smaller mirror plates
* without discs - typically having four mirror plates - frontplate, backplate, and two sideplates joined by hinges or laces, similar in construction to the Japanese Yukinoshita Dô/Sendai Dô. The main difference from Yukinoshita Dô/Sendai Dô was that the right plate in Yukinoshita Dô/Sendai Dô consisted of two overlapping plates. Another difference is that the mirror cuirass may have three or five plates, instead of four, and open from the front.

Early types of this armour were known in the Middle East, Central Asia, India, Russia, Siberia (where it was worn by Siberian natives before the Russian conquest), Mongolia, Indochina and China.

Later types of this armour were known in the Middle East, Central Asia, India, and Russia. The mirror cuirass with discs was popular in Turkey and Russia, while that without discs was popular in Persia, Central Asia and India.

In India, there was a popular form of brigandine with a few mirror plates riveted to it.

According to Bobrov[1] round metal mirrors worn by Mongolian warriors as armour reinforcement are shown in Persian miniatures of 13c. This is verified by archaeological finds in Central Asia and the Far East. This kind of armour prevailed in Central Asia during 15-17c, and could be worn over any armour including brigandines, lamellar armour, chainmail and even plated mail. In 16c in Persia mirror plates become much larger and changed their shape to rectangular in order to improve body protection. This improved mirror armour gradually spread during 16-17c to Central Asia and North India. Further improvements were made during the 1640s when mirror plates evolved into mirror cuirass, which sometimes had additional mirror plates used as pauldrons for protection of the shoulder laces. Besides separate mirror plates laced as reinforcement to other armours there were small mirrors that were sewn or riveted to brigandine. Brigandines with such integral reinforcements were very popular at the end of 15c, but their use had practically been abandoned by the end of 17c.

Historical re-enactment

2009-12-29T10:26:00.000-08:00

Many historical reenactment groups, especially those whose focus is Antiquity or the Middle Ages, commonly use mail both as practical armour and for costuming. Mail is especially popular amongst those groups which use steel weapons. A fighter wearing hauberk and chausses can run, lie, stand up, jump, do somersaults (or even cartwheels), and even swim wearing full armour, depending on the fitness of the wearer. A modern hauberk made from 1.5 mm diameter wire with 10 mm inner diameter rings weighs roughly 10 kg and contains 15,000–45,000 rings. Mail can be used under everyday clothes and many reenactors wear a hauberk under their regular clothes to accustom themselves to it.

One of the two real drawbacks of mail is the uneven weight distribution; the stress falls mainly on shoulders. Weight can be better distributed by wearing a belt over the mail, which provides another point of support.

A reenactment of a long-distance march conforming to service conditions in the Imperial Western Roman army has recently revealed that mail which is worn daily is effectively rustproof and self-polishing; the motion of the rings against each other keeps them scoured.

Decorative uses

Mail remained in use as a decorative and possibly high-status symbol with military overtones long after its practical usefulness had passed. It was frequently used for the epaulettes of military uniforms. It is still used in this form by the British Territorial Army, and the Royal Canadian Armour Corps of the Canadian Army.

Mail also has applications in sculpture and jewelry, especially when made out of precious metals or colorful anodized metals. Recent trends in mail artwork include headdresses, Christmas ornaments, chess sets, and all manner of jewelry. For these non-traditional applications, hundreds of new weaves or patterns have been invented

Mail Armour Manufacture

2009-12-29T10:22:00.000-08:00

Several patterns of linking the rings together have been known since ancient times, with the most common being the 4-to-1 pattern (where each ring is linked with four others). In Europe, the 4-to-1 pattern was completely dominant. Mail was also common in East Asia, primarily Japan, with several more patterns being utilised and an entire nomenclature developing around them.

Historically, in Europe, from the pre-Roman period on, the rings composing a piece of mail would be riveted closed to reduce the chance of the rings splitting open when subjected to a thrusting attack or a hit by an arrow.

