Brigandines explained

How to choose brigandine?

As we receive many questions about our products' options, we'll make a series of articles which explain all the available options in our main product categories. Let's start with the brigandines.

The base of any brigandine is thick sailcloth with metal plates riveted to it. Then brigandine is covered outside and inside with fabric. Basically any of these elements can be customized, and not only. Let’s go through all the options available for our brigandines.

Material of metal plates

It defines material of the plates.  

The best option for serious fights is titanium. It’s very robust and light at the same time.  Titanic plates are 2 times lighter and 2 times more durable than steel ones. The only shortcoming of titanium is its rather high price.  1mm titanium plate is robust like a 2 mm steel plate and weighs like 0.5 mm steel plate. A brigandine made in steel will weigh around 10 kg, and a similar one made in titanium weighs less than 5 kg. 
Stainless steel is also a very good option. It’s more robust than steel, so you would need it less thick and therefore less heavy. And it doesn’t rust, after all.

If your budget is really tight, choose cold rolled steel. It’s the most historical and cheap option.

As for the thickness, 1.5 mm cold rolled steel, 1.0 mm stainless steel, 0.6 mm titanium is enough for a good fight. Less robust options are fine for moderate fights, more robust ones are for professional buhurt fighters. 

Rivets

We offer a few different types of rivets which serve different purposes. If you intend to have good fights, choose robust steel rivets. Brass rivets are also suitable for fights and are historical.  Light steel rivets are good only for shows and spectacles.

Cover fabric

Here you choose the fabric for outside cover of the brigandine. If you re-enact a knight, a good choice would be silk or velvet. These materials were expensive and popular among the knighthood, this way people exhibited their status and wellbeing. If you re-enact a soldier then choose leather, suede or wool.

From the practical point of view the best option is wool, then suede or leather, and then velvet or silk.

Two-color design

You can choose to have two-color design: left side of one color, right side of another. Or even make it chess-like: left top and right bottom in one color and right top and left bottom in another.

Decoration

On the website we have just a few decorations. We can make that and much much more. Any symbol, any coat of arms, any motto or association name, any style and colors can me made.  Don’t limit yourself, you may let your fantasy fly here. Just write us about your wishes.

Design of the bottom edge

Here you can choose to have either a plain bottom edge of your brigandine or pick one of the numerous scallops designs. Choose one the patterns displayed or offer your own one.

Men's size/price

Our products’ price depend on the size, as amount of work and materials differ considerably.  We ask your size (XS, S, M, L, XL, 2XL…) for our made-to-measure products only in order to make the price correction; the products will not be made in the standard size you have selected. 

After you placed an order we’ll get in touch and request all your personal measurements we need to make the products fit you perfectly.

Spaulders for brigandines

By default the spaulders  are not included, but you can order them for a better protection and historicity:

- steel spaulder (good for 12-14 centuries);
- whole forged hammered spaulders covered with fabric  (good for 14-16 centuries);
- brigandine spaulders of plates 3x6 cm spaulders  (good for 14-16 centuries);

Fastenings

Fastenings may be of 2 types: leather laces and and leather straps with buckles.  The laces may have steel points and brass points. The buckles may be nickel-clad (more durable) and handcrafted brass (more historical).

Lining fabric

We include lining so that the plates don’t tear your gambeson.  It may be cotton, linen or silk.

Color

You can choose any color for your brigandine’s outside cover.
This color is approximate, its tint depends on the particular material you have chosen (red wool looks differently from red silk or red leather).

Color of leather straps

It’s pretty straightforward, the color of leather for the straps.

This article covers most typical questions about brigandines. If you haven't found the answer you need, don't hesitate to contact us