Advantages of MIRROR WHITE Armour

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  • Опубліковано 9 тра 2024
  • Why did medieval knights value shiny white armor, as opposed to the other options available to them, such as black, blue, gold or painted armour?
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 467

  • @lindybeige
    @lindybeige 23 дні тому +821

    I well recall one of our men at Tewkesbury saying that his foe told him that fighting him in his mirror armour was like being attacked by a disco ball.

    • @mdexterc2894
      @mdexterc2894 23 дні тому +61

      Back then, being fabulous and slaying was literal, but they'd still look fabulous and slay on the runway

    • @angryeliteultragree6329
      @angryeliteultragree6329 23 дні тому +10

      That got quite the laugh out of me lindy😂

    • @mortache
      @mortache 23 дні тому +20

      What's more terrifying than a dangerous foe is a dangerous foe who is also fabulous

    • @PJDAltamirus0425
      @PJDAltamirus0425 23 дні тому +11

      Well, this is the same time period where bright colors, pointy shoes, small waists and hose manly. Then heels, codpieces, bright slashed doublets, huge flamboyant hats, and rum and leg emphazing tights

    • @angryeliteultragree6329
      @angryeliteultragree6329 23 дні тому +5

      I wonder what lindybeige thinks about anodized titanium armor?

  • @frm_5993
    @frm_5993 23 дні тому +572

    for reflecting the sun into opponents' eyes, matt would just take his helmet off.

  • @Papadragon18
    @Papadragon18 22 дні тому +310

    Further about the status thing, though maybe less cool: A really shiny armour shouts "Don't kill me! Ransom me!"

    • @mindmedic9435
      @mindmedic9435 18 днів тому +15

      Battlefield Bling.

    • @farkasmactavish
      @farkasmactavish 16 днів тому +32

      Or, alternatively, "Look over here, conscripted peasants! I can tell you what to do!"

    • @jamesbeeching6138
      @jamesbeeching6138 12 днів тому +3

      Unfortunately didn't really work in the War of the Roses!!💀💀💀💀

    • @jamesbeeching6138
      @jamesbeeching6138 12 днів тому

      Also high status doesn't always mean scary!! Look what happened to Charles the Bold!!💀💀💀💀😅

    • @ronmka8931
      @ronmka8931 10 днів тому +1

      I doubt they did it to get ransomed, probably more for intimidation

  • @KowlDoogle
    @KowlDoogle 23 дні тому +343

    I imagine in movies they always prefer satin armour because they don't need to hire a guy to edit out the camera crew in post. The only time i've seen reflective armour is in The Mandalorian because they had a guy take a reflection map to make the surroundings accurate

    • @digitaljanus
      @digitaljanus 23 дні тому +52

      And otherwise making it harder to control the lighting on set. But probably also the persistent perception that the medieval period was dirty and grey and only cowardly ponces would have fancy armour and weapons.

    • @leonardomarquesbellini
      @leonardomarquesbellini 23 дні тому +16

      Shiny things don't look good on camera, and at least IMO they don't look that good in person either. Satin is nicer to look at all around.

    • @Daveed56
      @Daveed56 23 дні тому +27

      @@leonardomarquesbellini I'd check out the old EXCALIBUR movie form 1981, lots of high polished armor that looked great on film.

    • @phantomcaptain13
      @phantomcaptain13 23 дні тому +3

      The Gondorian soldiers, at least Aragorn and the Tower Guard, from memory, in the Lord of the Rings also wore shiny white armor. Just one that immediately popped into my head in addition to the mentioned Excalibur.

    • @leonardomarquesbellini
      @leonardomarquesbellini 23 дні тому +4

      @@Daveed56 yeah, that was going to be my example of shiny armor looking real bad. Honestly can't stand it.

  • @samheasmanwhite
    @samheasmanwhite 12 днів тому +17

    As a metalworker I can confirm that high polish has no effect at all on whether a harder cutting tip will bite in, but can have slightly lower friction with softer materials like wood so I guess it could have some small effect on a glancing club strike. Ripples in the surface though, like dents or a roughly hammered surface, will have some effect depending on the depth.
    It can absolutely helps with rust though, materials that you would expect to corrode rapidly can become more resistant by polishing to a mirror finish, but in easily corroded steel it must still have some tiny amount of oil for protection in humidity (I think I have heard of oiling being frequent? I'm not familiar though).

  • @billygnosis8820
    @billygnosis8820 23 дні тому +96

    Another thing, which might be part and parcel to #1, is that you become a big shining point of reference to your soldiers. Where do we retreat to? Just find Sir Shinybottom. Need help trying to execute this tactic? Just keep the big shiny dude to your left and you're halfway there.
    Also, having a very visible boss, may help with morale, much like a standard or unit flag. As long as Sir Shinybottom can be seen, we keep pushing.

