Arming Garments - The Foundation of a Late Medieval Harness

[@PhilKelley]

You know you are listening to someone who really understands history when they explain that the facts for their period do not necessarily apply to other periods. Too many "historians" take a monolithic view of history for large periods of time and large geographic areas. It is rarely the case that things are the same everywhere and at all times within an era. Thank you for this excellent presentation. I look forward to viewing more of your videos.

[@PIGGBUKKITT]

Interestingly, in the local dialect (Doric) here in my part of NE Scotland, shoelaces are still referred to as 'points'. With the accent it sounds more like pints (as in beer). I didn't actually make this connection until I saw your video. I had always wondered why 'pints'. So, Ahm affay glaid yee'v kep't yer pints in guid stunnin', ye dinnae wint yer breeks tae fah doon durin' a fecht! (I'm awfully glad you've kept your laces in good standing, you don't want your britches falling down during a fight!)

[@teutonicarmory7743]

Thanks for the translation

[@MrVvulf]

Nicely done and informative video. Matt Easton sent me. I look forward to watching the rest of the series.

[@KnyghtErrant]

+MrVvulf Thanks, and welcome to the channel!

[@xinfinity8532]

Can an arming doublet stop sword strikes?

[@kagehunter5]

I know it's been a year since your most recent video, but if you ever start filming again a video addressing the evolution of soft kit under armour would be amazing. Talking about the transition and differences from Gambisons to Arming Doublets.

[@robertsherman9975]

This is the second video I’ve viewed of yours. Although my interest is in the Viking age and clothing of that timeline. Your knowledge and and your presentation of information is absolutely incredible. There are few videos that I have viewed, that you can not only see, but feel the deep love and passion for subject. It’s also, amazing that you actually make some of your attire, with great detail, to the timeline. You are truly an inspiration to others and a talented young man. Peace be with you.

[@KnyghtErrant]

Thank you Robert, that's very kind of you to say. I really appreciate you taking the time and I hope you continue to enjoy the videos.

[@robertsherman9975]

@@KnyghtErrant without a doubt. Bring them on !

[@LycharVideo]

A very well made video; including the sources is a great idea. And yet, another demonstration of the skills of medieval craftsmen! Thanks for sharing this knowledge :)

[@puddingat4am145]

Thank you for the video! Can't stress how important the grande assiette sleeve is. If you are buying armour I would recommend an arming garment with that style of sleeve. A standard sleeve pulls your entire jacket up when you raise your arms, this becomes a huge problem when wearing armour.

[@benjaminsmither223]

I just want to say that I love your channel and it is really helping me understand what I'm getting into. I have just started studying blacksmithing and I hope to one day make my own set of german gothic armor. I know I have a long way to go till I have enough skill to do that but your videos are really helping me figure out the first steps I need to take. Thank you so much.

[@TeutonicEmperor1198]

You're a blacksmith and your surname is Smither? That's a very big coincidence

[@benjaminsmither223]

@TeutonicEmperor1198 Lol it's an example of Nomanative Determinism

[@RichHistoryHistorian]

Oh hell yeah! Giving you a shout out for sure! I hope to see your videos on each individual armor!

[@madcowrebel4216]

Same thing with suiting up as a stormtrooper. You have to put on a full skin tight body suit.

[@douglasfulmer5483]

+Mad Cow Rebel - Now you know why they did that XD

[@banthablasterprime1111]

What bodysuit do you use for storm trooper armor? Wetsuit?

[@raymondjhindle77]

Well done! I look forward to your next installment. My kit includes a sleeveless pour point. Nice to see a well made soft arming layer!

[@ColossalSwordFormAndTechnique]

Very helpful under armor info. Thanks!

[@clintstaples8817]

I enjoy your videos immensely! Keep up the good work!

[@KnyghtErrant]

Thank you sir!

[@GreenleafWorkshop]

Great video, and I agree entirely about getting the garments first. Looking forward to making my way through your channel :)

[@KnyghtErrant]

Thanks, please enjoy the rest of the videos! I've been following your channel as well. Really impressed with those gorgeous silk covered cuisses. Beautiful work!

[@GreenleafWorkshop]

thanks very much, I plan on making some more this year - hopefully a pair for myself if I can arrange it. Keep up the sterling work :)

[@Theicemonkeyjr]

I love the detail you go into! fantastic channel!

[@johndumbeltion1693]

Most useful information ! If I had seen this I would have not wasted money on inaccurate Indian gambesons that don't have proper arm holes ! You are the man ! Thanks !

[@joshicus_saint_anger]

Great video! Thanks for sharing

[@rubberdc]

apart from being a very handsome man, you are informative of things that i wasnt aware of, thank you for sharing your love of armour and clothing and history , very interesting .

[@TanitAkavirius]

+rubberdc His handsomeness is almost distracting :)

[@mohammedcohen]

Meant to add that it was via TFB...a tip of the hat to Alex C and his crew. My interest stems from both my youth when I was captivated by castles and later when I became an avid military miniature painter...my interests are varied from ancients through modern day...the old dictum of 'Buy a figure, buy many reference books/" increased my interest/knowledge of the 'medieval through Renaissance' areas...I recently wrote an article for our Arms Collector club's journal on the battle of Azincourt for the 600th anniversary...which is most likely why I enjoyed your recent spot on armor and the loads carried by the late 14th/early 15th century man at arms vs the GI of today...

[@KnyghtErrant]

Thanks again! I didn't realize TFB posted about the channel, that's really nice of those guys! I'm small, and very 'niche' but it sounds like it's something right up your alley so I'm glad you found me.

[@بێزۆرگتێربۊرگێر]

What did your whole armor cost you?

[@spacemanapeinc7202]

It probably cost him around a good 9k to 10k.

[@willyboy043]

Thank you for making a very informative video on what seems to be an essential but often overlooked part of a proper Medieval harness. What recommendations regarding arming garments would you have for someone who is constructing an early 14th Century kit? I am in the process of building a mail shirt and a Visby style coat of plates and I would like to finalize my gambeson before I go too much farther on the "hard" parts. Any links or words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

[@mohammedcohen]

Just saw your spot on comparison of the loads carried by the modern soldier vs the medieval soldier...and subscribed to your channel...this is also one of my interests...

