Can I finish my armour in one week?

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With one week to Tewkesbury, would I get my armour ready in time?
Here, I document my struggles to get my armour together. I had never done this before, and I strongly suspect never shall again. The Battle of Tewkesbury is a very large re-enactment of the battle that took place in 1471, and this year's was the first since the pandemic.
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[@illustriouschin]

Ah the bliss of years of procrastination followed by a week of working furiously to meet the deadline.

[@rafaelalandrade]

Well, if he put the same effort into this that he put in his Hannibal comic, then the armor would be ready....in five or six years.

[@rolandoscar1696]

Precisely. Now I've adopted the mantra, "Don't put off for tomorrow what you can do today." The free time is way more blissful.

[@rogersmith7396]

I believe analine dye is poisonous. I thought it had been banned.

[@rogersmith7396]

I believe your red leather will darken with time and look more authentic but less new.

[@wildwanderer6025]

@@rolandoscar1696 The only remaining problem is, that whenever I try that I find myself with no free time at all. The work tends to take longer than expected almost every time, sigh.

[@paradox7358]

It's either a testament to Lindy's presentation skills, or a sad window into my life, but I am quite prepared to watch Lindy paint metal for three quarters of an hour.

[@ChillAssTurtle]

It's an honor to have the opportunity to do so brothers.

[@paradoxicalpanda7954]

It's not a sad window, Lloyd is just top notch a true entertainer. Shining example of a happy soul.

[@Monkforilla]

He did not paint for 3 quarters of an hour

[@ezforsaken]

dude I watched him give me a huge ad about a platform I will never ever use, didn't even skip anything, just watched him present and talk

[@whiskey11niner]

Perhaps a bit of both

[@bjornnilsson1827]

It is starting to become quite obvious why each man-at-arms needed a full time squire to take care of his kit. His horse as well to be fair, but I'm starting to suspect that squires weren't necessarily limited by work hours regulations either.

[@adambielen8996]

Well a lot of this would have been dealt with by armorers and their apprentices.

[@gaminggaming7658]

ayo nice name

[@rogersmith7396]

The woman is obviously a graduate of the Lindy Beige Academy of Hand Gestures. Someone to be trusted. If only Trump had graduated instead of chasing tail.

[@itchykami]

It helped that wages were basically nil in this age.

[@jaredfritsch6833]

Squire are ALWAYS on call. Think doctor schedule......but no real days off. Except for Sunday, for obvious reasons

[@wendel5868]

Getting an european style armor is probably the most expensive way to tell yourself you can't get fat anymore.

[@ravioli_826]

All the fat guys wear brigandine

[@SandraOrtmann1976]

Indeed any type of armour which has plates shaped to your body. A serious motivation to not skip regular excercise. I never excercised very seriously, but since I decided to strap strangely shaped metal plates to my body, I know it is essential. Otherwise, they simply refuse to close.

[@MrGW95]

Peasants don't know about the breastplate stretcher

[@ixxxxxxx]

look at some of henry the 8ths armor though haha. even though its like 100 years ahead of lindy's

[@giovannifontanetto9604]

The nobles who actually had money to have armor could probably afford to get new armor through the years.

[@christiankremer9635]

I know next to nothing about armour, but I know a fair bit about sheetmetal and how to work with it on motorcycles, so I guess the principle is the same. Rust will not make your paint "stick better", it will just keep rusting. Thats what rust does. Brushed-on acrylic paints will not last at all on sheet metal that has not been primed, and this is surely especially true when mail is rubbing against it. Should you really want to paint the insides of your armour pieces you need to meticulously clean them, then use an epoxy primer, then a 2-component-paint. This still will not prevent scratches from aforementioned mail. Frankly your best bet will be to use some kind of oil, and use it regularly.

[@Hereford1642]

I would suggest lanolin oil from sheeps wool which does get sold as a rust preventative for car chassis. One brand I was looking at says it does not smell of sheep like some brands do but I think Lindy would be best with the sheep smelling one to be authentic.

[@popuptoaster]

Providing it's not left somewhere the rust can really get hold when it's being stored the same friction that is removing the paint will remove any surface rust, i'd just oil it before packing it away personally, you'll never get paint to stay on for long.

[@keamu8580]

Would it help protect the lacquer to attach many tiny wool discs or dots to the mail, or would it just bind up with the rings and make you miserable and even hotter?

[@DavidSmith-vr1nb]

@@keamu8580 Probably the latter.

[@danielwright568]

Seeing all these issues you've been encountering with the armour making process, even in modern times, exponentially makes me appreciate the skill and thought that must've gone into making a harness back in the day. Armourers of the past truly must have become masters at their craft and historical practices were far more advanced than we give credit for.

[@vde1846]

Worth noting is the extreme value manhours have in our modern highly advanced economy and easily distracted culture. Not only did it use to be immensely easier to just get a hold of another person (often a kid) to aid you; a dedicated craftsman would also put what we would consider ridiculous hours into his work. In most crafts you'd go up before dawn to breakfast and prepare, then work as long as you had light or until you where done, whichever came later, then pack up, eat and relax for an hour or two and then just go to bed. I've heard it said you need to put 10 000 hours into something to become an expert, and you get there a lot quicker if you are working 12 hours a day, 6 days a week, from the age of 10.

[@bleddynwolf8463]

@@vde1846 damn

[@rogersmith7396]

Did you get the nipple guards? The Joan of Arcs? Fencers use them.

