It's just so amazing that 500 years ago people were basically building ironman suits, just such great craftsmanship, I don't think it gets the admiration it deserves, thank you for the video, have a great day!
I'm a Milanese man myself. I think most people would prefer the Gothic look upon first impression but the more I learn about armor and the more I get used to looking at it, the more I appreciate the Italian stuff for it's pragmatism and simplicity. It's not much to look at compared to Gothic but it's really grown on me. Maybe I just prefer rounded shapes as opposed to the sharp and stabby look of the German stuff.
I own a similar Gothic replica pair with individually articulated fingers, Maximilian fluting and punched-out heart accents. It is so fun to wear them and admire how they "fit like a glove" and are "one with you". People are blown away when they try them on and I explain to them that an entire Medieval suit of armor was custom-tailored to the knight to feel like the way the gloves feel.
I think it's mostly due to the fact that it still maintains the appearance of there being separate fingers when they're actually fused. It's just more coherent for the brain when you look at it.
The more I see videos of how plate armour works, the more I marvel at the complexity, craftsmanship and general beauty of the thing. I mean I've always loved knights and plate armour, but you never apreciate how much thought and work went into them until you watch a video like this. Great job
Gothic Plate Armour is my favorite armor period. Everything about it: The shape, the fluting, the sallet/bevor, the decoration, the protection. It's just so good looking!
Hello Ian, as a german subscriber of you, as I watched this video, I remembered that I recently bought a pair of milanese styled gauntlets/mittens, which are quite comparable to the cothic gauntlets, so I made a response video to expand this topic by showing the differences between those two styles, using the information you have given in yours to give everyone who is interested access to a comparison. This is not meant as an advertisement, but rather as an offer for you and, of course, everyone else who is interested, to take a look at it and discuss the topic. Because of that, I am not going to post a link in here, but if you want to, it is available on the channel. Thank you for the time and effort you give to provide this good content.
I can't tell you how much by watching you explain why they are designed that way as well as you showing the movement has improved my drawing comprehension in the first 9 minutes! Thank you!
One thing that actually let me down with gothic gauntlets -- it has this opening gap between thumb guard and main plate. I broke a base bone of my thumb when halberd went in there. Nasty experience. Still, my favourite style and I use them to this day for all the historical fighting I do.
It almost looks like hes trying to tame the gauntlet when hes testing it and holding onto it at the same time. like it's a wild creature with it's fluid movement.
I really love the Gothic and Maximilian Armor, the fluting effect on the hands really makes it stand out, all the while increasing the thickness without extra weight and adding deflection to it also, the mittens ones especially, as opposed to the movable fingers system, there are several ones at Peleș Castle here in Romania that are of said design.
I love your channel, one of my three favorites on UA-cam. It's so educational and interesting for a subject that I think has a ton a misinformation out there. You are doing a great work educating me and I'm sure many other people. Keep up the great work.
I could see the slight limitation on bending the wrist forward as a benefit - bending the wrist too far forward is done in wrist locks, so the slight restriction in range of motion might be a form of protection against that.
Yes, there are a lot of cases were joint restrictions in armor could potentially save that actual joint from being destroyed by forced hyperextension and other nasty manipulations.
I know this is an old comment, but in my experience being wristlocked, stopping the motion short wont save you. In fact, it's possible to tap someone out with a wristlock before the wrist even bends at all because of the pressure applied to the articulation.
You know your content is amazing when my heart fucking skipped a beat when I saw you had a new video! Great video as always! Will try to patiently await your next.
My first time here so please allow me to make a few points: 1) Nice intro. Badass without taking 45 seconds. 2) Good content. Nice description, clear speech, lots of pics to help show what you're talking about. 3) Nice helmet on the shelf behind you. Have a Sub!
Ah~ the detailed explanation as to why they have this bump in the wrist area is why I love to see your contents. Didn't even know that they are there. Let alone the reason for them. Thanks for the great videos as always!
And for someone who was wearing these military gears, I know those detailed designs can help so much on how comfortably you can wear them. It makes so much sense. Cause, damn that skin on boney areas hurt so much!
These are some of my absolute favourite gauntlets, actually have a pair on order from an armourer (for when I can afford them, that is) some absolutely stunning armour. Love late 15th century Gothic plate.
In my experience fencing with sticks, I have found that getting whacked in the fingers is the most common way to get hit. I would much rather have a mitten style gauntlet than a glove style.
@@nono9370 exactly. Not all weapons knights use have a guard of any sort, pollax sometimes included. For the most part, polearms are rather unprotected when it comes to the fingers.
being a lacrosse long-pole defenseman I disagree, if you are skilled at using whatever youre holding (and you are, if you're in plate armour), having the freedom of movement you would get from an articulating gauntlet with individual fingers is just so nice. It's hard to quantify if you've never had to do something like it. I'm not saying a mitten (especially one like he has in this video) would be no good, but the difference in your ability to use the weapon to your fullest capability is so great, when you're unfettered by the gloves. It's definitely what I would prefer, personally. In lacrosse i've used horrible clumsy solid-feeling gloves and ive used gloves so well made i can do pretty much everything i could do without them on, and it's one less thing to have to think about or be restricted by. if you're getting smacked in the fingers enough for it to make the difference, you were gonna lose anyway. You could make a similar argument about having a really hefty breastplate, three times thicker than usual. Sure, it would protect you from blunt attacks even better! But there's a reason they're not like that.