    • @dongleseon8785
      @dongleseon8785 15 днів тому +7

      Wouldn't that be a flag bearer's job? Would be hard to see a guy through bunch of crowd with similar height no matter what hideous outfit that guy might wear.
      Another thing that might or might not be a thing, Maybe mirror finish makes the distance and posture of wearer more confusing? Mirror finish doesn't cast shadow on itself and just reflect surroundings with distorted perspective. Not exactly a camouflage but might just be enough to confuse how far that breastplate or gauntlet is.

    • @kchortu
      @kchortu 13 днів тому +2

      I honestly think it would be harder to spot the mirror in the throng of other soldiers as you would be reflecting them the grass trees... kind of like the mirrors used in magic tricks to make things look like they are floating.

    • @BaronVonQuiply
      @BaronVonQuiply 10 днів тому +2

      _"Where do we retreat to? Just find Sir Shinybottom."_
      ... just learning now that I picked the wrong name and character for my UA-cam account

    • @IAmMrGreat
      @IAmMrGreat 3 дні тому

      @@dongleseon8785 Anyone wearing a shiny armour would most likely be mounted on a horse, even if leading infantry.
      There's also a good chance he'd be leading from the back with all the cavalry behind or to the sides of him making him easy to spot and making it easy for him to see what was going on. Being behind the infantry, they'd probably not be watching him much during a battle, but the standard bearer would similarly be behind the frontline, so it really just gives an extra point of reference to have Sir Shinybottom around rather than replacing a standard bearer.
      I'd say it's a thing that could play into deciding to have a shiny armour but not the primary or sole reason to do so.

    • @dungeonofarchitects1473
      @dungeonofarchitects1473 3 дні тому

      @@IAmMrGreat Also, signifies that Sir shinybottom can afford ransom if things go south

  • @firstlast6398
    @firstlast6398 23 дні тому +161

    Because the drip would have been immaculate!

    • @D.S.handle
      @D.S.handle 21 день тому +4

      One should never underestimate the drip factor.

  • @ernomakkonen5200
    @ernomakkonen5200 23 дні тому +80

    I knew the 5th one because in kingdom come delivarance the perk knight in shining armour. In sunny weather your plate armor dazzles everybody and also you get a charisma bonus. Very realistic indeed😅

  • @laurenceperkins7468
    @laurenceperkins7468 20 днів тому +19

    One final reason for a mirror polish: It shows off the quality and consistency of the steel. If you have bad steel with inconsistent grain sizes or inclusions, the variation will be immediately visible in a mirror polish. For that matter, so will any inconsistencies in the curvature from like hammer marks and such. So it not only shows off that you're wealthy enough to pay for the labor to polish it up that much, it also shows off just how good a quality the armor really is. (And lets you detect if the smith tried to cheat you...)
    You won't see that as much on modern reproductions since even the poorest modern steels are of a quality that a mediaeval blacksmith would have killed for, and modern tools make it way easier to get the shape exactly right.

  • @nuancedhistory
    @nuancedhistory 19 днів тому +46

    The Romans and Byzantines do mention that the sight of men in polished iron was a huge intimidating factor. In most cultures at that time most people couldn't afford armor, and to see a force of Roman soldiers in shining scale, maille, lamellar, or during the classical period Lorica Segmentata advancing where most or all of them have armor would have been terrifying because to any force it communicates "they sent an army of their best, most experienced, wealthiest men" based on their own cultural experiences. It was actually a clever deception because the front ranks of Roman soldiers often were the least experienced men.

    • @Dejawolfs
      @Dejawolfs 12 днів тому +7

      curiously, the romans in the early period were not intimidated by the fancy armour worn by the greeks. the roman generals actually mocked it, saying they had spent their time making their armour look pretty, we had spent our time training to become fierce warriors. or so i 'm paraphrasing.

    • @esben181
      @esben181 9 днів тому +1

      ​@@DejawolfsCould it be that the mocking was an attempt to suppress their instinctive fear?

    • @tfan2222
      @tfan2222 8 днів тому

      @@esben181Implying anything about it is “instinctive” is fucking hilarious.

    • @esben181
      @esben181 8 днів тому +2

      @@tfan2222 lul perhaps. I still think addressing the issue by mocking it is a response to the intimidation it could cause

  • @davidsachs4883
    @davidsachs4883 23 дні тому +6

    Back in high school we did an experiment with steel cans. We placed them the same distance from a light bulb (incandescent) as a heat source. There was a thermometer in each can. The dark colored can had its inside temperature raise quicker than the lighter colored can. After the light bulb was turned off the darker can lost heat faster. Both were still slightly above room temperature when we had to end the experiment for the next class.