Up until the 14th century European mail was made of alternating rows of both riveted rings and solid rings. After that it was almost all made from riveted rings only. Both would have been made using wrought iron. Some later pieces were made of wrought steel with an appreciable carbon content that allowed the piece to be heat treated. Wire for the riveted rings was formed by either of two methods. One was to hammer out wrought iron into plates and cut or slit the plates. These thin pieces were then pulled through a draw-plate repeatedly until the desired diameter was achieved. Waterwheel powered drawing mills are pictured in several period manuscripts. Another method was to simply forge down an iron billet into a rod and then proceed to draw it out into wire. The solid links would have been made by punching from a sheet. Forge welding was also used to create solid links, but the only known example from Europe is that of the 7th century Coppergate mail drape. Outside of Europe this practice was more common such as the well known "theta" links from India.
Practical uses:-Mail is used as protective clothing for butchers against meat-packing equipment. Workers may wear up to 8 lb (4 kg) of mail under their white coats. Butchers also commonly wear a single mail glove to protect themselves from self-inflicted injury while cutting meat.

Woodcarvers sometimes use similar mail gloves to protect their hands from cuts and punctures.

Scuba divers use mail (against shark teeth) as do animal control officers (against animal teeth). Shark expert and underwater filmmaker Valerie Taylor was among the first to develop and test the mail suit in 1979 while diving with sharks. The British police use mail gloves for dealing with knife-armed aggressors.

During World War I, mail was evaluated as a material for bullet proof vests, but results were unsatisfactory as the rings would fragment and further aggravate the damage.[citation needed] A mail fringe, designed by Captain Cruise of the British Infantry, was added to helmets to protect the face but this proved unpopular with soldiers, in spite of being proven to defend against a three-ounce (100 g) shrapnel round fired at a distance of one hundred yards (90 m).

Stab Proof Vests
After an intensive period of study and analysis of stab vests starting in the 1980s revealed that vests capable of providing ballistic protection were insufficient to protect against "ice-picks" or knife thrusts. The highest threat-level of modern stab-proof vests are now being made which incorporate mail armour.

There is anecdotal evidence to suggest that mail is a viable alternative to heavy leather for protecting motorcyclists from injury should they be thrown from their motorcycles.

Mail (armour)

2009-12-29T10:16:00.000-08:00

"Maille" redirects here. For one of several French villages, see Maillé.
Mail (also maille, often given as chain mail or chain maille or chainmaille) is a type of armour consisting of small metal rings linked together in a pattern to form a mesh.

The word chainmail is of relatively recent coinage, having been in use only since the 1700s; prior to this it was referred to simply as mail.[1]

The word itself refers to the armour material, not the garment made from it. A shirt made from mail is a hauberk if knee-length, haubergeon if mid-thigh length, and byrnie if waist-length. Mail leggings are called chausses, mail hoods coif and mail mittens mitons. A mail collar hanging from a helmet is camail or aventail. A mail collar worn strapped around the neck was called a pixane or standard.

Mail is now often used for decorative use and in jewellery.
History:-The earliest finds of mail are from a 4th century BC Celtic chieftain's burial located in Ciumeşti, Romania. It is believed that the Roman Republic first came into contact with mail fighting the Gauls in Cisalpine Gaul, now Northern Italy. The Roman army adopted the technology for their troops in the form of the lorica hamata which was used as a primary form of armour through the Imperial period.
The use of mail was prominent throughout the Dark Ages, High Middle Ages and Renaissance, and reached its apex in Europe, in terms of coverage, during the 13th century, when mail covered the whole body.
By the 14th century, plate armour was commonly used to supplement mail. Eventually mail was supplanted by plate for the most part. However, mail was still widely used by many soldiers as well as brigandines and padded jacks. These three types of armour made up the bulk of the equipment used by soldiers with mail being the most expensive. It was quite often more expensive than plate armour. A mail shirt interwoven between two layers of fabric is called jazzeraint, and can be worn as protective clothing.

Extant mail is common, but it is not proportionately represented in museum collections.
The Japanese used mail (kusari) in a limited fashion in armour beginning during the Nambokucho period (1336-1392). Two primary weave methods were used: a square 4-in-1 pattern (so gusari) and a hexagonal 6-in-1 pattern (hana gusari). Kusari was typically made with rings that were much smaller than their European counterparts, and on a much smaller scale - rather than creating full garments of mail, small sections were used to link together plates and to drape over vulnerable areas such as the underarm. The rings were not welded nor riveted shut, though some pieces were constructed of rings that consisted of two or more turns, similar to the modern split ring commonly used on keychains. The rings were lacquered to prevent rusting, and was always stitched onto a backing of cloth or leather. The kusari was sometimes concealed entirely between layers of cloth or leather.