10:23 Ian, do you think the lines are purely decorative, just to give the illusion of individual fingers, or do the peaks and ridges on the finger lames distribute force better than a smooth surface? Do you think this may have been a consideration?
Amazing video, thanks for showing it in such detail. Drawing articulations in armor is extremely hard, and these really help you grasp how they work. Not as good as seeing the real thing, but if you have no access to armor, then this is the best you could ask for. Great content.
Great video again. What was the overal design philosophy of late 15th century Gothic armor? It stands out from Italian or say English armor quite a bit. The fine lines, absence of significant pauldrons, short faulds look quite delicate. For what kind of purpose was it designed this way?
DushinSC Fluting was done to increase structural integrity without doubling mass. The Germans just went full dandy and made their technical innovation fabulous. Pauldrons in Gothic armor didn't really shrink. They just got more closely fitted. The fitting was only possible due to innovations in articulation. The evolution from hourglass to Gothic gauntlet is actually similar. Just like how the flare in the hourglass gauntlet disappeared when articulation was added to the wrist, the flare in older pauldrons disappeared when articulation was added to the shoulders. Faulds didn't really grow shorter. A lot of the more famous examples do have shorter faulds but this may have been a stylistic preference of nobles. A survey of lower-rank gothic armor shows that most had faulds of roughly the same length as previous styles.
the fluting btw makes the armour more rigid and it can lead to arrows/bolts that hit the armour to not hit it at "good angles" (close to 90°) (+ it can look really nice).... the Maximilian armour or Riefelharnisch took the fluting to a whole other level with nearly the whole armour being fluted
The german gothic armor was highly fluted to increase rigidity and protection against projectiles without increasing weight. A projectile hitting an angled surface would increase the effective thickness of the armor without increasing the actual thickness. Italian style armor with smooth shapes and large pauldrons were intended to better protect against wielded weapons like polearms and lances by encouraging glancing blows via the smooth rounded surfaces. The large asymmetric pauldron on the left shoulder is essentially their shield.
What bothers me about this (and you can clearly see in the "combat picture" in the end that this isn't resolved by mail) is that the inside of the wrist is almost not protected at all. And if you again look at the combat picture at 15:30, you can see, if these were swords and not staves one of the knights would already have his wrists slashed open (and the other the elbow but i am assuming that there would be more mail there.) Would there just be more mail covering the inside of the wrist and hand? Leaving the inside of the wrist exposed seems awfully risky to me given that the opponent has easy access to that in close combat and it is a very vulnerable part with tendons and arteries.
10:30 id say they kept in mind that if they work in grooves to make the gountlet better for punching and or deflecting. (if this particular model has been used historicly... if its just reproduced as a mitten gauntlet well then i concede my point)
The past is magnifical: I was militar in Spain. In a Regiment called "Milan". In city of Oviedo. Founded in Milan, Italy, in 1535 like Tercio Viejo de Milan. An Spanish Elite corps, not Italian. To defend Italy from Franchis. In museum we had somme olds like this... XVI-XVII-XVIII etc... Century
I love german gothic armour, it is so flowing and elegant, looks like fabric that has been neatly folded and tailored. And because I am german, so pretty much every museum I go to has some examples to see.
Thanks, great video. I've been fascinated by Knights and Armor since I was old enough to know about it. (probably 7 yrs. old) Always wanted my own suit of armor. I like the finger gauntlets better too.
Seeing “the real thing” is thrilling. To imagine that, centuries (plural!) later … imagine!, the history that has passed since then, and that this piece of equipment had likely been used in an actual battle! The mere thought gives me the goose bumps.
Hi that's a beatiful gauntlet and a very good introduction to it. Would you mind showing the details from the inside in some future video? I mean the mobility of the plates as seen from the other side. I've made two sets of gauntlets but I really want to achieve that level of mobility like you have there.
@@KnyghtErrant no problem! I first saw this video about two years ago and it's still the best introduction video about Gothic gauntlets. Thanks for quick answer!
Well it seems that the ideal type of gauntlet would depend on what kind of opponent you are going to face. If you are going to go against people who are not using maces or pollaxes then the individual finger gauntlet might be preferable since you opponents can't really harm you and it gives more control of your weapon. However if you opponent uses a pollaxe they can break your fingers easier if you use individual finger gauntlet therefore a mitten style is safer.
Since you have those gauntlets, all you need is a black robe, a edgy helmet, stick with a rock at the end and a ear piercing voice Boom Witch-King of Angmar
I have always wondered what took so long for mitten gauntlets to come about. After a couple of broken fingers I decided mittens where the only way to go. And my life has never been in jeopardy from my hobby
I'd love to see a video on the toe points you sometimes see (like at 1:30). Were those used on actually battlefield armour or were they purely decorative/ceremonial? Wouldn't they get super in the way?