[@flashgordon6670]

At that rate it would take only 3 years to do 10k hours at roughly 3.4k per year. 70 a week X 50 =3.5k - 100 hours for extra days off for religious festivities, sickness, bad weather etc.

[@fakiirification]

@@vde1846 I was going to mention this. medieval craftsmen often lived in their shops (or rather their shop was part of their home, or at least on-site) so their work day would be sun up to sundown. Also when you do things over and over again and its your only task that you have to do for your whole life, you learn how to do it very well and very fast. even the highest skill modern sword or armorsmith is just LARPing in their free time. the real thing, back in the day when arms and armor were the most critical part of warfare and peacekeeping, would put any modern smith to shame even with our fancy power tools. There was a psychologists who postulated that genius can be learned, as long as a person only focuses on one skill or field of study, they will develop genius level intelligence in that field or skill. and he put the theory to practice on his own children, with great success. So you have to think, maybe our ancestors knew more than we do about how humans learn and develop skills. maybe thats why the crafting professions used to be so specialized, because people knew instinctively that important tasks or objects required focus and dedication to achieve. modern society is too chaotic and ADHD-inducing to create truly high skilled craftsmen or scholars except in rare cases where the conditions are just right, and we celebrate them as geniuses.

[@Ironskin]

The part about drilling was so funny, that I almost hoped to see another similar funny scene about bad riveting tongs. But good that these tongs are of use. Thank you for the shoutout!

[@bigfattank101]

Yeah I'm 90% sure he was using a wood drill bit, lol.

[@TAR3N]

Give the steel a black oxide coat. It’s something that dates back to that period- is easy to do and lasts for eons if properly taken care of

[@Kilo6Charlie]

I actually came to the comments to ask what would have been authentic! good to see someone stated

[@samsowden]

it would be authentic, but sad. BRIGHT SHINY ARMOUR for the win.

[@aaronleverton4221]

@@samsowden Clearly why Arthur defeated the Black knight.

[@sirBrouwer]

@@samsowden but fine for the inside at least.

[@h0lx]

@@aaronleverton4221 'tis but a scratch!

[@carmenwellisch3329]

Concerning the leather strap for the neck: the issue is that you've sown on the mail to the leather on a flat - the fix is to sow it on on a curve. Uh, basically, as you sew in the next stitch, lift the free end of the mail and leather off the table a bit, so with each stitch you create a bit of a curve. You'll probably end up needing to cut off a bit from the end of the leather, as the strap will be too long. If you want a perfect curve, set the leather into roughly the shape you'll have it on your neck, and put the mail around it. Then mark where the first and last stitch will go on the mail, stitch those in, then do the middle, then stitch in the 1/4 and 3/4 points, and then fill in the missing stitches. That might actually be easier than eye-balling it.

[@Kinenhi]

Just another way to phrase, sewing them flat and them moving them into a curve, the outside curve (the mail) needs more length than the inside of the curve (the leather), so stuff buckles. I'd use something like soft clamps to keep the two pieces together in front of you in the final orientation (cuz basting threads won't work here LOL) and *holding them together in their curved orientation* THEN do your sewing together.

[@alifesh]

Only LindyBeige can make me not wanna skip an ad, just because the way he tells the story of the ad. Master Story Teller

[@vincentg8390]

This was my first time rewinding ad.

[@cheeseyoger]

I would love it if he began using "ANCIENT EGYPT!" as an exclamation of surprise

[@IamOutOfNames]

I see you haven't watched Internet Historian then.

[@DavidSmith-vr1nb]

Emma Thorne, and to a certain extent Shadiversity, are also good at making sponsor spots enjoyable.

[@a.s.j.g6229]

I think mineral oil would be a safe choice for oiling your armour. It’s fairly cheap and readily available and quite inert.

[@twoonthewall]

Gun oil is designed just for this purpose available in spray can also

[@quietone610]

They used to use pitch--like pine-tar pitch--hence the name "black knights". These guys couldn't afford an armor polisher.

[@ManDuderGuy]

Ballistol is our lord and savior. All hail the one true clp.

[@jamesharper2980]

@@ManDuderGuy Ballistol is indeed a wonder product, smell OK too.

[@Heizenberg32]

Fluid Film if you don't mind smelling like a sheep

[@danielburgess7785]

Having been, at one time, very busy with the S.C.A. I quickly learned there were individuals who would sneer at too many stitches per inch on clothing/armor lining and that there were people who wished to have fun. I sought out the company of those busy enjoying themselves.

[@rogersmith7396]

He should go to the halloween costumer and get some armor.

[@bencheevers6693]

The problem you had with brass is work hardening, you started out too fast and weren't taking off any material, you need to use a slow drill with a lot of pressure to easily cut soft metals like brass or copper. You were on the right track with heating it but I don't know if you could heat it enough on your stove, if you used a propane plumbing torch to get it glowing and then let it cool in air it would have been much easier to drill provided you did so with a sharp bit, lots of pressure and a slow drill speed. The trick is you're always hardening the material so you need to take enough material off with each pass to remove that. Pilot holes can be counter productive in certain ways but helpful in others. Edit: Because drills don't cut in the middle they push the material out of the way which creates a lot of work hardening, the pilot hole will work harden the work by itself though but not nearly as much as a large drill bit forcing that metal out of the way, it also makes it a lot easier to keep a lot of pressure on while drilling square, ideally you do a pilot hole and then blast it with a plumbing torch then cut through but that's only for large holes and thick metal, mostly with a sharp bit and concious effort you can easily cut soft metals on the first go

[@justinkashtock333]

I'm assuming he used bits made for wood and not carbide bits and he also failed to lubricate the work surface - a few drops of machinist oil goes a long way when drilling metal. A drill press is also preferable for providing even pressure on a slick surface. I actually have a drill press conversion that converts a hand drill to a drill press that I inherited from my grandfather-in-law, though I have yet to use it as I haven't had to drill anything metal thicker than maybe 1/8"-1/16" thus far and with the proper bits and a dab or two of oil, I haven't had any issues getting through the metal that I've drilled (to include brass, aluminum, and mild steel).