Medieval Swords

2009-11-20T03:10:00.000-08:00

Medieval swords ' as the name implies' came out of the middle ages. The middle ages' besides being a great time for learning' beauty' and architecture' was also the time that saw some epic battles being fought between different kingdoms of that era. This led to the usage of a fair amount of weaponry' with swords often forming the forefront. These swords' that have played important roles in history' are now being sought by many avid sword collectors. Medieval swords ' when displayed' radiate a rustic appeal that takes us back to the battles and wars of the yore. Besides' a medieval sword could also become a family heirloom' adorned by generations to come.

World war 2 weapons

2009-10-25T21:21:00.000-07:00

World War Two weapons required a massive outpouring of manufacturing capabilities, giving rise to one of the world's largest industrial producers in the United States of America. The war and it's global reach challenged many a nation to rise up and fight back imperialistic and fascist incursion. With its roots in the First World War, it was not a surprise to see the fusion of man and machine to the extent that was witnessed in the Second World War. It was a war of heroes and villains, tyranny and democracy, meekness and strength. In the end, it would be a war of wars, setting the stage for the conflicts now witnessed in the 21st Century - most notable in the Middle East. Below you will find a listing of aircraft, infantry weapons and tanks used throughout World War 2 weapons by the major players and world powers. This listing is updated periodically when additions are made to the main Military Factory database. Eventually this should become an informative and comprehensive listing of military equipment used throughout World War 2.

2009-10-22T04:46:00.000-07:00

Designer clothing is one vast industry these days which is necessary to meet the demand for good branded merchandise. Designer courses are a very popular nowadays: someone with a flair for expressing themselves and have the creative vision to transfer their ideas into the finished articles, can make a great deal of money. Designer clothing can be considered an applied art and the next generation of Armani, Nicholas Deakins or Goliath ranges are developing in the art students of today. The number of brand names is now quite staggering and many of the people responsible for them are household names.
footwear
lyle and scott clothing
Vivienne westwood
Tag watches
scotch and soda designer clothing
When anyone is asked to name a famous clothing brand, very few would mention the attributes of a Charles Frederick Worth outfit. This English gentleman, who exhibited in Paris in the mid 19th century, is claimed to be one of the first people to take designer clothing to a commercial level. Many of his designs had an historic element built into them and he placed a major emphasis on costumes that had good fit and feel characteristics. These themes can still be seen today in many of the exciting new ranges of designer clothing. One main purpose of buying designer clothing is to look distinctive from the rest and also feel a million dollars-even if your purchase doesn’t quite cost that much.

Samurai Sword

2009-10-04T21:30:00.000-07:00

The smallest samurai sword would be the tanto sword or dagger. Originally tanto swords were 12” in length or less but it’s not out of the ordinary to come across a Tanto that is 15” long. Samurai sword collecting is a very popular past time for many Americans. Something that is becoming even more popular is martial arts that make use of samurai sword for fighting and cutting exercises.

Japanese Swords

2009-09-21T21:45:00.000-07:00

Japanese swords are the swords used in feudal Japan. Swords were very useful during warfare and were considered the deadliest weapons in those times before firearms like guns were introduced. Japanese swords FAQ The earliest recorded japanese swords that Japan had owned were those of Queen Himeko during the Wei Dynasty. These were a gift from China. Since 280 AD, swords were imported to Japan from China and Korea until the Japanese had learned for themselves the art of making and forging swords.

Samurai Sword

2009-09-17T06:24:00.000-07:00

The Samurai sword would be more properly defined as any Japanese sword wielded by Samurai or Bushi, as they were known in Japanese history; however modern films and television shows have incorrectly portrayed them to be only the well known katana, and very rarely use the proper terminology or classifications of true samurai swords .