You mentioned that decorations were popular, but I wonder if the lower end types would also have the same attention to decoration? To what degree is the type that you've shown reflect the status of a man-at-arms of your previews armour? Is it of higher status or lower? I'm just trying to put it into context with your previews late 14th/ early 15th century armour of a non-knightly man-at-arms.
Wille k there are actually a few that did not feature heavy fluting or file work, www.philamuseum.org/collections/permanent/306168.html?mulR=1077296318%7C2
I've noticed Indian reproductions have much fewer plates and therefore have less articulation. If considering buying a repro, definitely compare plate numbers to extant pieces.
German gothic armor looks so futuristic. Back then, these guys must've looked like robocops. It's also interesting to imagine, that with there being so much variation in armor design from one knight to another, it must have been so maddening trying to gauge the vulnerable areas on one knight vs another. They were all slightly different, and though they shared similarly weakened joint areas, they all employed different mechanisms to help defend them. So much easier just to use a gun, arbalest, or halberd.
@knyght errant Hey, I had a question regarding gauntlets, specifically fingers: In reproductions of late gothic gauntlets, there seems to be a lot of armourers who use finger scales, or lames, instead of finger plates. But in most surviving historical models I've seen, the fingers seem to be plated. Is there any real difference in the level of protection or quality between lames and plates on gauntlets with separated fingers? Thanks!
I think you might be right. You can see in the original historical gauntlet, in the video around the 10:00 mark, that the thumb plate has two little holes that would be an excellent anchor point for sew it to a glove.
Those gauntlets are beautiful! A couple of questions, if I may: Is there any significance to the brass rivets, or is it just a stylistic choice? Would someone ever mix a fingered gauntlet on one hand with a mitten on the other? Thanks!
The brass rivets on Tom's gauntlets are rivets that are there only there to attach the underlying leathers for stitching to the gloves, they're not articulating the gauntlet itself. I think the use of brass there was just a decorative choice, as brass doesn't make a great rivet for articulating steel components. As far as mixed gauntlets, I've never observed an extant armor with one mitten and one finger gauntlet. The Italians were sometimes fond of asymmetrical gauntlet styles, but it was usually something like an extended cuff or bulkier left gauntlet, not one mitten and one fingered.
I'm not sure the change in technology was a total feat of engineering. I think a change in political stability might have had something to do with a shift from blocky plates to a refinement of articulating joints. Arms race yes, but more political stability makes leaps in craftsmanship seem more plausible. This is what I see when I look at gothic armour before I dig into the actual history.
it would work, but worse. one advantage of a coat of plates is that the textile shell prevents the plates from gaping, as they are sandwiched between the shell and the wearer's body. with the plates on the outside of the shell, it would be much easier to work a point in between them.
Were fingered gauntlets crafted and purchased with an idea that wounds to the hands were either rare or an acceptable trade off? Having all your fingers free is understandably more dextrous but in my mind I'm having trouble rationalizing, if I were in the times, buying fingered gauntlets (which I assume were far more expensive as well) when the basic mitten style still allows basically the only type of grip one would need- to hold the cylindrical grip of a weapon and to hold your horse's reins
That was a cool video, I wish we could have seen a bigger diversity of original gauntlets but its ok. Also I would like to know how thick the plates are and how resistant they are
+grantlandsmith some 16th century armets are designed to close and lock over a flange at the top of the gorget that still permitted the head to swivel but allowed no gapping between pieces
That is essentially what I'm describing. Here's the Wallace Collection A30 armour. The gorget is fully articulated and has a flange at the top that the cheek plates of the armet lock over. Not only does the helmet swivel, but the gorget lames articulate to allow motion of the neck: s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/b6/84/64/b68464b60e9ee6ea572c78519861f22f.jpg
the idea of mitten gauntlets styled as finger gauntlets seems to have been adopted in heavy sport combat deviations with some success, didnt know it was a period thing too!
Just be careful. A lot of the modern ones are done with styles of gauntlets that were never historically mitten gauntlets in the first place (like hourglass gauntlets for example).
Oh yes. That's what I've seen them do, as an attempt to make them fit in with the rest of their kit. How authentic those kits are in the first place though is another conversation...
I assume from the way you were holding the strap for the gauntlet when you had it on with your arm harness that if it were with a matching vambrace there would be a staple or something for the strap to go through?
No, I just couldn't quite snug the strap down on my arm harness, and since it's not my gauntlet I didn't want to punch new holes in the strap to make it fit my arms better.
