Making Late 14th Century Spaulders / Spaudlers

Patterns for this project can be found at my website:
www.crescentmoo...
Spaudlers (shoulder armour) began use in the early 14th century during the Transitional Period of plate armour. Spaudlers are a relatively easy first-time piece for novice armourers and teach many important concepts like cutting, de-burring, dishing, curling, fitting and articulation.

[@dangrundel]

Fantastic video. It's nice to see the leatherworking shown as well, since alot of folk seem to skip over that.

[@ParkerBrown1979]

Thank you Mr. Heslop! I've subscribed to you and I'm rather impressed with the ground-up approach you've taken with your videos. That helmet build was a lot of hard work and it's where a lot of us armourers have to start. My first project (back in 1999) was a shield boss made by dishing a piece of steel in the dirt of my front yard followed by planishing over a trailer hitch ball I had filed down to the right curvature. The result was not quite even, but I was so pleased with it :-).

[@dangrundel]

Parker Brown Thanks. That really means alot coming from you.

[@redtheman302]

thank you for sharing this info this is my dream job just make armor all day long..... ever sense i was a little kid been messing with anvils and hammers with heat and thats what got me into welding

[@ParkerBrown1979]

Glad I could help :-).

[@redtheman302]

If you got a internship I would love to apply.

[@ParkerBrown1979]

Lol, I'm just a guy working in his garage!

[@redtheman302]

I'm down with that.

[@jswi123]

Nice tutorial! Would love to see more about adding a central crease to this type of armor. Likewise info about your tools/workshop would be great to find out about.

[@ParkerBrown1979]

I thought about showing creasing in this video, but I wanted to keep it close to the historical example I was using. I agree that a discussion regarding tools and workshop setup would be great!.....Oh darn, looks like I'm gonna have to make another video in the future ;-). Thanks for watching!

[@OblivonKnight]

Such skill! I am in awe!

[@eduardocometta8902]

Genio total!!!

[@TheShadow079]

Very well done, mr. Parker :) i'm a great fan of your work. thanks for the new video. and, great music selection.

[@ParkerBrown1979]

Thank you, I've loved this album for years and thought it would be appropriate :-)

[@OGrealG]

im studying blacksmithing and metalwork in the uk and i really want to get in to armoring. i found this video very helpful keep it up

[@TheGearTester]

Another great video. Thanks for the quality production.

[@ParkerBrown1979]

You're welcome! If you would like, please visit the tutorial page listed in the description for the patterns used in the video :-)

[@TheGearTester]

Parker Brown Thanks!

[@toompyfloyd4074]

Beautiful work brother!

[@howlingowl3254]

So awesome!

[@bartek19962033]

Great video and perfect climatic music :) mr. Parker can you make a helmet-type dog muzzle also known as pig faced bascinet?

[@ParkerBrown1979]

Yes, I have :-). The one at the link below is a little higher-end art piece, but a pig-faced bascinet (without the maille aventail) would run between $750 and $1,000 depending upon the specifics of the piece. With a riveted maille aventail and etched decoration, etc., you would be moving into $3,000 territory. www.crescentmoonarmoury.net/Crescent_Moon_Armoury/Custom_Helmets/Pages/Churburg_Bascinet.html

[@The6ftLeprechaun]

What is the fundamental difference between Spaulders and Pauldrons? Or are they simply two different names for the same thing?

[@ParkerBrown1979]

Spaulders are earlier designs that protect just the shoulder. Pauldrons are later designs that extended to protect the front upper pectorals and the back latismus dorsi. Spaulders were used ca. 1300- ca. 1650 while pauldrons were ca. 1500-ca. 1600.

[@The6ftLeprechaun]

Awesome! Thanks for clarifying!

[@SeeMick1]

Historically, would armourers start with steel in sheet form and cut out the shapes they needed, or would they forge some kind of billet out flat and then work from that?

[@ParkerBrown1979]

+ZeppelinRules Yes, historically they would have worked bloomery iron into wrought iron which, in turn was hammered and rolled into sheets. It's likely that the sheets were produced by a platiner who then sold it to an armourer. But a competant armourer would have been able to produce their own sheet as well.

[@FataIiti]

Now I have a ready-made pieces of spaulder. The biggest problem was the lack of a anvil (2:09) like yours. I forged this item on a piece of wood:)

[@ParkerBrown1979]

+FataIiti You can use any concave surface or you can even use a sandbag! My first shield boss was dished into the bare ground in my backyard with a ballpein hammer!

[@FataIiti]

+Parker Brown Thx for advices:) Do you have facebook account? I have more questions:P

[@ParkerBrown1979]

+FataIiti Just look up Crescent Moon Armoury on Facebook.

[@richardthelionheart6909]

Brother

[@corndoge2582]

They also make deburring hand tools

[@jellolava3373]

Hey Parker, I know I’m really late to the party here, but I was wondering if you still had those patterns up anywhere? I tried your website and it did not work. Thank you for your time!

[@MrKirby2367]

PLEASE tell me that the maille is riveted and not butted. Otherwise an excellent job and I've subscribed.

[@ParkerBrown1979]

+Bloodaxetheirritable No, sorry, that's my old butted maille haubergeon. However, if you would like, I have an older video showing me making historical riveted maille: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eZCxlXWumM9ghas

[@MrKirby2367]

Sorry sir I'm such a pain in the arse but that stuff matters to me, if I didn't respect and like your work it wouldn't have bothered me.....