Samurai swords

2009-09-02T21:15:00.000-07:00

When it comes to Samurai Swords , there is quite a bit of terminology for the new collector to understand. But we want to make it easy for anyone to find a good quality samurai sword that will last a lifetime, no matter if you are looking for one of the very sought after Paul Chen Katana swords for battle or just a quality sword to hang over the mantle. The first thing to consider for your new samurai sword is the type and quality of the blade. If youare looking for a you want to be sure and choose a full tang blade, which all of our authentic samurai swords feature as well as all of our battle ready swords. The term â€œfull tangâ€ means that the blade and the part of the sword under the Tsuka (handle) is one long piece of steel. If you get a sword that is not full tang then you are basically buying it to hang on the wall and nothing more.

Suit of Armor

2009-08-24T21:21:00.000-07:00

Medieval suit of armor can add certain prestige and beauty to your home décor. Though all armor can be impressive in its own right's hard to compare them to Churberg Suit of Armor, Etched Suit of Armor, Medusa Suit of Armor - Engraved, Jousting Knight Suit of Armor, Black Knight Armor, White Knight Armor.Every suit of armor have its own speciality like the Black Knight Crusader suit of armor, its deep black armor creates a powerful and majestic statement. Further more, the skin of the suit of armor is lightly etched with golden lines, almost creating a creased or rough leather look.
The White Knight suit of armor is made in high carbon 18 gauge steel, so it has a natural silvery metallic color to it. Embossed on the front breast plate and helmet are numerous brass designs, including a crusader cross and Fleur four point design. It also includes a premium jousting lance, embroidered fabric that imitates textiles of the medieval ages, delicately designed lion shield, and a premium solid wooden base and stand. Standing at well over six feet tall with the lance almost reaching seven, this suit of armor is one of the most impressive you'll get your hands on. The proportions of this armor are pleasing to the eye as well, with broad and powerful shoulders.

Greek Armor

2009-08-13T21:07:00.000-07:00

Ancient Greek civilization is considered as one of the most powerful and dominant civilization of its time. Ancient Greeks had to fight with the city-states within Greece and at the same time with the neighboring countries such as Rome, Macedonia, Persia and so on. Ancient Greeks had a very proficient military and naval force. In ancient times, battles were fought using sharp weapons and not using guns and shells. The ancient Greek wars were fought differently because the ancient Greek weapons were fashioned differently.To protect themselves they use Greek Armor from being hit or cut by another sword.The foot soldiers were the backbone of an ancient Greek army. They use different Greek armor like hoplite. Since ancient Greek army men were armored and weaponed with Greek armor, they were known as hoplites.

Medieval Armour

2009-08-11T01:57:00.000-07:00

In the medieval days, the knights and soldiers wore armor and carried swords to the battlefield. Needless to say, the medieval swords were used for fighting and the medieval armor was used for protecting themselves from being hit or cut by another sword. Some medieval soldiers and knights also made use of axes to fight. To protect themselves from the swords of the enemy, the soldiers wore a variety of medieval armor to protect themselves. Let us look at the different types of medieval armor worn by the soldiers and knights.

Types of Medieval Armor

* Plate Armor: Plates or disks of steel were added slowly to chain mail medieval armor to protect the vulnerable areas of the body. These were initially added on to the chain mail medieval armor at the knees and armpits. But soon, plate armor took over the protection of the entire body of the soldier. Eventually this progressed into a full body covering armor suit which covered and protected the knight from head to toe.
* Iorica Segmentata: The Roman armor breastplate called the ‘Iorica Segmentata’ was perhaps the most efficient type of medieval armor used. This was made of segments of steel plates joined or welded together, as opposed to a single sheet of steel. This allowed for greater flexibility of movement for the knight or the soldier.

Civil War weapons

2009-08-06T21:39:00.000-07:00

The Civil War is considered one of the first “modern” wars because of advances made in Civil War weapons . These developments included more sophisticated rifles, and the use of entirely new weapons, including the Gatling gun, an early machine gun. Colt and Remington revolvers were used on both sides, and these pistols were said to be highly liked by troops. Large quantities of both types of revolver were used as Civil War weapons, although they were typically owned by officers or mounted soldiers. In fact, over 150,000 Colt Revolvers were delivered to Union soldiers during the war.

Many Civil War musket soldiers also used rifles. The Springfield Model 1861 was the most widely used rifle, favored for its range, accuracy, and reliability. This rifle included several advances in gun technology, including the use of percussion caps rather than flintlocks. The Enfield 1853 musket was the second most widely used rifle in the war, on both the Confederate and Union sides. In fact, it is estimated that nearly one million Enfields were used as Civil War weapons, and they were used in every major battle of the war.