[@KnyghtErrant]

Thanks, and welcome to the channel!

[@michaelhilbert6844]

Wie haben Sie das Arming Doublet gemacht. Ein Video wäre super

[@Gynnemo]

I would love more videos like this one!

[@KnyghtErrant]

Gynnemo Thank you! I should have an opportunity to film the sabaton video this weekend, hopefully it will be out Sunday or Monday.

[@theusher2893]

Whenever I put on my arming garments I call them "garmings" just to annoy my friends.

[@jwgolf5442]

I feel like the soft shoes would be an issue on a battlefield. With weapons, sharp stones, sharp sticks arrow heads etc. laying around. Surely those items could easily pierce through the soft leather and cause infection or a debilitating injury?

[@Connorcj1]

A genuinely fascinating video on something that doesn't come up a lot. You explained everything really well. Is there a strict difference between an arming doublet and a gambeson, or are the two synonymous?

[@KnyghtErrant]

+Connorcj1 Thank you. Terms for martial garments, as used in the middle ages, are typically very fluid and nebulous. Modernly, when most people use the term 'gambeson' they tend to mean a padded garment that isn't necessarily used to attach armor to, but is often found under mail. An arming cote or arming doublet is usually intended to mean a much more tailored and tight-fitting garment, that may be used to attach armor to.

[@meleesdebehourd6495]

great stuff. need the video with armor legs binding to the top gambeson.

[@johncarpenter3502]

If you were a professor, I'd seriously consider going back to college. But only to take your course. You should at least have a History Channel show. Hook up with R. Lee Ermey.

[@JVL0110]

Hi! I must thank you for these really excellent videos, found them through Matt Easton's recommendations. I also have a question regarding assembling my armor set- I have so far sewn a full-sleeve gambeson with a knee lenght hem of an earlier, non-pourpoint type. I'm very much interested in having an impression of a lower class foot soldier with maybe some chainmail armor in addition to the gambeson, but not much more than that. My question is, what type of helmet would be appropriate with such an impression? I haven't yet exactly pinned down the century according to which to assemble the rest of the kit, but I would assume between 11th and 13th centuries based on the type of gambeson I have.

[@KnyghtErrant]

+JVL0110 Thank you, welcome to the channel! The helmet will mostly be dictated by exactly when you decide you want to your impression to be. If going back to the 11th century, it would likely be a 'Norman' style conical helmet (perhaps of spangenhelm (banded) construction) with nasal as they were pretty much *the* helmet for the time. As you move forward in time the nasal helm will still be appropriate for a while in a single piece construction, and by the end of the 12th century the most universal helmet of the infantryman is a basic kettle helmet, also of banded construction.

[@thrawn235]

Great Video, You seem to know a lot about that subject. Im really looking forward to the other videos. I'd love to know how you made that doublet. I've made one my self a few month ago, but i head great trouble getting the arm movement right. Did you make the shoes too ? Any Videos on these subjects (and all other armor related things) are greatly appriciated.

[@KnyghtErrant]

Sebastian G Thank you very much. Yes, I did make the shoes as well. Most commercially available 'medieval' footwear is kind of junk.... There are good historical shoes out there though, but they are very expensive, so I decided to learn how to do it myself. If you want to look at some really nice historical footwear reproductions check out NP Historical Shoes (www.np-historicalshoes.com/) They make them the correct way.

[@francescomarchi5193]

Hi, Nice video! Can you say something about the grip of the soles on grass, soil, or stones? I think this is one of the main issues trying to apply the techniques we learn with sport shoes. In my experience use these shoes instead of modern one, can totally change the way you approach the actions. What is your opinion?

[@KnyghtErrant]

Francesco Marchi Modern rubber soled shoes have too much grip for some historical techniques. Take Fiore's volta stabile for example; Doing that technique in modern rubber-soled shoes might prove awkward, but when done in historical soft-soled shoes suddenly everything clicks and it works as described. I think the medieval soft-soled shoes really enable some of the techniques we see in the sources. One problem I've found is that bad historical reproduction shoes have given people a poor impression of historical footwear. A lot of the mass-produced 'medieval-ish' shoes are really pretty bad, and either have modern soles or hardened leather soles which make them very slippery. Real medieval footwear was not like this, but the good reproductions are pretty expensive. It's the soft, flexible sole of real medieval (and earlier) shoes that keep you from slipping despite having no tread. They give you a good feel for the terrain under your feet, and the suppleness of the sole lets your foot get good purchase on the ground. I wouldn't be fair for me to say that they have just as much grip as modern shoes, they don't, but they're also not overly slippery.

[@francescomarchi5193]

Knyght Errant Yes, I confirm I had bad historical shoes and it is since some year I don't use them (actually I practice only the techniques, and no more reenactment). It is nice to know that more accurate reproduction have a better grip, now I would like to try them... :) Anyway, doing volta stabile on grass, groud, gravel, or stones I never had, with sport shoes, too much grip issues. Maybe on marble some problem like this can occurs. Instead on asphalt and gummy soils (like in most modern gym) I totally agree with you On the other hand, with cheap and inaccurate shoes, on the grass or on any smooth soil also a fast passo alla traversa could be a real problem, because you can't change speed or direction as fast as with modern shoes. Thank you for your feedback, now I am really curious about these good reproductions :)

[@greggonzalez8659]

+Knyght Errant I must agree with Francesco Marchi and yourself on the difficulty of finding period-accurate footwear. For the casual medieval/renaissance enthusiast (such as myself), it has been a great annoyance that many of the reproduction shoes and boots are made of synthetic materials. I purchased only one pair of moccasins (with a modern sole) years ago and I've been looking for good-quality and period-appropriate replacements ever since. The only solution I see is to take up the craft of cobbling, such as you did. I do wonder at how the soft-soled medieval shoe worked for the wearer on different terrain. I'm constantly reminded of the comment Terry Jones made in his series on The Crusades, when he wondered how the knights crossed the whole of the rocky ground of Anatolia "wearing only soft leather slippers?" Perhaps he over-simplified this point for entertainment purposes, but it does seem that one would at least get get a stubbed toe more often when traversing rough ground in such shoes. Of course, that makes me wonder what kind of shoes the Turks of that period were wearing. And getting back to the subject of this video, what were the arming garments that were needed for the armor worn by the soldiers of the Near East. Perhaps you could touch on that subject, even if at some distance in the future?