[@strongandco]

Brass doesn’t really need cutting fluid, it’s quite soft and can be drilled quite easily with a standard high speed steel drill bit. I was wondering what sort of drill he was using as it’s quite difficult to make such a pigs ear of it as Lloyd did, even if the drill was a bit dull it’s should drill brass with all that force behind it, then I thought to myself, was he using a masonry bit???😆

[@TheAndreArtus]

Good advice, just another 2p from me. Metals like brass are easier to drill with a blunt (blunt means zero rake, not dull) drill bit. I use a flat bit (arrowhead or similar, hastily constructed from a steel rod, with heat, hammer and grinding wheel) to go through soft sheet metal, it works much better than any spiral type (even ones that have the edges knocked down). The spiral in a twist drill is a disadvantage when going through sheet as it tends to pull the material up very quickly before sending it spinning, and the centre of a twist drill does not contribute much to the effort as it is pretty much being pushed though the material. There is a reason why most people working with plate prefer a punch and die. Of course before even starting to drill you want to centre punch. The flat drill geometry also works great for going through plastic.

[@flashgordon6670]

Couldn’t holes be punched through the brass?

[@TheAndreArtus]

@@flashgordon6670 Yes it could, if you have a punch and die of the correct dimensions. You could also just drift a hole if you can tolerate the distortion.

[@colinmackay92]

I was here in the beginning of this armor series. For years and years I wondered and waited for more armor videos and I can not describe how happy I am to see more regular armor videos. Please do more Mr. Beige!

[@dt4676]

It's been 5 years or so I think

[@colinmackay92]

@@dt4676 yeah arround that.

[@102ndsmirnov7]

I remember I was on holiday back then and said to myself "Can't wait to see the finished armour in a year". That turned out, interestingly.

[@rogersmith7396]

Only a few wealthy wore suits of armor probably for show. Everyone else had mail and a few pieces like helmets. The wealthy were typically captured not killed and held for ransom. It was the whole point of war to make some bucks.

[@colinmackay92]

@@102ndsmirnov7 haha yeah. I hear that. Oh well. We're here. Nearing completion. But knowing lloyd he'll procrastinate and it'll take him forever to fully complete it lol.

[@jonathanenglish9146]

Use mineral oil, works great to prevent rust. When I was in the Army, we used it to oil our Yukon stoves to prevent rust and it did not smoke or emit noxious fumes when it heated up. One benefit of mineral oil is that it's food safe coating for utensils and cutting boards. I believe it's called paraffinum perliquidum in Great Britain.

[@mikael4751]

Yup, doesnt go rancid like other oils, either.

[@BlookbugIV]

Are we talking about Baby oil?

[@dt4676]

@@BlookbugIV idk maybe. What's in Baby oil?

[@BlookbugIV]

@@dt4676 I think it might be what OP said

[@TheHardys01]

What is mineral oil?

[@gramursowanfaborden5820]

use boiled linseed oil, it's the traditional choice for blacksmiths and leatherworkers. it's also mostly nontoxic unlike 3 in 1 and doesn't go rancid like olive oil.

[@davidrustylouis6818]

shellac is also a good option, also I have seen BLO go rancid but only in very hot & humid conditions.

[@5thearth]

Or bitumin for that classic black knight look.

[@gramursowanfaborden5820]

@@Feroce all drying oils can, and only in circumstances that encourage it. if you isolate the application cloth/paper from circulating air and/or put it in a fireproof container (like a plant pot) then it is perfectly and entirely safe.

[@Ukraineaissance2014]

It will spontaneously combust if you leave it on a rag in the hest, not kn things where its applied like wood or metal

[@keamu8580]

@@gramursowanfaborden5820 What's the proper way to break down and dispose of oil-stained cloth? Obviously you wouldn't want to burn it, unless you had a gas scrubber to launder the exhaust... Are they just toxic waste you have to store in clay pots until nature handles them?

[@alangknowles]

And they had actually scheduled the 15th C wars for the 14th C. But the preparation took far longer than expected.

[@rogersmith7396]

Plus they had no steel until the 19th century.

[@error5202]

I love how enthusiastic Lindy is for the cradle technique

[@LadymViter]

I scrolled down for disappointingly far too long to find this comment!