I have used mittens as a kid when playing in snow... Yeah mitten gauntlets may be more protective but I would much rather have individual fingers based on cloth mittens finger restrictions. But I have to question the overall increase in protection from mitten gauntlets compared to fingered. Most blows onto fingers won't just hit the one finger as the fingers are usually side by side when griping something and that would make more than just 1 lame taking the brunt of the blow so that gets spread out amongst multiple fingers. Then you have 1 or two layers of leather which helps absorb any impact, and the glove and tissue on the inside of the fingers to absorb even more. So you have a plate of steel that will prevent a fingers bone from breaking and some cushion as well as other fingers will also catch the blow and there's cushion to absorb any blow preventing broken bones... I would think fingered gauntlets are plenty protective enough. But they are harder and more costly to make and that is the reason mitten gauntlets became more popular, cheaper and easier to make with a little marketing claiming much better protection.
I believe that if I were in the 15th century, I would have looked at a hybrid of the two styles (mitten vs fingered) and I'm not talking about the two-fingered mitten. but more of an articulated over-mitten extension from the metacarpal plate, over the top of the normal individual armored finger gauntlet and loosely tied to the middle finger via leather. This would provide the mobility and protection of the fingered Gauntlet, with the added protection of an over-lapping articulated mitten armor (potentially removable?) with the choice of the full length "Articulated Armored Over-Mitten" or a partial length. In fact, with all the armor experimentation over the centuries I would not be surprised if someone used such a gauntlet if for not other reason but added protection from the battle axe (especially if they had already injured their hand/finger(s) in prior battle, and wanted to to prevent it in the future). A somewhat minor injury to the fingers such as hyper-extension which normally causes hair line fractures of the bone (if not broken bone(s) of the fingers or thumb. Even simple dislocation of the finger(s), can make weapon handling impossible without extreme pain, Or the remaining fingers no longer have the strength to wield a sword, could easily cause your death unless you are lucky enough to be captured and held for ransom.
It's just so amazing that 500 years ago people were basically building ironman suits, just such great craftsmanship, I don't think it gets the admiration it deserves, thank you for the video, have a great day!
You should take a look into the jousting shield launchers most likely fashioned by the clockmakers of the time!
I love the German Gothic style. It's so elegant
Donsmacker1
German Gothic is generally very beautiful. I especially love long Sallets
It reminds me of fantasy armor, like the armorers were showing off.
What I love is the fluting is both gorgeous and functional.
I'm a Milanese man myself. I think most people would prefer the Gothic look upon first impression but the more I learn about armor and the more I get used to looking at it, the more I appreciate the Italian stuff for it's pragmatism and simplicity. It's not much to look at compared to Gothic but it's really grown on me. Maybe I just prefer rounded shapes as opposed to the sharp and stabby look of the German stuff.
An elegant armor, for a more civilized aged.
Man, that laptop hanging off the edge drives me nuts.
It's not hanging though.
I lost my harddrive that way.
Why did you have to mention it? I went back to check and now I am bothered by it.
Yea, that is just asking for a broken hard disk or screen. Glad Im not the only one it triggered lol
Ignorance is better than insight.
The articulation of the plates are almost hypnotic...
Almost?
Armour asmr video. @Knyght Errant we need this, please.
I own a similar Gothic replica pair with individually articulated fingers, Maximilian fluting and punched-out heart accents. It is so fun to wear them and admire how they "fit like a glove" and are "one with you". People are blown away when they try them on and I explain to them that an entire Medieval suit of armor was custom-tailored to the knight to feel like the way the gloves feel.
Gauntlet ASMR when?
Only gothic german gauntlets can possibly make the mitten style look good. Late medieval armor was just so gorgeous.
B. Braun i dont like it too much, but it works
Not only is it beautiful, it's practical.
Almost all medieval armor is gorgeous.
I think it's mostly due to the fact that it still maintains the appearance of there being separate fingers when they're actually fused. It's just more coherent for the brain when you look at it.
Ah, so that's where Nazghuls get their gauntlets.
I can't recall the description in the books, but the Nazgûl gauntlets are definitely inspired by gothic gauntlets.
@@illoney5663 - Well, Germany. What else would evil people wear?
[Austrian make anti-German jokes.]
@@mediocreman6323 Austria gets reconised less anyway! Ich bin kein Deutscher.
@@mediocreman6323 Hitler was Austrian - who is evil now?
@@robray111 - If Hitler _was_ Austrian, then … what is he _now?_
The articulation is just mesmerizing to look at. Such a fine craftmanship.
The more I see videos of how plate armour works, the more I marvel at the complexity, craftsmanship and general beauty of the thing.
I mean I've always loved knights and plate armour, but you never apreciate how much thought and work went into them until you watch a video like this. Great job
Gothic Plate Armour is my favorite armor period. Everything about it: The shape, the fluting, the sallet/bevor, the decoration, the protection. It's just so good looking!
Pointed feet
Roman Cabay it's ok to be different but damn, that's just weird and not in a good way...
Armoured Productions Entire periods can armoured? Crazy!