[@j_d_gamer2091]

This helped me a lot with a question: would knights need padded leg armor? I have seen some, but it really looks like the legs are such a hard target to hit, and the armor would just deflect it anyways, so that it isnt necessary. Plus i feel it would restrict movement too much.

[@jared925]

Thanks for the video, this really does help me a lot. I've had most of my arming wear made for me but I've never seen shoes like that before. Where did you get them? Also, love the beard

[@markberlanga6375]

I would like to see an episode devoted specifically to each variation of the gambeson / doublet. The same for chauces. For aome reason I thought that the chausce would rather be hung from the sides of the waist to cover the tip rather than tthe front . wouldn't the front coverage get more in the way when having to releive oneself? And as afar as sliding to the left or right as the fabric streched over use and t ime: would the hip placement be more forgiving than the front? ( no need for the fabric to fold slightly with ever step no? ). Would love to hear your thoughts on the matter.

[@bigmanbenjamin]

You made the doublet yourself!? You are very talented and educated

[@Dosman0026]

Hey Ian love your videos they are really helpful. Could you maybe share some information/links to what kind of braies you wear? How they are made and such.

[@fragment5277]

Hello Ian, in this video you explain the process of spiral lacing, but I have a question. What would be done to the end of the silk lace once you reach the end? Do you just tuck it inside? Thanks.

[@KnyghtErrant]

I usually go back through the last two holes once or twice and then tie a single bow knot to stop it from backing out.

[@psykopanda11]

could you make a video on how this padding evolved?

[@leiagraf]

As I learn more about medieval arming garments, I'm always struck by the similarities to later-era corsetry. So many people neglect the foundation garments (correctly shaped corset, usually) and then fail to achieve the correct silhouette, or become fatigued because the weight of the skirts are not being distributed across their torso via a well-fitted corset. I don't do medieval martial training myself, but am involved with a group that does so extensively, and it's amazing what a difference good fitting and proper foundations make.

[@KnyghtErrant]

+Leia G Definitely! The foundation garments will literally make or break the wear and comfort of everything that goes on top of it. People ignore it too often and then form incorrect opinions about the performance of medieval clothing and armor, when the reality is that the chose to neglect a critical aspect of making everything work properly.

[@raunchel7562]

Wow! All this is really fascinating. I have one (perhaps stupid) question, but was there at any time padding under the armor on the legs?

[@gianlucafalzon5868]

Hi Ian, Just a few questions regarding your arming points/laces and arming shoes. - What is your opinion of buttons over laces for the wearing of doublets? Are they as effective as laces, as long as the garment is still closely fitted to the individual? - Are the braided silk laces you use the strongest option? And where can I find readily-made ones? So far I have never seen ones for sale on medieval re-enactment websites, I never really trusted leather laces to support a lot of weight, whilst the typical laces I've been using so far have always snapped at some point due to the weight of my leg harness (I assume they're more adapted to garments, rather than armour). - I am planning to get custom greaves with numerous holes at the bottom for the attaching of custom maille sabatons to them (trying to base my armour as much as possible on the Avant harness). What would you regard as the best way to secure them to the turnshoes? Thanks as always for your time.

[@KnyghtErrant]

+Gianluca Falzon I think lacing is superior when you need a tight fit because you can always lace a garment as tight as possible while other conditions change (stretch in the fabric, fluctuation in the weight of the individual etc). Buttons are not adjustable. Once they're set, that's it. Whereas, with laces, if you get a little heavier, you can still lace the garment tight. If the fabric stretches over time or gets weight, you can cinch it a little tighter etc. This is especially important in the areas of the garment that absolutely need to be tight (i.e., the places that are bearing the load of harness). You also get the side benefit of laces lying flatter under armor. My laces are actually braided hemp cord, not silk. Silk is very strong through, and I don't think it would have much of a problem. Historic Enterprises in the US sells some ready made arming points (historicenterprises.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=102_241&products_id=1734) Leather seems to pop too much under stress, or becomes really difficult to untie without cutting them. I've seen people have good success with criss-crossing laces underneath mail sabatons that wrap under the foot. Here's a historic example if you look closely at the arch of the foot in this statue (www.pinterest.com/pin/449515606536592975/)

[@Megatron4Life23]

How did they clean the padding garment? Or did it just reek like used hockey pads thrown in a bag overnight?

[@ColossalSwordFormAndTechnique]

I have the godfrey pourpoint.

[@dvklaveren]

It's interesting that people have changed their gait to land on the heel rather than the ball of the foot. I used to walk with the ball of the foot first and I had to be trained out out of that. There's a technique of walking that's called "fox walk" I believe that starts on the ball of the foot and rolls off to the heel. It's used for walking through forest quietly.

[@KnyghtErrant]

A lot of medieval shoes have been recovered over time and one of the things a good pair of surviving soles can tell experts is how people walked. If you read the Museum of London's publication _Shoes and Pattens_ or the freely available _Leather and Leatherworking in Scandinavian and Medieval York_ you will read about some of these wear pattern analyses, and they have concluded that medieval people walked just like we do, with a heel-to-toe gait. They can even tell what kind of medical conditions certain people had based on their shoe's wear patterns. Now when you get into _athletic_ gaits, like running and stalking etc., there is a case to be made for forefoot and midfoot striking because the required mechanics are very different (just like the barefoot running shoe movement makes today), but based on the most current scholarship, medievals walked like everyone else and adjusted their gait as immediate circumstances required. I know people have been pushing the idea that the opposite might be true, but I have yet to see them produce any compelling evidence for their position, and there is a lot of evidence for the other argument. The distinction between walking and other specialized gaits is an important one.

[@martinwillumsen2574]

I know that an arming jacket is much thinner than the standalone gambason, but if one wanted to make a combined arming jacket (for usage under plate harness) and a fencing jacket for Hema, how thick could one make this jacket and still call it authentic? I know the thinnest arming jackets were only two layers of linnen, but what is the maximum (approximatly)?

[@Avandol]

Yikes! Why did you fast-forward with the lacing. Now I missed the most important part ... the fixing of the last loop ! I see that you use a knot in the first point to fixate, but what do you do in the last one? Great video btw and I am definitely one of your followers, wearing a version of Reiterharnisch of Erzherzog Siegmund which stands in Vienna. Had alot of trial and error what to wear underneath and am currently working on getting an actually functional pourpoint in a reasonable price range.