[@ryandennis2678]

Lindy you can chemically oxidise steel with a special acid you can buy online, it also changes the colour to black. Also it is a far better way of sealing the metal as you oxidise it before it can turn to rust

[@shoominati23]

It's basically what gunsmiths call 'blueing' the metal, or you can heat it up red hot and then quench it in oil which looks like what has been done with the chain links

[@tommink8379]

Considering that Tewksbury was in May, the sheer amount of editing that had to happen (as we can see by the number of references Lindy makes to sparing us the effort) is astonishing. I hope it was all editing and not recovery from wounds

[@Shield_OW]

i was wondering how lloyd would paint the L and R on the pieces of armor, glad to see it was a delightful serif

[@sunnmringenriksheim7812]

Thank you for representing this part of reenactment. You do get into the hobby after watching king Arthur and the like fighting and riding while looking shining and splendid, but when you finally get the equipment your self you mostly end up doing maintenance and finding solutions to all kind of weird problems you never could have seen coming. Far to often reenactment is represented fore effortlessly than it actually is. You however has made a whole series of how you work around the problems of getting an armour ready. I tip my hat of to you sir.

[@gronizherz3603]

One of my favourite aspects of reenactment (not that I have gotten into it myself .. yet ..) is these "little things". Before anyone tried to recreate these things you'd just imagine "oh, the knight put on his armour, and then he went to combat." How did he put it on? What did that feel like? Was it heavy, light, comfortable, dreadful, sweaty, cold, depending on circumstances? and so on, and so on.. There are so many of those "Little things" that just excite me, from preference between having the chainmail tucked in, how the straps on the breastplate ought to rest and be fastened, et.c.

[@rogersmith7396]

He got into it after he asked a woman for a date and she slapped him.

[@rogersmith7396]

Scraggly hair, wierdo collars, no job. Hopeless with the ladies.

[@Dardaigh13]

If your leather dye is made by Fieblings you have to work with an almost immaculately clean vegitan leather any oil or steel debris left over on it will lessen the absorption of the dye. Chrome tan leathers will usually only tint the surface and not really last; also you need to dampen the piece of leather with water and apply the dye while wet, as with tooling or stamping. Oxblood does run red but darkens up to more wine/ thick blood color, but is not nut colored. My local leather shop opposite side of the ocean from you does make nut colored dyes but they need more than one coat to come out deep and rich.

[@paulmcmanus6222]

I would add that oil dye is superior as it does not bleed. Leather dye will bleed for ages. Not a problem if it only ever touches metal.

[@ollep9142]

@@paulmcmanus6222 I've never had any problems with bleeding, using water based dyes. I let the dye dry for a day before coating it with clear lacquer (sold as "leather shine" and similar), applied in a couple of layers. Then it's water proof.

[@MartinhoRamos1990]

The weight of the cuirass should never rest on your shoulders/collarbones, but entirely on your hips. Hence the waisted profile on them. Resting the weight of the cuirass on your upper body is functionally worng.

[@EbonRogue]

I don't know why, but the gesture analysis ad has always been my favorite part. Honestly, Wondrium should hire you to do your own course on the history and role of gesturing in academics.

[@Tentin.Quarantino]

I love the fact that Lloyd’s Wondrium adverts always become a Scholar’s Cradle analysis. Pretty sure that wasn’t what they originally envisaged but good to see they’re rolling with it.

[@perldition]

Many digital calipers like that have a fairly high standby current and will drain their batteries pretty quickly, even when not in use. If you only use them very occasionally, storing them with the batteries removed might be a good option. There's also calipers with analog dial gauges that might work better for your.

[@bl4cksp1d3r]

Got one with an analog dial gauge, works wonders. (You don't even need one, normal calipers without any attachment are great by themselves)

[@Milamberinx]

I have a digital caliper that looks exactly like Lindy's broken one. I've only had it a couple years and it is on its second battery, never seen the weirdness Lindy's had though.

[@andraskatona9766]

I have a PLASTIC guage with a vernier scale. I know, it soulds awful. But it was dirt cheap, dosent need a battery and it is fine for the things l use it for.

[@somethingelse4424]

I used to be on team dial caliper, until the first bit of abrasive grit makes it's way into those tiny gears. They unexpectedly jam and the teeth fck right off. You have to keep them meticulously clean if you work around turnings or grinding swarf... Which is like every metal working shop. If you're some kind of lowly tinkerer that trifles with tree carcasses, maybe dial caliping is suitable for someone of your status. For individuals with the moral character and fortitude to sculpt the superior elements I must insist on digitally caliputating.

[@somethingelse4424]

@@andraskatona9766 I like the idea of plastic, you can make the part measure whatever the hell you want, with a little determination.

[@ENTWolf101]

Excellent and engaging video as always. A seamstress's best guess to prevent the rucking of the leather in the standard, would be to sew it in place while the collar is in a circle/cylinder as if on the neck. This method of sewing layers together in the shape that they will be in on the finished piece is used in a lot of fitted garments and I believe it would work well here. The leather will have a smaller circumference than the outer layer of mail when around one's neck. Thus, if the leather is attach to the mail on the flat, it ends up with rucking when curved around inside the mail layer. Sewing it in place when the mail is in a circle should help reduce that and has the added benefit of making it easier to match the curve of the collar to the straight edge of the leather. Personally I would do the top edge first, holding it in place with bulldog clips and then go from there.

[@theexchipmunk]

As a metalworker, never get digital measuing instruments if you can avoid it. They always break down at the most incovinient moment. (this obviously excludes high tech measuring devices, but really, a caliper has no reason to be electric.)

[@fredygump5578]

It was a cheap chinesium caliber, to be fair.

[@stamfordly6463]

I find that the batteries go flat rather than they break and you can never find the right button cell when you need it. Verniers or dial callipers are a much better bet.