Armoured Productions w
@@TexasViking_INFP-t_5w4 I get what you mean, the sabatons do look really dumb. They look like something you'd see on an insect.
that ulnar/radial deviation is a super underrated feature. Even slight motion there has a huge impact on sword work
Hello Ian, as a german subscriber of you, as I watched this video, I remembered that I recently bought a pair of milanese styled gauntlets/mittens, which are quite comparable to the cothic gauntlets, so I made a response video to expand this topic by showing the differences between those two styles, using the information you have given in yours to give everyone who is interested access to a comparison. This is not meant as an advertisement, but rather as an offer for you and, of course, everyone else who is interested, to take a look at it and discuss the topic. Because of that, I am not going to post a link in here, but if you want to, it is available on the channel. Thank you for the time and effort you give to provide this good content.
I can't tell you how much by watching you explain why they are designed that way as well as you showing the movement has improved my drawing comprehension in the first 9 minutes! Thank you!
One thing that actually let me down with gothic gauntlets -- it has this opening gap between thumb guard and main plate. I broke a base bone of my thumb when halberd went in there. Nasty experience. Still, my favourite style and I use them to this day for all the historical fighting I do.
It almost looks like hes trying to tame the gauntlet when hes testing it and holding onto it at the same time. like it's a wild creature with it's fluid movement.
Watching those gauntlets move is kinda hypnotic lol
I really love the Gothic and Maximilian Armor, the fluting effect on the hands really makes it stand out, all the while increasing the thickness without extra weight and adding deflection to it also, the mittens ones especially, as opposed to the movable fingers system, there are several ones at Peleș Castle here in Romania that are of said design.
0:12 I was a lot younger back then, but yes I recall.
I love your channel, one of my three favorites on UA-cam. It's so educational and interesting for a subject that I think has a ton a misinformation out there. You are doing a great work educating me and I'm sure many other people. Keep up the great work.
Thank you!
Every time you present such intricate armour I'm amazed by the beauty and functionality of the pieces. Simply stunning.
I could see the slight limitation on bending the wrist forward as a benefit - bending the wrist too far forward is done in wrist locks, so the slight restriction in range of motion might be a form of protection against that.
Yes, there are a lot of cases were joint restrictions in armor could potentially save that actual joint from being destroyed by forced hyperextension and other nasty manipulations.
I know this is an old comment, but in my experience being wristlocked, stopping the motion short wont save you. In fact, it's possible to tap someone out with a wristlock before the wrist even bends at all because of the pressure applied to the articulation.
These look so badass! Not only does the hinges hinge, but they also flinges.
You know your content is amazing when my heart fucking skipped a beat when I saw you had a new video! Great video as always! Will try to patiently await your next.
Great video, please keep producing your amazing content.
My first time here so please allow me to make a few points:
1) Nice intro. Badass without taking 45 seconds.
2) Good content. Nice description, clear speech, lots of pics to help show what you're talking about.
3) Nice helmet on the shelf behind you.
Have a Sub!
Thanks! Welcome, and I hope you enjoy the other videos!
@@KnyghtErrant It's easy to praise good work.
Ah~ the detailed explanation as to why they have this bump in the wrist area is why I love to see your contents. Didn't even know that they are there. Let alone the reason for them. Thanks for the great videos as always!
And for someone who was wearing these military gears, I know those detailed designs can help so much on how comfortably you can wear them. It makes so much sense. Cause, damn that skin on boney areas hurt so much!
As always I enjoy your channel. Thanks, and keep it up.
The movement in the wrist is mesmerizing! Awesome pair of gauntlets and great video.
You've been gone for a while. Glad to see a new video!
These are some of my absolute favourite gauntlets, actually have a pair on order from an armourer (for when I can afford them, that is) some absolutely stunning armour. Love late 15th century Gothic plate.
I would love to see a compare/contrast video for Gothic and Italian armour styles
In my experience fencing with sticks, I have found that getting whacked in the fingers is the most common way to get hit. I would much rather have a mitten style gauntlet than a glove style.
GenericFakeName sticks dont have a guard
@@nono9370 exactly. Not all weapons knights use have a guard of any sort, pollax sometimes included. For the most part, polearms are rather unprotected when it comes to the fingers.
being a lacrosse long-pole defenseman I disagree, if you are skilled at using whatever youre holding (and you are, if you're in plate armour), having the freedom of movement you would get from an articulating gauntlet with individual fingers is just so nice. It's hard to quantify if you've never had to do something like it. I'm not saying a mitten (especially one like he has in this video) would be no good, but the difference in your ability to use the weapon to your fullest capability is so great, when you're unfettered by the gloves. It's definitely what I would prefer, personally.
In lacrosse i've used horrible clumsy solid-feeling gloves and ive used gloves so well made i can do pretty much everything i could do without them on, and it's one less thing to have to think about or be restricted by.
if you're getting smacked in the fingers enough for it to make the difference, you were gonna lose anyway. You could make a similar argument about having a really hefty breastplate, three times thicker than usual. Sure, it would protect you from blunt attacks even better! But there's a reason they're not like that.
liked before the video even started. So excited for a new video.
*update: Was not disappointed.
Gosh, these look so good... even mitten gauntlets look amazing in this style!
Finals are coming up, better stay up late watching Ian.
How did the finals go?