[@KnyghtErrant]

I go through the last two holes twice, and then pass the cord back through one of the formed loops and sometimes tie a loose overhand knot.

[@Avandol]

Cool, gonna try that. Already did a variant on this last weekend. Just made a simple knot on each end, worked as well. That makes it so much easier :)

[@shonuffisthemaster]

good video, never realized the different functions, i always just thought it was padding. i do think however id go for a modern pair of running tights rather than the woolen leggings and diaper however.....

[@RagnarLothbike]

Ian, what are your thoughts on the use of two different pointing garments, one for the legs and the over garment for the rest? I have seen a lot of discussion on the use of both in the latter part of the 14th century. I know of the existence of documentation for the use of two separate garments in the 15th century, the pourpoint and gambeson. It seems that in the 14th century documentation, the words are interchangeable. I have made and fought both with just a gambeson and with a gambeson and pourpoint to see differences. Has your own research uncovered anything like this? Thanks!

[@KnyghtErrant]

My preference is for the fabric arming girdle, or "lendenier". Here is the video discussion kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z6DXf5-PnL1nm6M and then also a blog post if you're interested knyghterrant.com/index.php/2016/04/06/historical-sources-for-the-arming-girdle-lendenier-with-commentary/

[@thefreindlywolf]

Would an arming doublet be considered a gambison?

[@TheAngryAstronomer]

So for those of us that don't have 10k to drop on a custom made harness, do you think it's even possible at all to have some kind of success using off the shelf components?

[@andrzejgieralt9872]

Great video! Are there any good resources online to learn how to create your own arming doublet? I found a resource online but it assumed a lot of prior knowledge of sewing and I didn't really understand how the quilting worked. Thanks :)

[@KnyghtErrant]

I created my arming doublet from this commercially available pattern ( www.lulu.com/shop/tasha-kelly/the-pourpoint-of-charles-de-blois/paperback/product-22344252.html ). The first version of the garment I made was my _first_ major sewing project, so I really knew very little going into it. The experience I got from making it and doing subsequent projects really let me tweak the pattern and get a much closer custom fit (and change up some of the technique I used) when it came time to make the second version of the garment (what you saw in this video).

[@andrzejgieralt9872]

Knyght Errant thanks so much for the quick reply and info! Does the link provide just a pattern or also information on the construction and such?

[@KnyghtErrant]

No problem. The booklet contains patterns for a range of sizes and detailed instructions for constructing it. If you end up purchasing it, (or any pattern for that matter), I recommend building the entire thing as a prototype in cheap fabric first, then make any adjustments you need to the pattern based on that, and _then_ apply those changes to your final fabric before cutting.

[@mattias2576]

even though people will impact on the heel when wearing ogging shoes that is considered improper running technique and you are supposed to impact with the front of the foot

[@cloudcleaver23]

If I wanted to make or buy a gambeson like that, is linen the ideal fabric to use for all layers? I know it was common, and has some degree of "bounce" that might help eat up impact force. I wonder if it wouldn't be most ideal with a silk outer layer; from my reading silk tends to resist damage very well. Is there any historical evidence that this was done?

[@dog11222]

Very informative ........subbed

[@KnyghtErrant]

+dog11222 Thanks! Welcome to the channel!

[@SharkByteOfficial]

Did you make the woolen hosen yourself? If not where can I buy some quality woolen hosen?

[@KnyghtErrant]

I've made a few pairs and bought a few pairs. If you want to buy some ready-made wool hose, www.historicenterprises.com makes good quality ones. They make different styles: single-leg chausses, split hose, and joined hose, depending on the time period you need.

[@SharkByteOfficial]

Thank you so much, m'lord! ;)

[@OzzyCrescat]

i like the doublet! you don't mention the material but i suppose it is linen? or were you bold enough to make it in silk, like the original? :-p

[@KnyghtErrant]

It's an 8 oz linen shell, and a 5.3 oz linen lining, stuffed with cotton. Silk is not my most favorite fabric to work with, nor could I bare to stand watching it get abraded by mail after its first time in harness :)

[@VectorBlade9001]

I realize this is an old video, but I've got 2 yards of heavy weight linen, 2 yards of medium weight for the lining, and then a bunch of bamboo batting. Would this be enough to make that?

[@potatomancer4316]

how would I go about making a pattern and is there any modern alteration that can be used to make the doublet more effective. I'm going to try to construct my own armor (german gothic era) but not really aim to make it 100% historically accurate especially if more modern techniques and material can provide a better result.

[@Jupteperisyes]

Hi, love your videos, sorry if this has been asked before, do you have patterns for your arming doublet? Or where I could get them? Thank you.

[@KnyghtErrant]

+Allen Williams Yes, I used a commercially available pattern with some personal tweaks to get a very tailored fit, but the pattern is available here: www.lulu.com/shop/tasha-kelly/the-pourpoint-of-charles-de-blois/paperback/product-22344252.html

[@Jupteperisyes]

+Knyght Errant Brilliant, thank you.

[@KnyghtErrant]

No problem!

[@The1Helleri]

How does the technique for embroidery of lace holes on an arming doublet compare to that of something like a tunic or pants? Also would you consider cotton to be an adequate substitute for linen?

[@KnyghtErrant]

+TheHelleri I'm not sure I understand what you mean by the 'embroidery of lace holes.' Could you clarify? Cotton is a contentious subject, because there's not too much evidence for cotton fabric being common in most parts of Western Europe during the middle ages. There are descriptions of 'fustian' arming garments though, which is a blend of linen and cotton.

[@dmytroy]

You mentioned Line base layer, I am wondering why was it used and not wool? Even now we use wool as baselayer for its ability to whick moisture and sweat from the body, stay warm while wet etc. How does linen compare to that? Is this because Merino type wool was not available? or is there another reason

[@KnyghtErrant]

+dmytroy I don't have a good answer for the reason why, but virtually all surviving and documented underclothes seem to be linen, with wool most often making up the next layer.

[@jacobe1942]

did you find a pattern to make this or make your own? I am basically just curious how the arm/ shoulder transitions from patterns, thanks man, great content!

