Just ran across these fantastic videos on YouTube. Shows exactly what went into getting dressed in a suit of armour. Apparently there are other videos from different centuries as well. If I was writing about this subject, I would be over the moon at finding these videos. Go to YouTube and look for Ola Onstrud to find the other videos.
It's pretty good, as an armour nerd I was pleasently surprised. A few minor things did seem off though...firstly the use of maile under plate on the legs, as maile "trousers" more or less went out of fashion when plate starting becoming more common, same with the shoes. (I did take a look at the Black Prince effigy and it does seem he wore mail behind the knee, still odd though). Also, the maile worn around the neck should be an avantail attached to the helmet and not a seperate piece, as seperate "maile collars" (called a standard) is a later thing. Other than that, great video! (and I'm well aware I'm very nitpicky here ^^) This is one of my personal favorites for later armour:
Chain-mail was actually pretty heavy. Of course back then people were tougher and in better physical condition.
It's actually not, I've worn it...the way it's worn is that when you put it on, you tire a belt around your waist that creates a sort of "bulge" of the maile above it, meaning most of the weight is carried there, instead of on your shoulders like with a chestplate. In fact, a fully armoured knight carries less weight than a modern day soldier. Also, it's best to avoid the term "chain-mail" as it's pretty inaccurate ^^ The correct word is simply "maile".
@Safety Turtle Thank you. I am sorry for using incorrect terminology of the gear. Also I found this video that broke it all down and you're right about the weight difference between load outs.
It's no problem at all ^^ I myself used it a lot before I started researching, it's really one of those topics you have to have a great interest for to get into, as it's really nerdy ^^ I think one reason why we assume it's really heavy is that our brain is telling us "it's made of metal, and metal is heavy"....there are some great videos on youtube of people running, jumping, even doing jumping jacks and push ups in full armour. You have to think of it as a modern day tailored suit, it's made to fit you perfectly to make sure you can move in it...it's quite an artform really!
Yes you are correct on the misnomer of the psychology that it is "made of metal and there for heavy". Though I remember from some where that the plating is only like 1/8th in. thick. Of course it should be lighter seeing as knights were not taking bullets for quite some time, but that doesn't make them any safer from weapons designed to punch through the armor.
Actually it's not the thickness that does it, but the curves. Not piece in a suit of armour is flat, it's all rounded to make weapons glance off of it. That is why the typical fantasy "boob armour" is actually extremely dangerous. A normal plate will be curved and sometimes have a ridge down the middle that will make sword and lance blows slide off...if instead you have two spheres on the front (the breasts) and a lance hits one of them, there's a big chance that the shape of the cup will guide the lance tip towards your chest, not away from it and increase the chance of you getting impaled.
Also, hammer blows can be significantly more dangerous. There's a lot more metal to get bent inward and, considering the lack of a gambeson often displayed on such types of armour, it goes into the person, not the padding.
Actually, they did wear a gambeson underneath, just form fitting and the most effective weapons against plate armour are spiked weapons with a lot of weight behind them. The point (pun intended) is to get as much weight and force into a very pointy area to break the plate.
Also, important thing to remember: if you watch videos of people tearing apart maile with weapons, arrows etc...don't believe it, they're using butted maile, not rivited maile as the historical maile would have been.
Ah right, well fantasy armour in general, usually have no connection to real, functional armour...LOTR and GoT have done a pretty decent job though, I must admit.
I can't tell you the number of times I've look at fantasy armor and thought- "you, with that armor, could die from this, that, getting hit there, or there, and why the hell is your armour a v-neck." May I ask where you got your knowledge on armor and the like? The topic fascinates me as well, but I've never found that many sources for it.
I couldn't tell you one source, I've been interested in the subject some 15 years now ^^ A good place to start is the Armour archive, it's mainly a forum for people who make armour but there's a lot of info to be had as well.
I'd recommend Metatron on YouTube. He's done a series where he goes through fantasy armour and sees whether they would work or not. Also Shadiversity who's done a video on gambeson, chain, plate, a whole bunch of shields, as well as some swords.