To load the typical Civil War rifles, the soldier would pour in the black powder rifles, drop in the round lead ball, pack it down using a ramrod, and then fire the weapon. Although time consuming, these Civil War weapons were actually quite advanced for their day. These Civil War weapons differed from their predecessors because they were able to fire more rapidly, and were more accurate from a distance.

The casualty rate during the Civil War was very high, in large part due to advances in Civil War weapons making them much more deadly than in previous wars. Besides these very popular guns, there were many other types produced in smaller quantities, as weapon manufacturers popped up in both the North and the South. Some of the advancements made during the Civil War include rifled muskets, repeating rifles, machine guns, and cartridge rounds.

Roman Weapons

2009-05-18T05:13:00.000-07:00

The Romans conquered many nations with their well designed weapons. They always started the battle with long ranged fire, to weaken the enemy. Long ranged weapons were also used to aid foot soldiers, while in combat. When the general of the Roman army thought the enemy had been weakened by this attack, the charge signal was given. Long ranged roman weapons were the pilum, the scorpion, bows and slings. The foot soldier would then charge in with their close range weapons. Their siege weapons were rams, ballista, towers, onager and catapults. The soldiers used a gladius and a dagger for close combat.
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Medieval shields

2009-05-09T04:25:00.000-07:00

The Medieval Shields designs will be diversified about the middle of the 12th Century, when the triangular shield was introduced. The new form was obtained by reducing the arched top of the kite to an almost straight line. This variety of Medieval Shields was also bowed or flat. And, though the earliest examples were as tall as the kite-shields of the 11th Century, the triangular target soon became much reduced in its height.

The round shield is of more rare appearance. It appears that it was in frequent use among the foot troops.

Medieval Shields-Triangular Bowed Shield
Triangular Bowed Shield-13th Century
The kite and triangular shields were provided with straps for attachment to the arm and for suspension round the neck.

Once we enter the 13th Century, the ordinary Medieval Shields designs were based on the triangular shield. Notably, the dimensions of the triangular shield of this century are decreasing as the century advanced. It was also bowed or flat.

Other formats of the period were the kite-shaped, the heart-shaped, the round, and the quadrangular. The boss is still retained in some of the shields of this century. The materials of the shields were "wood, leather, and painting
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World War 2 Weapons

2009-05-04T04:42:00.000-07:00

World War Two Weapons required a massive outpouring of manufacturing capabilities, giving rise to one of the world's largest industrial producers in the United States of America. The war and it's global reach challenged many a nation to rise up and fight back imperialistic and fascist incursion. With its roots in the First World War, it was not a surprise to see the fusion of man and machine to the extent that was witnessed in the Second World War. It was a war of heroes and villains, tyranny and democracy, meekness and strength. In the end, it would be a war of wars, setting the stage for the conflicts now witnessed in the 21st Century - most notable in the Middle East. Below you will find a listing of aircraft, infantry weapons and tanks used throughout World War 2 by the major players and world powers. This listing is updated periodically when additions are made to the main Military Factory database. Eventually this should become an informative and comprehensive listing of military equipment used throughout World War 2.
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Civil War Rifles

2009-04-28T05:47:00.000-07:00

No war can be won by any army without good ammunition. In the American Civil War, the story was not too different. Warring South and North factions soon realized how good quality firepower was so important to winning the war. During the course of this war, a lot of advancements in weaponry came through and one of them was in the rifles domain.

Before the civil war, rather outdated rifles were used. These rifles were primarily used for firing round, iron balls at enemies. But as things panned out, the evolution of the Springfield 1861 model and the Enfield model proved too much for the enemies!

Talk of Springfield 1861, this is a rifle that needs some explanation, as it went on to become one of the favorite guns of the North armies.

Springfield 1861 – The gun that changed the face of the war

Very early into the war, it was clear that the South Army had only one objective – To stretch the war as far and as long as possible. They had a lot of guts and steely resolve, and led by the legendary Robert Lee, they were clearly determined to launch surprise attacks on the North armies, which clearly was the mode of operation for the rebelling army. Guns and rifles used earlier could not do justice to the thought, which led to the inception of Springfield 1861, a gun that went on to change the face of the war, and possibly, its outcome as well.