[@murph8411]

@@stamfordly6463 micrometers are good but if you don’t need the accuracy and aren’t going to use the measuring tool very often these cheap digital callipers are fine. It’s certainly a lot cheaper than buying a range of different sized micrometers or using the calipers with a dial or vernier scale that only measures in a 20th of mm.

[@markfergerson2145]

If nothing else Lindy can send it to Big Clive for a postmortem. He might even revive it.

[@lalli8152]

Yeah i used to be metal worker, and even though i was welder during training i had to take machinist classes. Even the machinist teacher said the digital ones sucks, and even as working in welding type stuff i always preferred the non digital calibers. I didnt obviously needed as high tolerances as machinist typically either. Angle grinder is the welders friend, and i guess for machinist that is nightmare thing, but i was working typically with 1mm +/- tolerance.

[@Wildschwein_Jaeger]

Leather dye. Fiebings has two types pro and dye. Fiebings professional is normally mixed for color. The regular Fiebings has more colors. The color you want is Mahogany over a coating of Russet. The non pro dye may rub off onto clothes that is why the pro is better but it is harder to consistently color match. Also it is recommended to seal the dyed leather bag kote or saphir renovateur. Rivets. Your nails are a bad solution. Nails rust easily. You have two metals that will corroded due to galvanic action. You should use a brass rivet. I have a box of several types of exactly what you need. Do you have a shipping address? The black inside use cold blue. Degrease with acetone, wipe on cold blue several times, and oil. Won't rub off like paint.

[@strongandco]

I would have agreed with the armourer, the original colour that Lloyd was comparing it to looked like ox blood? Maybe a second application would have deepened the colour. A different manufacturer of dye my have a different idea of what ox blood should look like. Cold bluing solution is very expensive and there’s a large area to cover it also requires very very thorough degreasing, and still requires oiling on the inside which is what I think Lloyd was trying to avoid as the 3 in 1 that he was using allegedly rots leather. Ballistol is an oil formulated for metal and leather and is popular with firearms types as it protects metal and leather (holsters/harnesses)and it smells nice too. An application of that would do the job and be more authentic than paint.

[@Uinuja]

Marvelous thing that brain isn't it? Such improvements in making links to mail and with no sleep in between might I add. Lindy making a solid show piece on how proficiency develops by leaps and bounds when aquiring new skills. Brilliant.

[@Nesetroll]

Brass is an unwieldy metal. Wether you're cutting, drilling or lathing it, make sure to use a lot of coolant. Just some oil would do. Also, it's easier to cut at low speeds, as you're mostly chipping off shavings, and it's a lot of friction. And you might want to check all the drill bits you used. I suspect that the preassure from trying to get through, combined with the high heat, might have melted the cutting edges and blunting the bits. If you're lucky, it might be sharpened with a small round file and a sander, depending on the hardness of the drill tip.

[@rogersmith7396]

I use cobalt bits for tough metal. The rest are crap. And the cobalt will dull pretty quickly.

[@ChefSalad]

Just a tip: for close, fiddly work on small things, get some reading glasses. It'll let you sit up with your head further away from the work so you don't stress your neck so much. For really small work, there are large magnifying glasses on bendy sticks (I'm not sure what the actual name of those things are, but they're not hard to find), and even microscopes. I use all these things for doing my electronics hobby, which can involve parts as small as 0201, that is, 0.02"x0.01" (or approx 0.6mm x 0.3mm, for the French), albeit that parts that small are fairly rarely used in hand work. It does come up occasionally though, and the microscope is absolutely necessary for that stuff. For bigger stuff, though, like the size of your rivets, the magnifying glasses or reading glasses work fine.

[@lyndonjohnson5063]

as someone who done alot of work with steel and painting it i can tell you its better to clean the rush off before painting for it to bind with it better also Hammerite paint would be tougher and better choice

[@MatsJPB]

I really appreciate getting to see all the finicky bits of getting an armour done, and how difficult it can be even with modern tools.

[@thescholar-general5975]

Your commitment to cradle analysis is amazing and one of the things that keeps me coming back to your videos!

[@TheAngryAstronomer]

Dye is only half the story. It needs a top coat. If you get some of the Feibings Leather balm with atom wax it'll deepen the colour and add contrast and a very nice satin sheen. If you find yourself down Essex way feel free to pop in and see me and I'll do it for you gratis.

[@Lela-plants]

I never thought I’d see someone more hyper than I am but good sir, you win. Lol. Seriously, though, this is amazing! Thank you for sharing the process. On an aside for fittings, it does help to have a mannequin with your measurements or a willing friend to help you out. (I don’t make armor but I do sew and fitting yourself is awkward and takes twice as long without help. )

[@ChIGuY-town22_]

Your armor looked amazing, I've enjoyed the process. Thank you for your hard work, take care.

[@Bauke1234]

Appreciated that you're staying reasonable on things like the delays and the alterations. The internet tends to be all or nothing, but you seem to have given an honest account of things that happened and clarified certain things and added his perspective. Point for you!

[@mocorabbit8968]

Your Tewkesbury experience seems to match many… frantic maintenance and kitmaking in the run up! Your leather sewing seems perfectly fine, by the way. For future reference I found *heavily* waxing the thread (to the point it sticks to itself) helps immensely - it lowers the friction pulling through the holes, and then binds the stitches together. Also Awls do come in different sizes, may be that yours is more for smaller thread; although it seemed ok from here.

