Crowdsourcing

Hey everyone in Craftland! This is a quick post (the fuller bigger, better weekly post is coming up this weekend). BUT....

Let's say that a certain fellow Crafthaus member that makes armour is writing a book about that subject.

And let's say you, as fellow craft artists/artisans/makers wanted to know something about armoursmithing...

What kind of information would you like to see in such a book?

Comments are, of course, welcome and desired :-).

Parker

Comment

Comment by 2Roses on February 14, 2014 at 12:20am: Parker there is a long history of specialized books like this being produced in whole or in part through subscription. Basically crowdfunding in antiquity. This is a great project, and one that we await with great anticipation.

Comment by Parker Brown on February 13, 2014 at 11:26pm: I have been very appreciative of the input, not only from my fellow martial artists but also my fellow craftsmen and craftswomen. An interesting thing to note is that there are a lot of similar questions and responses from both sides.

There are a lot of quality questions here and I feel it necessary to go ahead and clarify the nature of this project. Hopefully, this is not going to be a single book, but rather a series with each book dedicated to a particular period. The first book will cover roughly from the 10th to the 13th century, just up to the Hundred Years War. Beyond that, as detailed information becomes more plentiful, each book will likely be dedicated to one century.

So, in the end, I sincerely plan to address all of these questions in one way or another. But your questions are extremely helpful in this early planning phase.

All of your input helps, so please feel free to add to this as time goes on ;-).

I just want to make sure that I'm making the best of this opportunity and producing something that will (hopefully) serve as a cornerstone of knowledge and information so that craftspeople and martial artists alike can better find joy in the art!

Thank you and stay tuned ;-).

Comment by 2Roses on February 12, 2014 at 4:43pm: As metalsmiths we would, of course, most want to see the techniques of making armour and specifically the joining techniques for the various elements that allow range of movement. There is no end to pretty picture books on the subject. Clear information on the craft and construction is much more difficult to come by.

Comment by Brigitte Martin on February 12, 2014 at 4:09pm: I would be interested to read about the original function of certain armour, who wore it at what occasions, I would like to see images as examples.

I would like to learn about the materials armour was made of and if and how in modern times that can be replicated.

What tools were used traditionally and what tools are used today to the same (or different) effect.

In what way does the material differ?