Yes me must know
So did you pass?
wow, that range of motion is beautiful
10:23 Ian, do you think the lines are purely decorative, just to give the illusion of individual fingers, or do the peaks and ridges on the finger lames distribute force better than a smooth surface? Do you think this may have been a consideration?
The ridges will undoubtedly provide added stiffness to the material.
Amazing video, thanks for showing it in such detail. Drawing articulations in armor is extremely hard, and these really help you grasp how they work. Not as good as seeing the real thing, but if you have no access to armor, then this is the best you could ask for.
Great content.
Great video again.
What was the overal design philosophy of late 15th century Gothic armor? It stands out from Italian or say English armor quite a bit. The fine lines, absence of significant pauldrons, short faulds look quite delicate. For what kind of purpose was it designed this way?
DushinSC Fluting was done to increase structural integrity without doubling mass. The Germans just went full dandy and made their technical innovation fabulous.
Pauldrons in Gothic armor didn't really shrink. They just got more closely fitted. The fitting was only possible due to innovations in articulation. The evolution from hourglass to Gothic gauntlet is actually similar. Just like how the flare in the hourglass gauntlet disappeared when articulation was added to the wrist, the flare in older pauldrons disappeared when articulation was added to the shoulders.
Faulds didn't really grow shorter. A lot of the more famous examples do have shorter faulds but this may have been a stylistic preference of nobles. A survey of lower-rank gothic armor shows that most had faulds of roughly the same length as previous styles.
the fluting btw makes the armour more rigid and it can lead to arrows/bolts that hit the armour to not hit it at "good angles" (close to 90°) (+ it can look really nice).... the Maximilian armour or Riefelharnisch took the fluting to a whole other level with nearly the whole armour being fluted
The german gothic armor was highly fluted to increase rigidity and protection against projectiles without increasing weight. A projectile hitting an angled surface would increase the effective thickness of the armor without increasing the actual thickness. Italian style armor with smooth shapes and large pauldrons were intended to better protect against wielded weapons like polearms and lances by encouraging glancing blows via the smooth rounded surfaces. The large asymmetric pauldron on the left shoulder is essentially their shield.
Welcome to Germany: overengineering everything since 1324
That was fantastic. Is there any way you can show the other parts of a Gothic armour in this style of video?
Those gauntlets are a work of art.
What bothers me about this (and you can clearly see in the "combat picture" in the end that this isn't resolved by mail) is that the inside of the wrist is almost not protected at all. And if you again look at the combat picture at 15:30, you can see, if these were swords and not staves one of the knights would already have his wrists slashed open (and the other the elbow but i am assuming that there would be more mail there.) Would there just be more mail covering the inside of the wrist and hand? Leaving the inside of the wrist exposed seems awfully risky to me given that the opponent has easy access to that in close combat and it is a very vulnerable part with tendons and arteries.
German engineering 550 years ago, not surprised at all
10:30 id say they kept in mind that if they work in grooves to make the gountlet better for punching and or deflecting. (if this particular model has been used historicly... if its just reproduced as a mitten gauntlet well then i concede my point)
The past is magnifical:
I was militar in Spain.
In a Regiment called "Milan".
In city of Oviedo.
Founded in Milan, Italy, in 1535
like Tercio Viejo de Milan.
An Spanish Elite corps, not Italian.
To defend Italy from Franchis.
In museum we had somme olds like this...
XVI-XVII-XVIII etc... Century
Another quality content video. I knew I didn't make a mistake when I liked it from the start.
9:95
>wears gloves to protect it from the oils in his skin
>places it on his bare forearm without anything between
As always, good video ;) I really hope you'll find someone with italian gaunts to do a video on!
I love german gothic armour, it is so flowing and elegant, looks like fabric that has been neatly folded and tailored. And because I am german, so pretty much every museum I go to has some examples to see.
Thanks, great video. I've been fascinated by Knights and Armor since I was old enough to know about it. (probably 7 yrs. old) Always wanted my own suit of armor. I like the finger gauntlets better too.
Seeing “the real thing” is thrilling. To imagine that, centuries (plural!) later … imagine!, the history that has passed since then, and that this piece of equipment had likely been used in an actual battle! The mere thought gives me the goose bumps.
Were you also trained as a medic in the Navy? You used a lot of anatomical terminology not often used by laymen in this video.
He was an aviator (helicopter).
Robert L But did he get supplement medical training for medevac/rescue duties?
Keep up the good work, Ian!
Really nice and educational videos.
I rate you ten out of ten in my book.
That razer laptop is dangerously close to the edge of that table and I am concerned
It is so satisfying to watch this gauntlet move...
Hi that's a beatiful gauntlet and a very good introduction to it. Would you mind showing the details from the inside in some future video? I mean the mobility of the plates as seen from the other side. I've made two sets of gauntlets but I really want to achieve that level of mobility like you have there.
I'd love to be able to help but I was borrowing that gauntlet from a friend for that particular video so I no longer have access to it.
@@KnyghtErrant no problem! I first saw this video about two years ago and it's still the best introduction video about Gothic gauntlets. Thanks for quick answer!