[@KnyghtErrant]

I used a very modified version of this commercially available pattern (www.lulu.com/us/en/shop/tasha-kelly/the-pourpoint-of-charles-de-blois/paperback/product-22344252.html ). After I made the first version of this garment, I made a lot of tweaks to get it to fit and function exactly how i wanted it to. This is what the construction of the sleeve cap looks like on the inside (c1.staticflickr.com/9/8677/16501280008_fe58f55888_b.jpg ).

[@jacobe1942]

thank you for sharing, great work!

[@JETWTF]

Moccasins or any soft leather footwear are only slick if you never wear them in the rough country. If worn in the great outdoors rather than sidewalks they can be just as grippy as the bare foot itself which has allot of grip. As for the arm attachment to the torso and not raising the hem of the shirt... All about the amount of material in the armpit rather than the shape of the torso and arms around the shoulders having that cut. A suit has no extra material in the armpit, raise your arms and the hem of the shirt goes up because the armpits have no extra material. Test.. wear a tight T shirt and raise your arms. The hem rises too. Cut out the armpits of the shirt and retest to get hem barely rises.

[@Grn077]

You stated that you made the garments yourself. Do you know of any source literature (books or websites with the information) that have outlines or guidelines of how to make the garments (if so where should I look?) or did you have to research and figure out their construction yourself? Thanks

[@KnyghtErrant]

+Grn077 I used a commercially available pattern for my pourpoint. The first one I made was straight out of the pattern book. As I got more comfortable sewing I was able to make tweaks, but straight from the pattern is absolutely serviceable and highly recommended. It's very accessible even for novices www.lulu.com/shop/tasha-kelly/the-pourpoint-of-charles-de-blois/paperback/product-22344252.html

[@Grn077]

Thanks that was a huge help

[@hacheurdepoulet]

Hey there, Great video ! What could you tell me about Mid-late 15th century arming garnments, in terms of the gambeson, what kind of pattern should I use to make one ? Thanks alot for your answer, Kind regards,

[@KnyghtErrant]

hacheurdepoulet Later 15th century arming doublets for use with plate armor tend to have little to no padding, and are very tightly tailored to the body. Some have cushions on the shoulders. Here's an example of a custom garment made for an acquaintance by Malina Opatowiecka of Lady Malina (ladymalina.com/images/zdjecia/dubletmichaelredy.jpg) Here's a commercially available one from Historic Enterprises (www.historicenterprises.biz/misc/armdoub-demass-back.jpg) I don't have any information on where you could find a pattern to make one though, as it's not a garment I've specifically studied or tried to reproduce.

[@hacheurdepoulet]

neosonic66 Thank you ! Prices in Europe are crazy for gambesons :'( I'll make sure to contact the people you mensioned

[@dvklaveren]

Are there any historical examples of quilted garments for the legs? I suspect not because it might interfere with mobility. I've decided to base a cosplay I'm working on around a doublet like you're wearing in this video to portray a reptilian character. Doing that for the legs is probably too much, but it would be interesting to try.

[@KnyghtErrant]

There is a garment called gamboised cuisses, which are quilted for wear on the upper legs _but_ they are an outer layer, not an inner layer. Before plate legs became common, gamboised cuisses are often shown worn _over_ an inner layer of mail. Putting them underneath mail would create a few problems: it would require the mail be much larger to fit over them, and by extension by heavier and more expensive, and whenever you add bulk under armor (be it plate or mail) mobility is significantly hampered.

[@JuoshwaPB]

A few questions, how did you sew on the port-piece? Also when sewing did you cut the padding to the same size as the lining and outer layer or did you bring it in so it wouldn't interfere with the seams?

[@KnyghtErrant]

The padding was cut without a seam allowance, and then I trimmed as necessary as I was putting it in. Here's a hi-res closeup of the port-piece, it's just whip-stitched to the inside of the lining. c1.staticflickr.com/9/8561/16687838602_9854a06056_o.jpg

[@JuoshwaPB]

Thank you very much!

[@TheDragonoftheWest]

I was wondering about your hose: Is there a particular reason why you choose to wear one with a single point? While there might be some sources for it still, that should be quite outdated for the late 14th century. Someone who can afford a full suit of armour, to my knowledge, would've worn the modern hose that is pointed at several points or already an early split hose that is sewn together at the buttocks.

[@KnyghtErrant]

+TheDragonoftheWest I have about 6 pairs of hose. I just happened to grab this one for the video. This video was also made before I realized people were going to care about these presentations as much as they do :) Yes, single point hose would be outdated by the end of the 14th century. I often wear split multi-point hose that cover the butt, but are not sewn together.

[@TheDragonoftheWest]

Knyght Errant Ah, I see, thanks for your answer, that's understandable of course. Nice to see how your channel and the interest has grown, I remember watching that mobility demo video of yours back in 2011. :) One can never have enough hosen I guess, I reenact the same period and I have three by now, same as yours they're multi-point, but not sewn together. So far I've more focused on civil garments, but I'm currently discussing my harness with the awesome Piotr Feret. The fact that he made your helmet was one of the reasons I wanted him to make it. :) Anyways, keep your awesome videos coming!

[@blizte3]

I had weird ? I was thinking of overlapping scale mail over brigandine armor with rivets, chainmail around sleeves and legs using plate on arms and legs but had idea using leather armor as under layer for arms and legs. though padding suit on body under armor then add chain skirt over waist area. for my exercise program does any one know how this might work or weight? layers for some armor types ? trying figure out as my 6 foot 6 inch frame 250 lb. had idea to make side draw string pull armor tight? and string under front middle stomach area to tighten as well for short bit? any advice on idea layer armor types and bit in pieces like chest and shoulder piece maybe?

[@Naluukti]

How many layers would you recommend for a gambeson made from denim?

[@boredanesthesiologist7673]

So... you don't wear padded hosen? I'm asking that bacause I've always have and now that I'm creating a new set for 2nd half of XV century I wonder if there's a point in using such hosen.

[@KnyghtErrant]

If you have a set of good legs that fit close and well, you shouldn't need any padding under them. Historically there's little to no evidence for it either. Padded hose tends to get used as armor itself or layered with mail.