  • @aviationenthusiast2002
    @aviationenthusiast2002 23 дні тому +21

    fun getting to see your other wall finally because of the reflections of your mirror armor

  • @Book-bz8ns
    @Book-bz8ns 23 дні тому +32

    That polish is making me want to get the car wax out and really buff it up

    • @NateMcCarrick-Morgan
      @NateMcCarrick-Morgan 23 дні тому +1

      I used to wax my dads motorcycles to earn some money over the summers

    • @jojojo9240
      @jojojo9240 14 днів тому +1

      so other drivers will go blind from just one look at your car

    • @jojojo9240
      @jojojo9240 14 днів тому +1

      this is actually why I hate the glossy look of most cars - the reflection of the sun can be SO ANNOYING

  • @kadoj
    @kadoj 19 днів тому +13

    One of my favorite finishes for plate armor which is almost universally overlooked and very rarely mentioned anywhere is russet finish (or "russeting," which is a brownish-red to reddish-purple coloring) which is a variation on fire bluing. As we know, during the process of heat bluing, the color of the steel actually changes through a spectrum of colors dependant on the temperature it reaches, going from natural finish to begin with, then a weird yellow tinge, then kindof brownish, russet , purple, blue, then eventually dull graphite if you over-do it, as well as all the "in between" shades along the way. By arresting the heating process at very precisely controlled temperatures/times, one can effect a color finish anywhere along that spectrum. "Russeting" was most popular, I think, during the 16th and 17th centuries, when metallurgy and fine control of heat during creation was at its most advanced and precise, as before then it would've been extremely difficult or even impossible to stop the process accurately enough to reliably achieve an even coloring across the whole of a component, let alone an entire harness, especially for the more "transitional" shades that occur before reaching the final dark blue/violet color. But yeah, russeting is almost never talked about anywhere, to the point where it has even been confused in artistic renditions (such as Durer's catalogue of armor) as being a substituted color for something else (even on this channel at one point I think, if im remembering correctly). So yeah, i just wanted to show it some love because its really pretty (especially, in my opinion, when in combination with some tastefully understated detail gilding or silvering) and once it became feasible to reliably achieve it, it was actually a reasonably commonly requested finish, at least among those who could afford such things at the time.

    • @Dejawolfs
      @Dejawolfs 11 днів тому +1

      russeting is still largely forgotten.

    • @kadoj
      @kadoj 9 днів тому +2

      @@Dejawolfs yeah, I know... its sad, really. Such a classy, aesthetically pleasing look when it's done well. Some of the russeted Greenwich armors ive seen are among the most gorgeously decorated harmesses im aware of.

  • @Beefonweck
    @Beefonweck 18 днів тому +4

    You are correct that polishing makes it harder for a blade to make good contact. Machine parts are frequently polished to reduce friction when moving.

  • @capnceltblood5347
    @capnceltblood5347 21 день тому +5

    Another reason you have overlooked... And this comes back to status and wealth. A person wearing this armour is obviously wealthy. So knowing that, one would wear it knowing that he would be highly visible on the field and would be a highly sought after captive. Knowing that the wearer would be worth his weight in gold as ransom. Minimizing his chance of being killed. If you capture him you get the ransom and the armour, if you kill him you get nothing but damaged armour.

  • @laurenceperkins7468
    @laurenceperkins7468 20 днів тому +8

    So the color in the visible spectrum will matter less than how absorptive the surface finish is in the infrared spectrum, since the latter is where the vast majority of the heat comes in. Some things you might use to darken the surface in the visible spectrum will actually reflect quite a lot in the infrared and might end up cooler than lighter colors.
    The surface polish of things though does make a pretty big difference. I haven't tested with armor specifically, but back to those scratches and troughs you were talking about in the satin polish, when a photon goes into one of those it can bounce back and forth a few times before it exits, which gives it that many more chances to be absorbed and heat the metal. Kind of like how smooth aluminum foil can be used safely in a microwave to do things like make different parts of your TV dinner all get hot at the same time, despite having different levels of absorption. (The dark patch in the bottom of a bag of microwave popcorn is a piece of aluminum foil to concentrate the heat on the unpopped kernels for another example.) But a crinkled piece of aluminum foil will arc, spark, and maybe burst into flames.

