Rating: 
Summary: Brilliant resource for beginners
Review: ***ONE YEAR UPDATE***
Although I have done a few projects; because I am very busy with work/school/family I have long lapses where I don't do much at all. What do I use to remind me and inspire me? Yup, this book! Every time I go back to it, I recall information, and sometimes I see something that I never paid attention to in the first place! I am still pleased with this book and look forward to remembering it again...
---------------------------------
This is definately the book that inspires the reader to take up the hammer. I am not an armourer, but after reading this book, I have begun my journey. It is loaded with pictures, diagrams, historical and reproduction armour and more! Very easy to read and captivating in its presentation. It is worth every penny, and should be on the shelf of any person that enjoys the art, creation, and romance of armour.
Rating: 
Summary: outstanding!
Review: A wonderful book on 14th century armour making. Strong details and great pictures. My only complaint that is that it is geared towards someone with a good working knowledge of metal forming and technique. This is not for the bare novice. I was most pleased with the book and would certainly suggest all armourers have it in their libraries.
Rating:
Summary: Worth every penny and MORE !!
Review: Being new to making armor, but a fairly good hand at metalworking overall I found this book to be a "MUST HAVE " for anyone serious about making armor. At first I thought the book was expensive, but after reading it, I place it's value along side any "Tool" in my shop. It IS a tool, besides being fun and easy to read. It shows specialty tools, procedures, and ideas that would take many years to accumulate on your own ( if you could at all ). Think of this book as another "Tool" in your workshop and it becomes a VERY good dollar value. 5-stars and the only "must have" armor book I have seen or read.
Rating:
Summary: A Comprehensive Guide
Review: Brian R. Price's work Techniques of Medieval Armour Production: 14th Century is a "must own" for anyone seriuoly iterested in the craft of armouring. Clear, concise, it offers the reader execellent text and photographs that bring the art to life.
Well laid out, the book traces the history of armour, and its current "revival" amoung Medieval Societies. It also discusses (in depth)necessary tools, hammer methods, riveting, measuring, design layout, modifications for modern considerations- basically the entire gamut of the craft.
Photos are rich in detail, and text supports well the photos shown. The reader is taken through the processes needed to learn the craft, and then projects for the beginner are offered.
Truly a book wrtten with an eager craftsperson in mind.
Rating:
Summary: A Comprehensive Guide
Review: Brian R. Price's work Techniques of Medieval Armour Production: 14th Century is a "must own" for anyone seriuoly iterested in the craft of armouring. Clear, concise, it offers the reader execellent text and photographs that bring the art to life.
Well laid out, the book traces the history of armour, and its current "revival" amoung Medieval Societies. It also discusses (in depth)necessary tools, hammer methods, riveting, measuring, design layout, modifications for modern considerations- basically the entire gamut of the craft.
Photos are rich in detail, and text supports well the photos shown. The reader is taken through the processes needed to learn the craft, and then projects for the beginner are offered.
Truly a book wrtten with an eager craftsperson in mind.
Rating:
Summary: A Comprehensive Guide
Review: Brian R. Price's work Techniques of Medieval Armour Production: 14th Century is a "must own" for anyone seriuoly iterested in the craft of armouring. Clear, concise, it offers the reader execellent text and photographs that bring the art to life.
Well laid out, the book traces the history of armour, and its current "revival" amoung Medieval Societies. It also discusses (in depth)necessary tools, hammer methods, riveting, measuring, design layout, modifications for modern considerations- basically the entire gamut of the craft.
Photos are rich in detail, and text supports well the photos shown. The reader is taken through the processes needed to learn the craft, and then projects for the beginner are offered.
Truly a book wrtten with an eager craftsperson in mind.
Rating:
Summary: A must have book for the modern armorer!
Review: Finally a book written for the modern armorer! Anyone involved with reenactment groups from the period of knights or even has an interest in armor, this is the book you have been waiting for. No more guessing what a knee joint should looks like, it's all explained in detail that boggles the mind. I am lost for words, the book as hundreds of high detailed pictures and countless illustrations. Well worth the asking price!
Rating:
Summary: My armoring students call this book, the Armor Bible!
Review: I agree with my students. I would like to have seen more detail in the actual techniques of raising, rather than just the concept, but EVERYTHING else is shown in such an amazingly clear and easy to understand detail, that you can't help but be motivated to get out into the shop. The hardest aspect of dealing with this book is that you have to put it down to actually make the armor. Worth far more than the asking price.
Rating: 
Summary: Good general reference - skimpy on advanced techniques
Review: I bought this book based on the stellar reviews listed here. For a beginner or someone with general interest this book is certainly a great reference, but for someone who would actually like to try to make their own armour I found this book lacking in several respects. My two biggest complaints were regarding the lack of materials on raising (there is a great description of dishing with many photos and good technical advice) and on thermal treatments. The author gives a short description of raising and then states that it is an advanced technique and beyond the scope of this book. Raising was used extensively to make many medieval helms and is a MAJOR technique for making certain types of reproductions - by giving this process just a cursory overview the reader gets no real useful understanding of the raising process or how to even start (or how much effort is involved). I was hoping to see an example, such as a Norman helm, raised from a sheet, step by step, including a discussion on the pros/cons of working cold with anneals vs. working hot. The other area which is sorely lacking is the chapter of heat treatments. While the various methods used historically are mentioned and the science and metallury involved is well described, actual techniques and how-to's of working cold with anneals or working with metal hot were sorely absent. It would have been really nice to see several example projects done with a variety of different techniques. In summary: This is a well written book and clearly the author is well-versed in the history and technical aspects of armor making. The methods that the author wishes to cover in detail are clear, valuable, and educational. In this sense this is probably the best or most comprehensive book on the subject. HOWEVER, my main concern is that two major techniques (raising & thermal treatements) used extensively by armourers are virtually ignored. In my humble opinion, if the next edition of this book were to beef up the chapters on raising and thermal treatments (with photos, descriptions of the actual process) as well as include more examples of different styles of armour construction, this book would be a true masterpiece.
Rating:
Summary: Good general reference - skimpy on advanced techniques
Review: I bought this book based on the stellar reviews listed here. For a beginner or someone with general interest this book is certainly a great reference, but for someone who would actually like to try to make their own armour I found this book lacking in several respects. My two biggest complaints were regarding the lack of materials on raising (there is a great description of dishing with many photos and good technical advice) and on thermal treatments. The author gives a short description of raising and then states that it is an advanced technique and beyond the scope of this book. Raising was used extensively to make many medieval helms and is a MAJOR technique for making certain types of reproductions - by giving this process just a cursory overview the reader gets no real useful understanding of the raising process or how to even start (or how much effort is involved). I was hoping to see an example, such as a Norman helm, raised from a sheet, step by step, including a discussion on the pros/cons of working cold with anneals vs. working hot. The other area which is sorely lacking is the chapter of heat treatments. While the various methods used historically are mentioned and the science and metallury involved is well described, actual techniques and how-to's of working cold with anneals or working with metal hot were sorely absent. It would have been really nice to see several example projects done with a variety of different techniques. In summary: This is a well written book and clearly the author is well-versed in the history and technical aspects of armor making. The methods that the author wishes to cover in detail are clear, valuable, and educational. In this sense this is probably the best or most comprehensive book on the subject. HOWEVER, my main concern is that two major techniques (raising & thermal treatements) used extensively by armourers are virtually ignored. In my humble opinion, if the next edition of this book were to beef up the chapters on raising and thermal treatments (with photos, descriptions of the actual process) as well as include more examples of different styles of armour construction, this book would be a true masterpiece.
|