[@boredanesthesiologist7673]

@@KnyghtErrant my new one is pretty decent so I suppose I don't need padding. I'm not a buhurt fighter either. Thanks man.

[@justicesmoore]

Do you wear any sort of clothing under the shoe? Something like socks?

[@KnyghtErrant]

The wool hose I'm wearing have attached feet.

[@HaNsWiDjAjA]

I imagined that if you were making a gambeson to be worn specifically under mail it would be significantly thicker with more padding, would it not? Also, an arming garment composed of many layers of linen cloth (like a jack) instead of simply being two layers with padding quilted in between would provide a much greater degree of protection against weapons that do penetrate the metal, right? Thanks!

[@KnyghtErrant]

+John Huang If you're making a gambeson to be worn under *just* mail, yes you would want it to be thicker and more padded for sure. The arming garments can get thinner the more plate you have, so for mine I have more padding in strategic locations and less padding in others since the mail is really a secondary defense on my style of harness. Yes, I suppose heavily layered jacks would offer more protection than stuffing, almost like a forerunner to modern layered kevlar, but they also get stiffer and stiffer the more layers or padding you add. So again, it's a trade-off.

[@HaNsWiDjAjA]

Knyght Errant​​ It seemed that some of the gambeson meant to be worn as standalone defense for poorer soldiers could have as many as 30 (!) layers of linen in them, I couldnt imagine moving around in that kind of armor at all if it also have a 30-layered sleeve. It must have been even more constricting and heat retaining than a good suit of plate.

[@KnyghtErrant]

Oh yes, these textile armors were absolutely suitable for stand-alone defense.

[@vinceore2025]

+Knyght Errant Hi! Nice video, you are doing an very pertinent job. Just about your gippon: Should not it be more padded on the torso? with a very rounded shape? Do you see what I mean? Greetings and maybe see you next on a nice event :)

[@KnyghtErrant]

Vince Haure It could definitely stand to be a little more padded in the chest. Functionally it won't make much difference, but it would be more in keeping with the fashionable style of a late 14th century doublet.

[@madman11893]

How many layers of padding and what type of padding did you use I'm looking into making one for my self and I'm debating on how much padding I need

[@KnyghtErrant]

This will depend on what type of armor you're wearing. Under a fully developed plate harness you don't really need much padding at all. My current doublet has only an outer shell of heavy linen, an inner lining of medium weight linen and either 1 to 2 layers of cotton batting quilted in between. My next version of this doublet will be made from 2-3 layers of canvas weight linen with no padding whatsoever.

[@madman11893]

Knyght Errant much thanks

[@KnyghtErrant]

No problem. Just to caveat my last statement, this will also depend on what you want to use your armor for. What I said assumes a focus on historical accuracy. Some forms of sport combat will require heavier padding and overbuilt armor by the nature of the sport itself.

[@boriskapchits7727]

a stupid question: isn't it too hot to fight with all those layers?

[@thejackinati2759]

Could you do a tutorial series on how to make leather turnshoes?

[@KnyghtErrant]

+The Jackinati275 I will definitely keep that in mind for a future video, thank you for the idea.

[@thejackinati2759]

+Knyght Errant Thank you for replying. It would be nice to somebody doing tutorials on how to make medieval clothing and leather works, because it is very hard to find. Personally, i found it a little difficult finding patterns for medieval clothing that were not fake-y, and it is even harder finding tutorials on how to do medieval clothing, so i wouldn't mind seeing how things are properly made.

[@kriegschwert]

When you spiral the lace up to the top of the doublet, how do you tie it off since you have an end at the bottom and one at the top? Im assuming you tie a half hitch in the lace so it cant thread back through?

[@KnyghtErrant]

+kriegschwert When I get to the end, I usually go through the final two opposing eyelets twice through, and then tie it off with a half-hitch. It's always stayed pretty secure doing that. Sometimes it seems like I don't even need the half-hitch if I go through the last two eyelets a few times over.

[@sergarlantyrell7847]

Huh, I guess I always assumed that they wore some kind of studded shoe for better traction in the mud. Interesting.

[@Captain-Electro]

What is the difference between a gambeson and an arming doublet other than the tie points... so I know an arming double is basically a base harness for armor, what is a gambeson other than just padding?

[@xerovelocity4641]

From my understanding the arming doublet is for arming yourself with plates and the gambeson is the armor so more padding and a lack of arming points, from what ive seen it was used as your only form of torso protection as a poorer solidier or commoner militia man, and my assumtion is a mail shirt would be worn over the gambeson for even more protection for slightly wealthier commoners and could stack more layers from there

[@junkindatrunkable]

When did the transition between the single leg hose to the sewn-together double leg hose occur?

[@KnyghtErrant]

+junkindatrunkable That's a gray area, but likely some time in the late 14th century. There's also a intermediary style of split hose, which are still single leg but provide considerably more coverage than single-point hose. They come up high in the front and in the back to cover your rear-end. Once shorter doublets start to become fashionable in the late 14th century, people seemed to start wearing higher and higher hose until they finally joined them.

[@ianmiller4195]

If your arming doublet isn't tailored at the waist you could use a tight belt.

[@LavaDrink]

@Knyght Errant Where did you acquire the arming doublet? I've been looking all over the internet for one that good, and I have been unable to find one. Can you please at least give me some pointers?

[@KnyghtErrant]

I made mine. There are a several custom tailors out there who know how to make proper arming doublets. AD1410 is a company that does good custom work. Historic Enterprises has the best off-the-rack arming doublet if you're not looking for custom work but it's not quite a historical design.

[@LavaDrink]

@@KnyghtErrant Thank you so much Knyght Errant! You have gained a lot of respect from me for responding so quickly. I will look into those companies, and do some research on how to make my own doublet. That way I can know what option would be best for me.

[@KnyghtErrant]

@@LavaDrink You're welcome! My style doublet is based on the civilian doublet of Charles de Blois from the 1360s and is appropriate for the 2nd half of the 14th century into maybe the very first 15 years or so of the 15th century but it's rapidly going out of fashion at that point. The pattern I used is commercially available (link below) but the one I wear is considerably adjusted from that pattern. The pattern is designed to fit a huge range of people, so it will need a lot of love and attention to get it to squeeze in the right places that an arming doublet should. www.lulu.com/shop/tasha-kelly/the-pourpoint-of-charles-de-blois/paperback/product-22344252.html

[@richardvanh7147]

OMG...i have to make shoes now......heheehe...thanks!!!.:)

[@markuskratochwil3570]

Hi Ian, may I ask where you get your tailoring instructions for your arming garment from? I want to try to make one by myself, but I do not find any good guide for that peace of armor. Thanks a lot.