[@dylanzipperer7103]

Idk how and idk why but everything this guy does is gold, a true legend

[@itchykami]

I find for mailing, if the mail is hanging onto something, even like a few hooks on a piece of wood, it's quite a bit easier to work with.

[@bobsaggat]

I mean he can't finish a comic book in 6 years so I doubt it

[@VisboerAnton]

Was looking for this

[@paradox7358]

Just about to go to bed, then Lindybeige uploads. Guess I'm staying up 🤷‍♂️

[@NeckbeardPr1me]

He's a pleasure to watch and listen to isn't he.

[@Nuts-Bolts]

Use good old fashioned lanolin for rust protecting? Safe for Leather. Or Renaissance Wax as used by the British Museum. Use Gun Blue for the inside of the armour.

[@daviga1]

Lanolin works but when I've gotten it's been pretty tacky and dull. I'd wholeheartedly recommend lanolin or neatsfoot oil for the leather, but mineral oil for the metal unless it's going to be in storage or something for a while

[@thomasnelson6161]

Nyet! Beige outside. Inside... kacky.

[@schneedrachin]

Your commitment to the chainmail is extremely admirable. Regardless the result, every second you put into this project, I say is beyond worth the effort. It looks wonderful!

[@Heizenberg32]

This applies to drilling steel, which may or may not apply to brass: Prevent the work from heating up too much with water, oil and/or patience. Overheating will make the piece "work harden" and become an order of magnitude more difficult to get through. Use low speed and high pressure (as much as you can apply without breaking the drill bit). Use carbide drill bits specifically designed for metal, when possible.

[@oz_jones]

Yeah, his issue was not using a coolant.

[@albamunoz6673]

"He made one for the other foot!" Made me cackle

[@AtheAetheling]

I've always wanted a Burgundian knight suit; you know, with the colourful tabard and the like. But I had no idea that it was such a nightmare buying and owning a harness of plate. No wonder Knights had squires. No wonder knights started out AS squires. If anything would teach you patience and concentration its all this!

[@rogersmith7396]

Knights were mercenaries. Guns for hire. Keep the Lords peasants in line.

[@citizenVader]

Always a pleasure watching your ramblings.. although you are able to make it very consistent

[@bashkillszombies]

Don't seal rust in with paint - you'll destroy your armour.

[@dh2032]

isn't it the contract with air, water, salt, or in this case sweat more likely, acrylic paint is water based, some sort solvent based paint, (car paint springs to mind)

[@chrisgott3456]

Yes, sadly rust underneath paint will continue to spread. Maybe a bit slower. rust is insidious.

[@strongandco]

Lol, no you wont😆It’ll just rust at slower rate and you’ll have to rub it back and paint it again properly.

[@ArtemievofSufni]

Pro-tip for punching holes into leather (I learned this the hard way lol): use the smallest head and punch a smaller hole where you want your hole first. It will be easier to punch the larger hole afterwards with the larger head that way. Also, wetting the leather before helps a bit.

[@ColonelBragg]

I too learned that lesson the hard way!

[@SirBeauJangles]

A very low-diameter twist drill can do a nicely clean hole if spun fairly fast and with low pressure, I've seen that used by knife-sheath leatherworkers. First you use one of those spiky wheel tools to mark the hole spacings accurately placed, alongside a ruler edge if a straight line's what's desired. Or not!

[@marc-andrerenaud1394]

Love your videos as always. One trick for speeding the assembly of chain mail is to rivet a bunch of single rings closed, then inserting 4 finished rings into a 5th one. Once you've created a bunch of these 5 ring bundles, you link them up by pinching 2 rings from each bundle to create chains. I've found this approach makes it easier to assemble panels as it makes it easier to keep track of ring alignment.

[@RydarkVoyager]

As a neophyte (but I'm not a squire), I can honestly say your serifs are much appreciated. Well done, sir! But I found your later hand gestures review superb, pithy, and insightful! A polymath in every field!

[@kojinaoftheinvertedeye810]

How is he just so…able to ensure entrance with sheer charm and personality?

[@erichammer5502]

I typically use Neatsfoot Oil on my armor's leather straps, and it doesn't hurt for keeping they metal a bit clean where it rubs. Neatsfoot also darkens the leather a bit, so putting it on your too red straps (after a second coat of Ox Blood) might well bring the color down to where you want it. Then again, Feiblings does make some manner of brown dye.

[@daviga1]

Seconded. Neatsfoot or lanolin for strapping.

[@twoonthewall]

100%

[@Alagachak]

I got this beautiful dark brown red hued bag from alot of (pro) Saddle Tan +neatsfoot xD

[@thomasnelson6161]

But do they make a beige dye? I think thats what he is really driving at.

[@TekkaSage]

My first kit was early 15th century. Very similar to your set up. There are so many parts needing to be sown, laced and retooled for a proper fit... I went late 15th early 16th and it is a far more comfortable harness and the introduction of a gorget made wearing all that plate so much more comfortable and the solid arms made getting into my harness much faster.

[@adamwarlock8263]

another great upload, love and thanks. id love more videos, but i do understand how much work goes into your content. that a caliper, mate ♥️

[@ShaneDGri]

Lindybeige singlehandedly proving why the army's baggage train and associated peoples were twice if not three time the size of the actual fighting army.