[@Gloin79]

What is the diameter and depth of your dishing form? btw great videos you're a great craftsman and excellent instructor!

[@ParkerBrown1979]

+Gloin79: 8 3/4″ across and 3/4″ deep. They can be found here: ironmongerarmory.com/tools/dishing-forms-tools

[@jaystoddard5948]

very nice work man :)

[@massaweed420]

What is the song name? This video is absolutely amazing, makes me want to try some of this out. I already have all the tools aside from that steel cutter at the beginning.

[@massaweed420]

Also, what was the historic sense of "Drifting"? I looked it up briefly but didn't find much on how they did it in the 14th century or earlier. Found the song in the comments, though artist name would be cool!

[@theperpetual8348]

Where did you learn your craft? do you think this is achievable as a hobby?

[@alecmeier327]

is there any way to dish the shoulder section without a dishing cup?

[@ParkerBrown1979]

You can dish into a sand bag or even into packed dirt/sand, but you will need to planish the piece over a mushroom-shaped stake in order to even out the shape. A lot of people make their dishing cups out of wood (a tree stump works well).

[@mastercage8425]

where or how did you get that armoring dish?

[@RobatProductions15]

So on pauldrons, they usually have a piece to block the neck. Could this be done on spaulders?

[@ParkerBrown1979]

Tabor Lane Historically, I've not encountered that. I think you need more mass that's provided by pauldrons for the neck guard to have the proper effect.

[@RobatProductions15]

Makes sense. Thanks for the response.

[@FataIiti]

3:08 What is the diameter of the pipe you use? :)

[@ParkerBrown1979]

It's about 6" in diameter.

[@FataIiti]

+Parker Brown Thank You very much! Ofc sub for you:) Best channel and guides in youtube! Make some more videos with tutorials.

[@godofimagination]

Is that the best way to roll an edge? Also, why did you use floating articulation instead of sliding rivets?

[@ParkerBrown1979]

This video is aimed at beginning armourers. The rolling method shown here introduces the concept of rolling. There are other methods requiring greater skill that I'll introduce in future videos. The floating articulation method is appropriate for the period that this spaudler was produced. Later spaudlers and pauldrons utilized the sliding rivet technique.

[@Tahounovitsh]

Great work, what is the name of the background music?

[@Tahounovitsh]

Thanks got it :)

[@nicholasleaf3646]

Where did you get your dishing cup? I have used self-made wooden ones, but they break too easily and have to make new one for every project.

[@ParkerBrown1979]

Mine were made by Ironmonger Armory. You can Google them :-). I've had these dishing forms for almost 10 years and they're still doing great!

[@sameerchannar1261]

Great! I have a question, though: Are you able to fully raise your arms, say until your upper arm touches the ear, and your arm is vertical?

[@ParkerBrown1979]

Short answer: yes.

[@sameerchannar1261]

+Parker Brown great, thanks for the speedy response.

[@emilioduarte7089]

did you use carbon or stailess steel ?

[@ParkerBrown1979]

+Emilio Duarte I use 1018 mild steel. Historically, these would have been made of wrought iron, but that is no longer commercially available. High carbon steels weren't used in armour production until the later 15th century. Stainless steel wasn't available until 1872.

[@emilioduarte7089]

Parker Brown thanks

[@godofimagination]

Good old Cantiga 26. Where did you get the version you are playing in the video?

[@ParkerBrown1979]

This is part of a wonderful CD entitled "Sinners and Saints".

[@godofimagination]

Parker Brown Do you know the name of the artist, or where I can get the CD?

[@godofimagination]

Nevermind, I found it on iTunes.

[@madman11893]

Will you be doing any other tutorials

[@ParkerBrown1979]

I will, but right now the majority of my time is being occupied with projects working with Colonial Williamsburg. As soon as I can, I'll be posting more :-).

[@dunmwarupreachan4567]

No heat treating?

[@ParkerBrown1979]

Bear in mind that the modern use of hardened and tempered spring steel for armour would have been quite rare, especially in the 14th century. The practice of making everything out of heat treated spring steel regardless of time period is a very inaccurate methodology that has more to do with accommodating the safety needs of modern fighting and fencing organizations than it does historical research.

[@JohnSmith-yb5iy]

where do you get the buckles or do you make them

[@ParkerBrown1979]

These can be purchased at Tandy Leather.

[@scouttroop291]

is that richer first

[@ParkerBrown1979]

I'm not sure I understand the question. Could you clarify?

[@scouttroop291]

Richard the lionheart leo the lion thorn in his paw shhh templer code

[@ParkerBrown1979]

No. Richard I died in 1199, not in the 14th century. The brass effigy you see at the end was Edward, Prince of Wales who died in 1376...177 years later.

[@odinson1115]

mate..you legend!

[@ParkerBrown1979]

Thank you very much!

[@declassevoodoo2973]

You should make lots more videos

[@ParkerBrown1979]

Well, as soon as I get myself a new shop space, I'll do so :-).

[@astaziel3165]

Why can't I watch the video?

[@Wirt99]

*cough* Butted *cough* mail *cough*

[@jerryseinfeld5666]

did you guys notice that Columbus came to America during the time of plate armour?