The front skirt and tuilles

6th. June 2005

As the 15th. Century progressed the number of lames or taces forming the front skirt reduced, protection for the upper thigh being afforded by the tuilles which were fixed by straps to the lowermost lame of the skirt. Initially the tuilles were a single plate, but over time became made up of a number of overlapping lames affording greater flexibility.

As was the case with the rear skirt, the lames forming the taces are essentially the same as the front tassets shown in Project 1 - and consequently, to avoid unnecessary repetition, I won't go into their detailed construction here.

Fig. 21 shows the three taces together with the straps that will be used to attach the tuilles -

Fig. 21

- and in Fig. 22 the taces are articulated and the straps fixed to the lowest lame ( here using brass rivets ).

Fig. 22

This section is now riveted to the turned lower edge of the front of the cuirass. This is an example of where I find it much easier to initially fix the piece using blind rivets. As was the case with the rear taces, four rivets are used. These are then removed one-by-one, each being replaced in turn by a steel round-headed rivet - and Fig. 23 shows this underway.

Fig. 23

The next two images, Figs. 24 & 25 show the front taces fixed to the cuirass.

Fig. 24Fig. 25

In this armour the tuilles are each to be constructed of three lames. Fig. 26 shows the three lames polished ready for articulation -

Fig. 26

- and in Fig. 27 the lames are riveted together and the straps and buckles attached to the upper plate.

Fig. 27

The final image on this page, Fig. 28, shows the completed front taces with the tuilles attached.

Fig. 28

On the next page I will be starting work on the plate armour for the leg, starting with the defense for the thigh - the cuisse.

Back to the start of this project.