Soon enough, soldiers took a liking to the muzzle-loading feature and the flat projectile features of this rifle. This rifle went on to become the first rifle through which the 0.58 Caliber Minie ball could be shot.

Confederate Forces on their part to be fully equipped with the latest weapons started importing the weapons from the British Government. For a long time, Civil War Rifles and their numbers were evenly matched on both the sides, until the British Government stopped importing Civil War Rifles to the Confederate forces.
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Samurai sword

2009-04-24T05:01:00.000-07:00

The first samurai swords we're actually straight bladed, single edged weapons imported from Korea and China known as chokuto, which were later replaced with the curved blade variety at the end of the 8th Century. The name of the curved blade swords which replaced them was Tachi. The reason for this transformation was samurai found that a curved sword could be drawn from the scabbard more swiftly and provided a far more effective cutting angle.

The point of a samurai sword is called a Kissaki. This is the hardest part of the sword to polish and forge and to hand create a quality one would require an extremely skilful artisan. The value of a sword is determined largely by the quality of the point.

Samurai would use wooden swords (Bokken) for practice for safety reasons as well as for preserving their real swords from unnecessary damage.

The samurai would give names to their swords as they believe in the sword lived their warrior spirit.
As part of the samurai sword making process a sword tester took the new blade and cut through the bodies of corpses or condemned criminals. They started by cutting through the small bones of the body and moved up to the large bones. Test results were often recorded on the nakago (the metal piece attaching the sword blade to the handle).
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Medieval shield

2009-04-18T05:52:00.000-07:00

Shields were very important to the medieval shield way of life. Knights used coats of arms to identify themselves and the enemy in battle. Few people could read or write, so pictorial symbols were very important.

How do you decide what goes on who's shield? Well, that becomes complicated. Only the oldest son would inherit his father's coat of arms unchanged. All of the other sons would add a symbol to their father's coat of arms to show who they were. More often than not, the addition was a small picture in the middle of the shield. Unmarried women didn't carry a shield. Married women, especially those without brothers, would add her families shield to that of her new husband. As to what designs go on the original family shield or are added--that is pretty much up to the designer.
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Roman Shields

2009-04-10T05:41:00.000-07:00

As with roman shields , the Romans readily used the improvements in armor and shields (called "scutum") of other populations. Although the shield of legionaries was essentially the large rectangular shield (shown in the lower left hand side of the picture to the right) other types of shield were also used, for example cavalry would use rounded shields.

The exact shape of the shield of standard legionaries varied through time but essentially retained its underlying shape, construction and function. It was large and curved so that the impact of incoming blows would be partially deflected and hence reduced. A metal semi-sphere in the centre of the shield allowed it to be used offensively in a similar manner to the crowd control techniques of modern police forces.

The shield is believed to have been constructed very much like modern plywood curved over steam. The cross-grain of successive sheets adds strength whilst keeping overall weight to a minimum. There are no existing examples to prove this though.
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Suit of Armor

2009-03-18T04:39:00.000-07:00

If you're looking for a stunning suit of armor for your den, home, office, or anywhere medieval art and armor is appreciated, we can offer you a wide selection of real, hand-forged suits of armor. These are sure to make a lasting impression with a powerful and majestic presence in any room. We offer two kinds of armor. Pick from fully wearable and usable armour suits or premium display units. Whether you need armor for a renaissance festival, medieval reenactment, special event, a fun wearable costume, or would just like to spruce up your living room with impressive knights suits of armor, then you've come to the right place.
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Medieval Knight Armor

2009-03-16T04:45:00.000-07:00

In the starting of medieval era there was defense armor against enemies, animals. There were only weapons like stone weapons etc. Humans have fought over assets or soil ever since early humans began to grow crops or keep domestic animals. The earliest weapons were probably rocks, sticks, and animal bones and were used in one of two ways. Some were carried to strike a blow or to cut. Other weapons were made to be thrown or shot at the enemy from a distance. After some time, humans developed particularly formed arms from flint and stone, and by about 5000 b.c., copper was being used. After this came bronze, then iron, and lastly steel, which made the strongest armor and sharpest blades. Many other resources have also been used, such as whalebone, leather and horn. Rapidly, those who had to fight began to protect themselves by having shields. Sometimes they also wore body armor. Armor was designed to give the best promising protection against increasingly lethal weapons. The armor could not be too heavy or so difficult to wear that a soldier could not move properly. This constant struggle between attack and defense has continued right up to the present day with each producer trying to produce better equipment than his or her rivals.