[@AJMansfield1]

37:30 I can tell you right now, you were running the drill _way_ too fast. Drilling metal only works when the drill is turning slow enough compared to your feed pressure to carve an actual chip out of the parent material. In a drill press where you can apply several hundred pounds of force you can still spin the bit rather fast, but with a hand drill the bit actually needs to turn quite slowly.

[@peterthepeter7523]

He did use a hand-cranked drill though and there's no way he turned it superfast.

[@user-ef4gf7rr9r]

@@peterthepeter7523 I'm curious if he had woodworking bits

[@Coxy002605]

@@peterthepeter7523 Brass hardens as you work it, so by then the power drill had already made the brass tough as old boots.

[@Coxy002605]

Speed is mostly dictated by the size of the drill bit you are using. With a tiny bit you can spin it very fast (1,000+ rpm), whereas with a larger one you need lower rpm (600 rpm or less). If you are having to apply several hundred pounds of force on a drill press, you are either using a blunt bit, the wrong speed setting, or trying to drill too big of a hole in one go.

[@keamu8580]

Lindy, I don't watch regularly but I wanted to say I'm so glad to see you still doing this and being an incredible man.

[@DragonsAndDragons777]

Your videos are great Lindybeige!

[@krakenpots5693]

I love your teapot! I had a matching mug. alas, cats...

[@codycole2684]

Olive oils and vegetable oils turn claggy after some time on armour. Found that one out the hard way

[@strongandco]

Lol, me too. I used it on a sharpening stone and came back one day to find it all sticky and gooey. Ballistol is popular with firearms guys, it’s an oil that’s good for protecting leather and metal, quick to apply and smells nice.

[@N3KR0W]

Love the quick reference to The Most Excellent of Adventures. One of my favorite movies from my younger years. Cheers.

[@skorzalonsdale4426]

I’d only offer something I learned during my welding apprenticeship. Rust is steel cancer and needs to be cut/ground out (or at least converted), just painting over it won’t solve the issue. It’ll just keep eating away under the paint Also, get some mechanical callipers. The digital ones are great, until they’re not. When you’re trecking miles to a worksite you go for the bullet proof option Also, again, when drilling metal “cutting fluid” makes a huge difference. Or even kitchen vegetable oil, which cutting fluid basically is a synthetic fancier version of. With steel at least (obviously I can’t really speak to bronze, outside of non sparking tools) the heat from drilling can harden it. A drop of cheap cutting fluid and staring slowing makes a HUGE difference. Machine mart sells a litre bottle for next to nowt and it’ll probably las a lifetime if it’s not your everyday job

[@Zakalwe-01]

Well done! That was more entertaining than James May: The Reassembler 👏👏👏

[@ducomaritiem7160]

But that was also very good, I enjoyed is very much!

[@perniciouspete4986]

Thank you for showing us why custom made armour was so expensive.

[@rogersmith7396]

They made 1/2 cent an hour.

[@rogersmith7396]

They made 1/2 cent an hour.

[@PureBloodedBreed]

This guy's intriguing-ness is beyond this world. Are you Loke, Lindy? How am I glued to the screen whenever he starts telling a story. It's great!

[@lpalmer90]

Absolutely riveting video Lindy

[@iakahdrake2801]

20:45 if the hole you want to punch is too big to punch it in one go, try making a smaller hole there first, then the big one.

[@michaeln7305]

Love watching abit of the Beige & I am also dealing with my own armour & these sorts of issues, buuuut....have to say...I can totally get why his armourer told him where to go awhile back 😅

[@mytube001]

36:20 Lloyd discovers work hardening of metals. :)

[@captainfabian]

Amazingly informative video. Makes you wonder how importand Guilds and standardization were back in the day, when these things were actually required.

[@Hierax415]

Without dog piling on the armorer (again) things like the strap designs and the inconsistent thickness of the steel don't seem like minor details that are unreasonable to be upset about. I feel like "master" armorer is just a title that comes from being one of the few people in the community for a long time.

[@twoonthewall]

Leave it out

[@dt4676]

Originally I remember him saying it would be 2 years. It has been around 5 and it's not done

[@stickemuppunkitsthefunlovi4733]

Me granny could beat beigey boy in his suit of armour. I'm sure it doesn't matter that much. And you get what you pay for.

[@ChrisWilson-fl8ly]

@@dt4676 Bare in mind that at least one of those years was rife with lockdowns and transport issues, as Lloyd says in the video and from my own experiance...steel was blinding hard to get delivered.

[@102ndsmirnov7]

@@dt4676 That's not all the armourer's fault. As Lindy explained he had all the armour finished in 2.5-3 years. (There were a million hick ups along the way which he also mentioned) I am also not sure how many of those oversights are consistent in his work. He might have for some reason done a worse job on Lindy's harness (perhaps because it's taken so much time and he doesn't want to spend any more on it) Not excusing the problems that are his fault but it almost certainly isn't solely his fault.

[@88fibonaccisequence]

This makes me appreciate how much I take the reliable consistency of modern industry for granted.

[@rogersmith7396]

Its the difference between an unreliable $500,000 handmade Rolls Royce and a completely reliable machine produced Ford. One is made by the thousands the other by the millions.

[@edwardmorriale9358]

As usual, your humor made this video worth the watch. I wanted to mention one little detail. There is a vast difference between a metal drill bit and a wood drill bit. That would explain my favorite part of the video. By the way, my wife found you very entertaining. You've also convinced me to purchase a mass produced set of armor and modify it as needed.