[@KnyghtErrant]

+Markus Kratochwil Hi Markus, the pattern I used is commercially available here (www.lulu.com/shop/tasha-kelly/the-pourpoint-of-charles-de-blois/paperback/product-22344252.html). It's a great pattern and was easily adaptable to get a good fit on myself. I made it in cheap muslin first, tweaked the pattern a bit, and then committed to the linen. I had literally never sewn anything in my life before I made the first version of this garment. My wife had to show me how to use the sewing machine. That is a testament to how clear Tasha's instructions are in this pattern.

[@markuskratochwil3570]

+Knyght Errant Thank you so much! I have to own a good sewing maschine then :)

[@markuskratochwil3570]

+Knyght Errant Hi Ian, I bought the book, but it takes quite a long time for the book to arrive here in germany. So i wanted to ask before if there is said something in the book about which kind of padding should or might be used or what to look at by achieving proper material?

[@KnyghtErrant]

I honestly do not recall if it goes into that much detail (I don't have my copy immediately available). There are several ways to approach that though. The 'easiest' way is to use something like a cotton batting. A more historical way to do it would be to use a more raw unprocessed cotton stuffing.

[@markuskratochwil3570]

+Knyght Errant Thanks a lot.

[@komradwide4660]

Is there any evidence of the use of padded chausses instead of the wool hoses you had in the video most especially in the early 15th century?

[@KnyghtErrant]

I'm only aware of strong evidence for padded chausses being worn in conjunction with mail leggings, and even then any significant padding is worn _over_ the mail, not under. For plate leg harness padding tends to interfere with good fit and mobility and is largely unnecessary.

[@LarryOfilms]

I always thought Knights wore boots as seeing it on movies and re enactors. Is that inaccurate then?

[@KnyghtErrant]

+Larry O Boots would interfere with the close fit of plate armor or mail hose, especially in the case of wearing plate greaves. You see boots being worn with Renaissance half-suits or in Medieval images of people *not* wearing leg armor, but they would likely be impractical for wear under most leg harness.

[@LarryOfilms]

+Knyght Errant wow thanks for answering my question! And thanks for sharing your knowledge with us, I think I learn more watching your videos than the history documentaries lol

[@migzahoy]

from what i understand arming doblet / gambenson is important how about the one in the legs what is that called?

[@KnyghtErrant]

Under a plate leg harness, no padding is necessary. Padding on the legs, historically, was usually worn as its OWN armor, or worn over mail leggings as additional armor, not under plate armor.

[@breaden4381]

What's the difference between a gambeson and an arming doublet?

[@KnyghtErrant]

People use a lot of the terms for arming garments interchangeably since the medieval usage of these words is not consistent. I tend to use arming cote or arming doublet for a garment designed for use under plate armor. Aketon is also used in that context, but can be used for other armors as well from time to time. Pourpoint just means any upper body garment that is quilted. Gambeson gets used as a general term for almost any arming garment, but it seems like most historical use implies something pretty substantial, and even worn **over** mail sometimes. Jupon is another type of martial garment that is generally used to mean a padded garment worn **over** late medieval plate, sometimes padded. There's no real consensus on the terms.

[@breaden4381]

What do you think about ThegnThrand's gambeson tests? The one thing I don't like is that they never have it quilted, just duct taped to a water jug. It's understandable that they don't have the time, but to me the lack of quilting is pretty significant. I've recently made a tube and yolk style gambeson (my take on linothorax) and I purposely left one half unquilted to see the difference in behavior of the armor. It's 20 layers of cotton with 5 millimeters of felt between the 4th and 5th layers.

[@breaden4381]

How many layers is your arming doublet and how is the padding done?

[@KnyghtErrant]

My arming cote is not intended to be a defensive layer, it's a heavy linen outer shell, a medium linen lining, stuffed with cotton, and quilted. It's really just a foundation for the armor. I've found that it's a bit of a modern re-enactorism to wear ridiculous amounts of padding *under* armor unless the armor is configured in a way that it *must* serve as a defense for a place not protected by mail or plate. Historically we tend to see the really heavy padded armors intended as stand-alone textile armors by themselves, or in many cases worn *over* mail harnesses and even *over* plate harness. As far as modern testing goes, if you're going to go through the trouble of testing, I think it's worth the time and effort to make a good analogue to what you intend to be testing. Just layering a bunch of linen and not quilting it, or using sub-par armor doesn't really tell you too much about how the historical objects would have behaved.

[@breaden4381]

I plan on remaking my armor eventually when i have time to do better stitching. My stitches are about a centimeter long to save time and thread :( The difference is really amazing between quilted and plain, it's so much more stiff and substantial. Quilting only really seems to do this if you have some sort of padding though.

[@PatrickKniesler]

How much can you bend and twist your torso in this arming doublet?

[@KnyghtErrant]

Patrick Kniesler It's completely unaffected.

[@GEMERALSHPHERD]

Hello! Wonderful video and i'm planning on watching the entire 41 video playlist. I have recently decided to get into this kind of hobby and have been getting a lot of trouble for where to start. I have read many articles and have decided to go with the generic Crusader look. I chose a mix between the 1250 and the 1330 helmet in this image: img08.deviantart.net/bfb5/i/2015/109/5/d/armour_evolution_by_levaleur-d6z6bid.jpg Now I have a big issue here. I need to find a good arming doublet but I have no real idea for what I'm looking for. Seeing as most of the armor i'll be wearing will be mail, should I be looking for something else entirely? Please respond when you have an opportunity.

[@santiagoboo3399]

Is there any difference between the dublet and a gambeson?

[@KnyghtErrant]

The term 'gambeson' is used to describe so many different garments that I just use the term 'arming doublet' so people understand I'm talking about something that goes under armor. Gambeson can be used to describe thick stand-alone padded armor, padding that goes *over* armor, or padding that goes *under* armor.

[@santiagoboo3399]

+Knyght Errant ok thanks !!

