Forming the elbow-cop or couter

The two lames are now domed by hammering into the dish-shaped depression on the stump with the rawhide hammer. The couter is domed more deeply by initial hammering into a dish with the heavy ball-ended hammer, working from the outside of the piece in a spiral fashion towards the centre. The piece is then planished over the steel ball in the same way the poleyn was made.

The flair of the wing is now formed after marking out. The edges of the flair are first delineated by hammering against the edge of the anvil. The flair is then quite deeply pushed out by using the heavy ball-ended hammer into a lead block ( Fig. 55 ).

After polishing the pieces are ready for articulation. Fig. 56 shows the pieces that will form the left arm defense before being drilled and fitted together. ( The lower of the two lames has already been attached to the outer plate of the vambrace and it was at this stage that it was realised that the upper curve on the lame needed to be reduced to allow free movement within the couter ).

The final two images on this page, Figs. 57 and 58, show the completed arm defense with the rerebrace ( in this case for the right arm ). Fig. 58 demonstrates the degree of flexibility that can be achieved with this form of shell articulation.

Were this armour to be made to wear, the rerebrace would not be attached to the lames of the spalder. Rather the latter would rest over the rerebrace, being held by a strap with the buckle on the inside of the upper arm, allowing free rotation. In that this armour is for display, the rerebrace is held in place by a 1" piece of leather riveted to it's top edge and to one of the rivets inside the spalder lames.

On the next page I will be making the two gauntlets, as we near the completion of the project.