A video in and I'm already in love.
Man, those gauntlets look *really* good
So thank you for the vid on mitten gauntlets. I'm gonna try making this as a skill drill.
I can't be the only one who watched the entire intro worrying that he would knock that laptop out of the table.
Well it seems that the ideal type of gauntlet would depend on what kind of opponent you are going to face. If you are going to go against people who are not using maces or pollaxes then the individual finger gauntlet might be preferable since you opponents can't really harm you and it gives more control of your weapon.
However if you opponent uses a pollaxe they can break your fingers easier if you use individual finger gauntlet therefore a mitten style is safer.
If you get hit on the fingers with a mace or pollaxe, your fingers are probably breaking no matter what you have on them :)
Thanks, that's great & interesting having just bought a pair of plate gauntlets myself.
11:18 "not only does the hinge hinge…" - Can't argue with that. :-) Seriously, though, very interesting video!
Since you have those gauntlets, all you need is a black robe, a edgy helmet, stick with a rock at the end and a ear piercing voice
Boom Witch-King of Angmar
I have always wondered what took so long for mitten gauntlets to come about. After a couple of broken fingers I decided mittens where the only way to go. And my life has never been in jeopardy from my hobby
Nobody:
Me wanting to put my grimy hands all over the gauntlets at the museum
God they're *beautiful*. This is why gothic armour will always be my favourite.
Absolutely beautiful armor
Great video as always!
I'd love to see a video on the toe points you sometimes see (like at 1:30). Were those used on actually battlefield armour or were they purely decorative/ceremonial? Wouldn't they get super in the way?
Zach S. Banks Just as far as I know, they were removable for battle. Take this with a grain of salt.
You mentioned that decorations were popular, but I wonder if the lower end types would also have the same attention to decoration? To what degree is the type that you've shown reflect the status of a man-at-arms of your previews armour? Is it of higher status or lower? I'm just trying to put it into context with your previews late 14th/ early 15th century armour of a non-knightly man-at-arms.
Wille k there are actually a few that did not feature heavy fluting or file work, www.philamuseum.org/collections/permanent/306168.html?mulR=1077296318%7C2
German gothic gauntlets
GGG
yes
I see what you did there 😉
the fact your razer laptop was having half way off the table the entire video, i was slowly getting PSTD.
I've noticed Indian reproductions have much fewer plates and therefore have less articulation. If considering buying a repro, definitely compare plate numbers to extant pieces.
German gothic armor looks so futuristic. Back then, these guys must've looked like robocops.
It's also interesting to imagine, that with there being so much variation in armor design from one knight to another, it must have been so maddening trying to gauge the vulnerable areas on one knight vs another. They were all slightly different, and though they shared similarly weakened joint areas, they all employed different mechanisms to help defend them. So much easier just to use a gun, arbalest, or halberd.
@knyght errant
Hey, I had a question regarding gauntlets, specifically fingers: In reproductions of late gothic gauntlets, there seems to be a lot of armourers who use finger scales, or lames, instead of finger plates. But in most surviving historical models I've seen, the fingers seem to be plated.
Is there any real difference in the level of protection or quality between lames and plates on gauntlets with separated fingers?
Thanks!
Shouldn't the pointy end of the thumb plate be pointed to the glove somehow? It appears to stick out a lot.
I think you might be right. You can see in the original historical gauntlet, in the video around the 10:00 mark, that the thumb plate has two little holes that would be an excellent anchor point for sew it to a glove.
Thank You! Now I know how to put together the Gauntlets of Eredin's Armor from The Witcher 3!
they are beautiful. thankyou for sharing them :)
9:34 need that motion, for sure. ya know to like um, swing your sword...
"Spock configuration" i love it!!!
Those gauntlets are beautiful!
A couple of questions, if I may:
Is there any significance to the brass rivets, or is it just a stylistic choice?
Would someone ever mix a fingered gauntlet on one hand with a mitten on the other?
Thanks!
The brass rivets on Tom's gauntlets are rivets that are there only there to attach the underlying leathers for stitching to the gloves, they're not articulating the gauntlet itself. I think the use of brass there was just a decorative choice, as brass doesn't make a great rivet for articulating steel components. As far as mixed gauntlets, I've never observed an extant armor with one mitten and one finger gauntlet. The Italians were sometimes fond of asymmetrical gauntlet styles, but it was usually something like an extended cuff or bulkier left gauntlet, not one mitten and one fingered.
Brilliant, thank you so much for replying Ian!
Cheers,
Matt
Gothic armor looks breathtaking badass
Great video , damn some of them are really cool.
I'm not sure the change in technology was a total feat of engineering. I think a change in political stability might have had something to do with a shift from blocky plates to a refinement of articulating joints. Arms race yes, but more political stability makes leaps in craftsmanship seem more plausible. This is what I see when I look at gothic armour before I dig into the actual history.
Totally off topic question, but would a coat of plates work if the plates were on the outside?
Destructive Criticism There's no reason they wouldn't.
They wouldn't be able to overlap the way they could if they were on the inside.
