Rolf Devinci

Finally decided to purchase a Viking era sword replica to complete my Anglo Saxon/Viking  reenactment kit. It was the last major purchase that needed to be made to round out the ensemble. Purchased from the Medieval Shoppe based in Australia after I saw they were offering an 18% discount in recognition of 18000 followers on social media. Factoring in the favorable exchange rate between the Aussie and Canadian dollars, the overall price of the sword at $208 plus the discount it was to good to pass up. Arrived very well packaged and quickly with the blade and sheath being well wrapped and oiled. Initial impressions were favorable for a functional replica of a Viking age sword from that period of history. It possesses a type four blade design and a variation of a type S hilt design so it is historical but not a pure example of a type four blade as it is a little shorter and narrower than earlier blades of the period. Blade is sharp and tapers somewh...

Frankish, Anglo Saxon and Nordic (Viking) era kit from the late migration/early medieval period.  Chain mail hauberks were becoming more common, usually 3/4 length sleeves and groin length. Worn over linen or wool tunics (and most likely some kind of padded gambeson apparel). Winnegas or leg wraps made of strips of wool were still fashionable over trousers worn from knee to ankle. Seaxes continued to be the most commonly used blade and were utilized as multi purpose camp and combat knives of varying length. They were generally of the brokeback variety with only a single sharpened edge. Often carried horizontally  suspended from a belt either on the front or back. Swords remain prohibitively expensive and most often used by nobility and elite warriors who possessed some means to afford such a status symbol. As a result axes and spears are commonly used by the majority of combatants. Axe design was somewhat standard with most being of the bear...

Mid/late12th century armor prior to the introduction of early plate armor and great helms. The armor was based primarily upon a chain mail hauberk in the European 4 in 1 pattern worn over a three quarter length padded gambeson. The venerable nasal helmet was still being used in conjunction with an arming cap and chain mail coif. The lower extremities were usually covered by chain mail chausses that extended over the top of the foot. Leather gauntlets were often covered in chainmail as well for added hand protection. It was also the early beginnings of heraldry and the use of coat of arms - color patterns and symbols to represent combatants in the field. Found upon surcoats and the smaller, more agile heater shields it facilitated battlefield identification in the melee of medieval combat. The primary weapon remained the sword characterized by Oakeshott as the types XI to XIII having the cruciform hilt and either the brazil n...

Finally got around to trying out my son's Roman Legionary kit....the primary piece being a reproduction of a Lorica Segmentata. I recall the Romans used a tunic version of a gambeson(called a Subarmalis I believe) but any kind of padded shirt(especially across the load bearing shoulders) makes it quite comfortable.

Having completed the basics of the build with the addition of the arm straps and cushioning it meant the project was nearing a conclusion. It was decision time. Do I simply stay with unpainted fabric on the shield or do I add paint? I also needed to consider what heraldry design to add. Heraldry in the 12th century was at its simplistic early stages with basic geometric designs on the field. My surcoat is black and red so that will play a part in my decision. To test the painting option I covered the grey belly of the shield with a black semi gloss.It looks better than the picture attests to but I should have left it a lighter color. With the belly completed I added a date appropriate ordinary- a simple red chevron trimmed with gold. The color choice was primarily based upon my surcoat but the chevron was choice. In heraldry the chevron was associated with a roof, of building something for protection or faithful service. Gold represents generosity , red th...

Looking for a winter project to occupy the evenings I decided to make a heater shield as part of a 12th century knight/man at arms kit I am assembling. The heater shield evolved in the late 12th century from the Norman kite shield.It was smaller but more manageable for cavalry and armored infantry whose limbs were now covered in chain mail and early medieval plate armor. Having researched the dimensions of historical shields I opted for a 3-1 ratio; 21 inches across the top, 7 inches straight down the sides at which point I used a 21 inch ruler to pivot out the sweeping curve to the bottom point. First step was to create a paper version to use as a template to outline the shield on a sheet of 1/2 inch plywood. Update.... Finished cutting out the shield and sanded round the edges Measured and plotted the projected arm cushioning on the back of the shield in preparation to add the arm and hand strapping. After priming the back of the shield I sewed a padded gamb...

The historical reinactment journey continues....in pictures.....

Unable to resist a good opportunity to pick up a hand and a half sword on Ebay I purchased a replica blade copied from A477 of the Wallace Collection. The modern replica mimics A477 quite closely right down to the flattened oval cross sectioned 30 inch blade, straight quillions, ringed guard, pear shaped pommel and blued hardware furniture. The blade type originated in an earlier Medieval period as a one handed arming sword and was retrofitted with the two handed hilt assembly during the 15th century. The resulting blade is a true bastard sword able to produce powerful two handed cuts but also capable single handed strikes despite weighing around the four pound range. This is a "blue collar" blade and I cannot help but think it was designed for men at arms, infantry or mercenary usage in the melee. I also see in the sword the roots of the side sword that became popular during the Rennaisance era possessing a cut and thrust capability and the elaborate ring guar...