[@JCOwens-zq6fd]

Where im from we have a way of wrapping our laces around the top of our boot & tying them so the knot is in back for climbing trees while hunting etc. We do it to prevent our laces from getting caught on things as we climb. Might help w/ your sabaton/grieve gap situ.

[@markaxworthy2508]

It looks as though this project is lasting longer than the Hundred Years War! Was any armour designed in 1337 still in service by 1453?

[@yanxiangmeng4967]

Carbon steel skillet can be seasoned with heat and oil, so that oil forms a solid polymer on the surface and protect the metal from rusting. Just curious, has anyone tried to season their armor? Would that work?

[@strongandco]

If you tried to season a suit of armour like a skillet it would leave blue marks from the flame on the outside that would need a lot of work to polish out. Skillets and woks are a very stiff ridged shape, heating up armour with its intricate curves and ridges risks twisting and warping. There are protective oils such as Ballistol that are formulated to specifically work with both metal and leather.

[@lostbladder]

Lloyd, I really appreciate your content. I owe a lot of my critical thinking skills to you, emulating the ways in which you come to conclusions. I can say that watching your videos has been formative in my life in a positive way. In addition, they are just damned entertaining and informative. Thank you.

[@divafever9754]

He's benefited from a private education, innit!

[@charlesjmouse]

25;35 "i am a Vulcan" ...or possibly "I'm a little teapot."

[@typxxilps]

of cause, acrylic paint on top of rust is the best protection , reminds of british cars and their paint job in the 80s and 90s before they vanished except the Landrovers, Aston Martins and those german RollsRoyce and Bentleys. Better think twice about rust and covering that with paint.

[@George_Bland]

I'm disappointed you didn't use real oxe's blood Lloyd.

[@alfredbucket848]

I do a lot of restoration work on autos and swear by POR-15 for painting metal. Gloss black lasts for ever and is very resistant to rock chipping. Expensive and a very involved process (cleaning, rust removal, priming and painting) but onve the acrylic wears off and it all starts to rust again, do the POR-15. Great work, Love the videos. Cheers!

[@KronosGodwisen]

He isn't going to wear it on the train down? Shucks! That's a video I would love to have seen. He says he did a bad job on part of it. Seeing how this is his first time he has shown all due diligence and learned some valuable lessons. I'm sure he will continue to improve every time. So everybody send him your business to have your armor assembled.

[@Sahuagin]

two things I'm thinking: 1) I wonder if the problems you're having getting the "perfect" suit of armor would have been similar IRL historically. it must not have been easy to get exactly what you want. 2) I would try to use a mindset that the flaws in your armor are your flaws, and they're part of what makes your armor yours. embrace the flaws.

[@rogersmith7396]

Don't eat too many cheeseburgers.

[@YouTubeIsRunByMarxists]

Lindy...when drilling metal, slower is better. You should probably be doing around the 300-500 RPM range for the holes you are drilling in the link. Your problem was likely too many RPMs which dulled your bit.

[@lindybeige]

Quite possibly.

[@DJTheMetalheadMercenary]

A simple Mineral Oil or Vegetable Oil is some of the best stuff to use for High Carbon Steel and Iron, I use Mineral Oil on all my necessary blades and Axes and my Gjermundbu Helm. Tandy Leather brand has a Chestnut Stain that was probably what you were looking for, the Oxblood coloring looks cool in contrast though too, quite regal. A fair bit of trial and tribulation testing your sanity with this whole project hah, but you made it! The Armor and upgrades look awesome. Cheers!

[@alexianodemaodici3977]

Amazingly Lloyd makes the advertisement on this channel equally as fun to watch as the rest of the videos.

[@More_Row]

Riveted it, Riveted it, Riveted it,

[@DavidJohnsonFromSeattle]

How does he know the name for every tiny piece of the armor but doesn't know the measuring devices are called calipers?

[@102ndsmirnov7]

Ye, lol

[@joshuarichardson6529]

As often as he uses them, he shouldn't get battery powered calipers. Even a dial caliper would go out of spec from rust and dust if it's years between uses. Vernier calipers would be a better investment.

[@SirFrederick]

These are one of those videos where I'm yelling advice at my computer screen.

[@lindybeige]

Yell louder. i didn't hear.

[@python27au]

Many years ago i made a whole hauberk out of butted spring steel links. I found the work went a lot quicker, at least more satisfying, when i put two closed links on one open link and set that in place. So you make two rows at a time.

[@olivergarrett7973]

I didn't see anyone else mention this so forgive me if I'm repeating anyone but it appears the battery cover on your expensive calipers is about to burst open suggesting the battery may not be any good anymore, a simple battery swap and gentle cleaning of the contacts should have them back up in working order again for a few years from now when you need them again.

[@victorfox9623]

That into sounded like you were about to start signing about armor. 😆

[@darkhorse989]

At work the other day my coworker and I turned our drill bits and drill into a welder. The secret to drilling through metal is use a cobalt drill bit. It helps. But if you smoke it, you're done.

[@budgiefriend]

A big fan of the hand analysis.👋🖖👍

[@joshjosh1780]

it almost makes you wonder why they didn't have someone who had lots of experience and did this all day, so that everyone didn't have to suffer through this learning process themselves each time they needed armor for themselves.

[@oz_jones]

Like an armou... oh, I saw what you did there.