This armour was three years old with
a history of hundreds of full contact live steel fights when the owner
returned it for a major conversion. At first a 3/4 suit it was converted
to a full armour with exchange pieces for a 3/4 suit. It also had the
arms converted to turners and the new style elbow.
With a divided cuirasse and fauld it
is flexible enough to readily kneel in.
The overall protection level is very
high with overlap on all critical pieces.
The upper shoulder and neck is important
and protected by the gorget and pauldrens.
The tassets and leg armour significantly
overlaps in all positions.
The great pauldren overlaps the back
plate with a wide plate that both protects the arm pit and helps articulate
the arm with the torso in a way that more naturally mimics the human movement.
One of the new Blankenshield Italian
style elbow and turner combination. With all metal to metal articulations
this unit provides more flexibility that the old elbows that were articulated
on internal leathers. And the new units will not require the frequent
re-leathering that the old units did.
The turners that Blankenshield now offers
allow full rotation of the arm in a unit that can take a lot of abuse
and is exactly replicating the function of the originals.
The turner improves the maneuvering ability
of the martial artist more than any other feature.
The Greenwich field visor is Blankenshields
answer to the groups that do not allow the Sport visor. While not as safe
as the Sport visor, the Greenwich field visor offers more protection than
visors with the sight closer to the face.
All hinges are integral where possible
and even the edges between hinges are rolled. Both to strengthen and protect.
This armour is also capable of being
fielded as a 3/4 armour.
The back plate has all the Blankenshield
safety features. A channel over the spine. Embossing's over the shoulder
blades, and even though the back of the neck is protected by the gorget,
the back plate has a bell like flare at the top edge to protect the back
of the neck and head during the wildest tumbling or unwilling dismounts.
The 3/4 suit was by far the most popular
armour in history.
The sword is also a Blankenshield product.
Replicated from several examples in the old arsenal at Solothurn.
After the years of extremely hard use
this armour needed only one buckle and two rivets replaced.
The long tassets on a 3/4 armour replace
the leg armour on a full armour.
The upright pass guards on the pauldrens
help protect the neck and the straps on the shoulder.
The gorget by itself showing the shoulder
articulation that allows a complete overlap with the pauldren.
The front plate locks on a pin like those
on the cuirasse.
This gorget has a hinge and pivot to
open on.