Sure they could. Lorica Segmenta does much the same thing with external plates.
it would work, but worse. one advantage of a coat of plates is that the textile shell prevents the plates from gaping, as they are sandwiched between the shell and the wearer's body. with the plates on the outside of the shell, it would be much easier to work a point in between them.
Unless the plates were secured to each other. But at that point it would have more in common with lammelar armor than a coat of plates.
Another awesome video. thanks!
Were fingered gauntlets crafted and purchased with an idea that wounds to the hands were either rare or an acceptable trade off? Having all your fingers free is understandably more dextrous but in my mind I'm having trouble rationalizing, if I were in the times, buying fingered gauntlets (which I assume were far more expensive as well) when the basic mitten style still allows basically the only type of grip one would need- to hold the cylindrical grip of a weapon and to hold your horse's reins
That was a cool video, I wish we could have seen a bigger diversity of original gauntlets but its ok. Also I would like to know how thick the plates are and how resistant they are
beautiful gauntlet
'Wonder why they never came up with similar articulation to connect the helmet to the body-armour and give the neck / throat full plate protection.
+grantlandsmith some 16th century armets are designed to close and lock over a flange at the top of the gorget that still permitted the head to swivel but allowed no gapping between pieces
I imagine overlapping plates like the gauntlets allowing up/down vertically and laterally as well as left/right swivel. Damn gunpowder. :)
That is essentially what I'm describing. Here's the Wallace Collection A30 armour. The gorget is fully articulated and has a flange at the top that the cheek plates of the armet lock over. Not only does the helmet swivel, but the gorget lames articulate to allow motion of the neck:
s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/b6/84/64/b68464b60e9ee6ea572c78519861f22f.jpg
Aha! That's exactly it. Thanks.
Wait... articulated fingers predate the clamshell gauntlet? It's like everything I knew about gauntlets was wrong...
Ambient Relaxation well there were mitten gauntlets made of mail before
you betray your inner nerd with "spock configuration" lol
i was thinking more like cloven hoof configuration.
I loved it when he said Spock configuration.
the idea of mitten gauntlets styled as finger gauntlets seems to have been adopted in heavy sport combat deviations with some success, didnt know it was a period thing too!
Just be careful. A lot of the modern ones are done with styles of gauntlets that were never historically mitten gauntlets in the first place (like hourglass gauntlets for example).
Oh yes. That's what I've seen them do, as an attempt to make them fit in with the rest of their kit.
How authentic those kits are in the first place though is another conversation...
Absolutely beautiful
Very interesting and thorough presentation in typical Knight Errant style.
Is it possible to use the "handshake" style grip with these mittens?
I assume from the way you were holding the strap for the gauntlet when you had it on with your arm harness that if it were with a matching vambrace there would be a staple or something for the strap to go through?
No, I just couldn't quite snug the strap down on my arm harness, and since it's not my gauntlet I didn't want to punch new holes in the strap to make it fit my arms better.
That closeup at 9:10 is beautiful.
I have used mittens as a kid when playing in snow... Yeah mitten gauntlets may be more protective but I would much rather have individual fingers based on cloth mittens finger restrictions.
But I have to question the overall increase in protection from mitten gauntlets compared to fingered. Most blows onto fingers won't just hit the one finger as the fingers are usually side by side when griping something and that would make more than just 1 lame taking the brunt of the blow so that gets spread out amongst multiple fingers. Then you have 1 or two layers of leather which helps absorb any impact, and the glove and tissue on the inside of the fingers to absorb even more. So you have a plate of steel that will prevent a fingers bone from breaking and some cushion as well as other fingers will also catch the blow and there's cushion to absorb any blow preventing broken bones... I would think fingered gauntlets are plenty protective enough. But they are harder and more costly to make and that is the reason mitten gauntlets became more popular, cheaper and easier to make with a little marketing claiming much better protection.
I believe that if I were in the 15th century, I would have looked at a hybrid of the two styles (mitten vs fingered) and I'm not talking about the two-fingered mitten. but more of an articulated over-mitten extension from the metacarpal plate, over the top of the normal individual armored finger gauntlet and loosely tied to the middle finger via leather. This would provide the mobility and protection of the fingered Gauntlet, with the added protection of an over-lapping articulated mitten armor (potentially removable?) with the choice of the full length "Articulated Armored Over-Mitten" or a partial length.
In fact, with all the armor experimentation over the centuries I would not be surprised if someone used such a gauntlet if for not other reason but added protection from the battle axe (especially if they had already injured their hand/finger(s) in prior battle, and wanted to to prevent it in the future). A somewhat minor injury to the fingers such as hyper-extension which normally causes hair line fractures of the bone (if not broken bone(s) of the fingers or thumb. Even simple dislocation of the finger(s), can make weapon handling impossible without extreme pain, Or the remaining fingers no longer have the strength to wield a sword, could easily cause your death unless you are lucky enough to be captured and held for ransom.
I always thought the wrist bump/spike was there to make it more painful for an opponent to intercept a dagger/pommel strike.