The Mail Armor was first used in England during the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The mail armor was the forerunner of what the great medieval knights armor of England later wore during battles and jousts. By the 12th century a knight attacked with the lance tucked under his arm, using the momentum of the galloping horse to drive the pointed steel head into the target. Mail was made from many small iron rings joined together, each closed with a tiny pin called a rivet. Sometimes every other row was made of welded rings.
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Medieval Armor

2009-03-03T05:12:00.000-08:00

We have an extensive and exclusive range of ingenious Armor Helmets, made up of several materials of high impact strength and toughness. All the armor helmets are elegantly shaped and designed using latest technology, to offer optimal comfort, convenience, and safety, depending upon the material used. There are a wide variety of shapes & designs, having cheek flaps, conical points, etc. But the best type of Armor Helmets are made up of a single piece of material, shaped through hammering out of it, because these are rather more tougher than the riveted ones. Also, our helmets are thickly coated with highly scratch-, impact-, and also the corrosion- resisting paints, and are given strikingly sleek finishes. Our impressive collection of Armor Helmets includes the Antique and Medieval armor helmets also.
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Samurai Swords

2009-02-11T05:21:00.000-08:00

The point of a samurai sword is called a Kissaki. This is the hardest part of the sword to polish and forge and to hand create a quality one would require an extremely skilful artisan. The value of a sword is determined largely by the quality of the point.

Medieval Swords

2009-02-10T03:20:00.000-08:00

The swords of medieval Europe (approximately 500 to 1500 AD) evolved from steel Celtic swords, which in turn arose from a tradition of straight, double-edged swords which began with bronze swords as early as 1,500 BC. At the opening of the Middle Ages these swords tended to have blades just under a yard in length with a grip designed to accommodate a single hand; the other hand being concerned with the grip of a shield. Essentially all of the earliest medieval swords and many throughout the period were designed to cut, having surprisingly thin blades, especially towards the tip, which was often rounded. By the close of the Middle Ages, swords increasingly are stouter and more sharply pointed, being optimized for the thrust, the cut having been rendered less effective by improvements in armour. Similarly, with these armour improvements, the shield became redundant and swords with hilts effectively accommodating both hands make their appearance and grow in popularity.

Description of Medieval Shields

2009-02-09T03:55:00.000-08:00

Medieval Shields were developed to shield, or protect, a knight or soldier from the direct blows from the weapons of their enemies. Shields used during the Middle Ages were also used as bludgeoning weapons. The use of the shield as an actual weapon was practised by knights at the Pell. Pell training demanded hours of practise to increase skills, strength and agility in relation to Medieval swords and shields. Medieval shields were decorated with symbols which were used as a means to recognise the knight, both at tournaments and on the battlefield. This form of recognition was necessary as a Medieval Knights armor included a visor which covered the face of the knight. The decoration on a shield, or shield symbols, allowed knights to be easily recognised.

Samurai Armor

2009-02-07T02:04:00.000-08:00

The Japanese suit of armor was only worn by the shogun, highest military class, samurai and emperors. Japanese samurai armor and samurai swords are both powerful, unique works of art made by craftsmen of the highest skill level. Each suit of Japanese armor (Kikou), Japanese Helmet (Kabuto) and Japanese Sword (Katana) truly has a soul or chi as well as a personality all of its own. These stunning works of Japanese art are made strictly in the authentic and traditional manner - all by hand and all by highly skilled craftsmen.

ww2 weapons, World War 2 Weapons

2009-02-06T03:28:00.000-08:00

Our selection of WW2 weapons and modern weapons are some of the best replicas available today. These have been designed with the collector in mind and are perfect reproductions of the actually WW2 weapons as well as guns still in service today. They are perfect for stage play and movie props or will make an excellent addition to your collection. Please take a moment to browse our products below