thegirlsclub

Mirelle · Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 8:54 pm Post subject: Female CoP

I'm planning on making a CoP for my next armor project. The main issue is my friend who is helping me has only made CoP's for men and is wondering if there is anything different he needs to do to make it more comfortable for me. He worries it may bunch near my hips, and if there is a different way to lay the plates to fit my form better. Does anybody know of a pattern floating around somewhere for female CoP's or have some suggestions?

Just as a reference, I'm rather hippy and I'm not overly busty, but the boobs are there Smile

_________________
Miriel Du Lac

Cunian · Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2011 1:02 am Post subject:

With the typical Wisby type pattern you're going to want to keep the CoP short, above the hip, and do something else about covering the hips.

There's a coat of plates here:

http://www.reocities.com/kaganate/tana.html

that has a separate hip section that I keep wanting to play with to adapt for myself.

If you are working up a pattern, do a mock up with cardboard pieces and see how it works on you.

audax · Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2011 3:32 am Post subject:

Measure yourself, make a pattern and adapt the armour as needed. CoPs and breastplates stop right at the navel or you will be immobile and hate it. You also need to be able to cross your arms or you won't be able to throw a shot. Aluminum is better than mild or regular stainless steel for this application. If he can use spring stainless (requires heat treating), that is the stuff to use.

The hip coverage is called a fauld. It has to be well measured and fit very well. It is usually a separate piece but either way has to move like an accordion. It will still ride up when you take a step or lunge or run. Even on a man's narrower hips it will do this.

The best under plate protection is mail over padding. A full hauberk, a smaller haubergeon and voiders were used under plate. There really is no shortcut around this.

You will most likely need to armour your hips with a gambeson, padded shorts like the zoombang products or make pseudo tassets to hang from your leg armour belt.
_________________
Martel le Hardi
squire to Meser Lyonel Oliver Grace, fostered to Sir Gaston de Clermont
-------------------------------------------------------

The Minstrel's Champion

Isabella E · Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2011 4:31 pm Post subject:

My hips are armored by the leather of my c belt and virtue. Laughing

_________________
It's not the most powerful animal that survives. It's the most efficient. -Georges St-Pierre
http://windyvalleybanners.blogspot.com/

Tibbie Croser · Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2011 8:39 pm Post subject:

I'm curious. In plate over mail over padding, what does the mail add, besides covering the gaps in the plate?

(I'm more familiar with 16th-century armor, where much less mail is used under plate armor, as far as I know.)

audax · Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2011 2:59 am Post subject:

Mass, blow absorption and an extra layer of defense.
_________________
Martel le Hardi
squire to Meser Lyonel Oliver Grace, fostered to Sir Gaston de Clermont
-------------------------------------------------------

The Minstrel's Champion

helene · Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2011 5:24 pm Post subject:

Here's pictures of my coat of plates so that you can see the construction:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/helene83/sets/72157623078074633/

Here's some blog entries on the process:
http://helenestuff.blogspot.com/2009/03/coat-of-plates.html
http://helenestuff.blogspot.com/2010/02/gulf-wars-preparations.html
http://helenestuff.blogspot.com/2010/02/rachels-armor.html

The modifications I made were
- A Churburg #13 style sliding plate over the chest: I did this so that I could cover more of my breasts and still cross my arms. I've been very happy with the results. I think I actually could have made those plates a big bigger and it would still work.
- I did my side plates and faulds horizontally so that they fold when I flex sideways. I have round bottom half, so I didn't think vertical plates would work well for me. The horizontal plates have worked very well for mobility and protection.

I've also cut off a bit more of the corners of the bottom plate so that they don't hit my thighs when I bend over or take a leg. I wear a padded coat under my COP as well. I am working on making a lighter weight one than you see in my Flickr photos since that one is too hot. The new one is going to be linen with a single layer of cotton batting.

The burgundy coat of plates is mine - I'm 5'8" and about a size 20. The COP was sized for when I was closer to a 22/24 but it still fits ok. The brown COP is Rachel's and she's several inches shorter than me and a few sizes smaller. Her's is a bit smaller than mine. We drafted both based on our measurements. Both of us have been happy with the results.

Feel free to ask me any construction questions. The guys around here were awesome and helped me put the pattern together. They helped me with a couple of weekends of shop time to get started and then I did the rest in my garage.

- Helene
_________________
"If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a Russian" - Battle of the Nations peanut gallery

http://helenestuff.blogspot.com/