[@eliasfalser9963]

hey knight errant i wanted to ask you where you got this thik woolen shirt to wear under the armor

[@eliasfalser9963]

+Knyght Errant wow nice skills and thanks for the fast answer, and where do you get other parts of armor like the metal ones?

[@KnyghtErrant]

Elias Falser Thanks, I used a commercially available pattern with a lot of tweaks to give it a very custom fit (tinyurl.com/jpmlnuv). All of my armor was made for me by Jeff Wasson (www.wassonartistry.com) with the exception of my helmet which was made by Piotr Feret (www.platener.eu).

[@eliasfalser9963]

+Knyght Errant uhm cusom armor seems very expensive.. maybe i just gonna buy normal armor and later more expensive one but thank you for the answer

[@lifeisbaad1793]

Hey I have a question did you buy the garments or make them

[@KnyghtErrant]

I didn't bother making the undergarments, but my hose, shoes and arming doublet are my own work.

[@lifeisbaad1793]

@@KnyghtErrant okay thanks

[@mikeg5616]

I am thinking of making a gambeson how much padding did you put in it?

[@KnyghtErrant]

+Michal Gaik The amount of padding you choose to put in is entirely dependent on what you're wearing over it. Since mine needs to support mail and plate It's lightly padded, about 4 layers of cotton batting in the upper chest, shoulders and upper arms, and then about 2 layers of batting everywhere else. If this was a gambeson of a 13th century style for an all mail harness it would be much more padded, and likewise if this were a mid to late 15th century arming doublet for milanese or gothic plate, it would potentially be even less padded than mine.

[@mikeg5616]

thank you

[@Nighti88]

+Michal Gaik I tried making one too, but i stopped the projekt since it is really a hard job to fit it to you with all the thick padding. If you have not at least some good experience in sewing you should try something smaller first. Also there are two different types of padding as far as i know. One is quilted chambers with stuffing and the other is layer after layer of fabric. The first one works only with additional armor and the second one is very hard to pierce while sewing it.

[@mikeg5616]

my mom knows how to sew so I wish to learn how to use the machine. so to go with the chainmail I am making I decided to research how to make a gambeson.

[@Nighti88]

+Michal Gaik Handling a sewing machine is realy the easy part. The Problem is the construction at all. Its like trying to build a fully functional House only with knowing about laying bricks. Also a normal Sewing Machine is not ment to sew armor. It may brake and the Gambeson wont fit inside the machine very good. Be aware: A gambeson is stiff and heavy. When a friend of mine sewed one, we needed two people to feed it proper to the machine. His machine also got some kinde of light damage by that action. I won't talk you out of that project, but since you have no experience you should first learn the basics and the mid-stuff before you go for masterclass.

[@OzzyCrescat]

don't you wear padded hosen at all? i mean i tried putting on my cuisses without padding and it was horribly awkward :/

[@KnyghtErrant]

+OzzyCrescat Plate leg harness was historically fitted very closely to the wearer, it shouldn't result in an awkward fit over closely fitted hose.

[@OzzyCrescat]

ok thanks

[@kentallard8852]

is the arming doublet any different to a gambeson?

[@KnyghtErrant]

People today kind of use the term 'gambeson' as a catch-all for almost every textile-based armor or under-armor garment. Period sources don't help much either, as gambesons are described as being richly embroidered and intended to be worn as stand-alone defenses or over armor, but other period sources conflict and described gambesons as being worn under armor too... Since it's really difficult to define a gambeson, I will say that an arming doublet, under a plate harness is not a heavily padded garment, and is often quite thin, but made from a stout hard-wearing fabric. It should not interfere with the fit of a closely formed plate armor. Most of what people think of as 'gambesons' are much thicker and padded than would be appropriate for an arming doublet.

[@douglasfulmer5483]

Do the clothes, especially the arming doublet, inhibit movement at all?

[@KnyghtErrant]

+Douglas Fulmer No, the doublet is particularly mobile because of the grande assiette style sleeve which gives full range of motion of the shoulder without affecting the trunk of the garment. Things don't start to get limited until you begin to add the armor. There are lots of poorly tailored, over-stuffed and overly stiff 'gambesons' for sale on the mass market that give people a very wrong impression of arming clothes intended for wear under armor.

[@douglasfulmer5483]

Knyght Errant I was referring more to bending over to do something like tying your laces for the sabatons.

[@KnyghtErrant]

Douglas Fulmer No effect on those movements.

[@douglasfulmer5483]

Knyght Errant Interesting, tells you how much tailoring makes a difference!

[@KnyghtErrant]

Douglas Fulmer Other factors are the amount of padding, which in the case of a proper arming doublet should be very little if intended to go under plate. Even things like the direction of the quilting lines matter. Horizontal quilting lines at t he waist facilitate bending. If they were vertical, they would resist bending.

[@alexandarvoncarsteinzarovi3723]

How warm does it get and what is the material you use?

[@KnyghtErrant]

The arming garments themselves aren't particularly hot. The hose are a lightweight wool and the arming doublet is heavyweight linen with a layer or two (depending on location) of cotton batting quilted in between.

[@alexandarvoncarsteinzarovi3723]

So you have not trouble breathing in it, your body heat does not encumber you in any way.

[@KnyghtErrant]

Once you add the armor, if it's hot out, it can become uncomfortably hot especially if you are fighting. There's not much way around this other than good conditioning and staying well hydrated.

[@Usammityduzntafraidofanythin]

What kind of leather were shoes typically made of?

[@KnyghtErrant]

+No Free Will The dominant variety of leather in historical footwear was vegetable-tanned cowhide (calf or mature). Goat/sheep is also common, with varieties of deer being much less common. Modern vegetable-tanning is not exactly the same as the historical process, but it's a decent analogue to do reconstruction.

[@Usammityduzntafraidofanythin]

Knyght Errant Huh, so shoes must have been somewhat expensive in those days.

[@edi9892]

+Knyght Errant Is t true that the leather straps in armor were exclusively made from deer-hide?

[@KnyghtErrant]

edi I've never heard that before.

[@edi9892]

Knyght Errant I heard that other types of leather would stretch, break too fast or accelerate rusting more than this type leather. I think it was in a documentary about the armorer of the swiss-guards.