    • @Kylesuperk
      @Kylesuperk 12 днів тому +4

      I disagree that the IR spectrum determines how hot the armor will get. I'm a thermal engineer, so this is kinda my bread and butter.
      How much of the sunlight (mainly in the visible spectrum) gets absorbed is called absorptivity and depends on how dark the material looks. Blackened armor has a high absorptivity and will get super hot in the sun whereas polished armor will reflect more sunlight (low absorptivity) and stay cooler. That's why radiators on satellites are either painted white or are mirrors (both do not absorb sunlight well). Another example is that the hood of a black painted car will be hotter than the hood of a white car when left in the sun.
      On the other hand, the darkness in the infrared (IR) spectrum is called emissivity and determines how much heat the armor will absorb and also how much heat it will radiate away. Typically, polished surfaces have lower emissivity and are not as good as weathered or rough surfaces at radiating heat away.
      But, for most things close to room temperature (like armor), the heat lost through convection is usually multiple times greater than the heat lost through radiation. The convection for both armors will be similar, so the one that absorbs less sun (ie. the polished one with low absorptivity) should be cooler.

  • @lexxonn
    @lexxonn 23 дні тому +19

    I think about everyone thought of the light reflection haha

  • @kchortu
    @kchortu 13 днів тому +5

    Its not just reflecting the sun it will also help you blend in to your surroundings by reflecting the other soldiers, grass, trees... making you harder to identify or target.

    • @joostdriesens3984
      @joostdriesens3984 12 днів тому +3

      I agree, it's a (primitive) type of optical camouflage as well.

  • @Zobeid
    @Zobeid 21 день тому +4

    Your comments about high polish and resistance to rust is exactly what I was always taught about firearm metal finishes. The traditional blueing process only provided moderate rust resistance, and it was highly dependent on the polish level. High quality guns were glossy. Unfortunately (to my mind, at least) almost all gun makers now have moved away from that costly polishing, to more advanced chemical finishes that are very tough and allow them to leave the surface rough. They're functional, cost-effective, but to me they're rather ugly.

  • @braddbradd5671
    @braddbradd5671 22 дні тому +7

    I just found out most people didnt even buy there own cloths back then it was given to them buy there landlord or boss as part of there wages and they had to be made for them there were no shops or anything so to see some one turn up with polished armor and swords would seem like a super hero to them

  • @Zbigniew_Nowak
    @Zbigniew_Nowak 23 дні тому +7

    In fact, this fifth reason - reflecting the sun into the opponents' eyes - is the first and main reason that came to my mind - because I heard that this trick was used already in ancient Greece (shields polished like a mirror). But if it was really that effective at blinding an enemy, why wasn't it widely used?

    • @SuperFunkmachine
      @SuperFunkmachine 23 дні тому +4

      you need to have the sun to at just the right angle and out.

    • @MaaZeus
      @MaaZeus 23 дні тому +3

      Yeah it is hard to control. The enemy may not be attacking at the time and from the direction where that can utilized effectively. It is effective but not a reliable one and definetly not something you can build all your tactics around. All it takes is a cloudy day and that idea goes out of the window.

    • @Zbigniew_Nowak
      @Zbigniew_Nowak 22 дні тому +1

      @@MaaZeus Of course. But in Greece it probably could have worked well. It's often sunny there. However, most of them did not make their shields from bronze "like mirrors". So... hmm... it would probably be necessary to experimentally check how effective it is.

  • @mallison117
    @mallison117 8 днів тому +1

    I'd be curious to see a test on the "camouflaging" qualities of different armour finishes. I've noticed on a handful of occasions that shiny mirror polished objects that call attention to themselves in direct sunlight, will sometimes fade away in the shade of trees or bushes. It was my assumption that the object was reflecting it's immediate surroundings (leaves, twigs, rocks...) sort of like sci-fi active camo. It'd be cool to see different armour finishes tested in different environments.

  • @legion162
    @legion162 23 дні тому +9

    I would have thought that a highly reflective mirror like armour would be distracting to the opponent, especially as mirror like surfaces were rare.

    • @badart3204
      @badart3204 21 день тому

      Yeah but it can distract your buddies too

    • @TheBayru
      @TheBayru 14 днів тому

      ​@@badart3204All the better for your reputation if you are so much better than your retinue.

  • @Leftyotism
    @Leftyotism 19 днів тому +3

    Can't wait for the thermal camera footage!

  • @psycomutt
    @psycomutt 11 днів тому +2

    I polished my trigger components in my race pistol because metal on metal is much smoother with a high shine.

  • @josephvisnovsky1462
    @josephvisnovsky1462 23 дні тому +48

    5 reasons why shiny armor was sought after:
    #1 Lindybeige is in the thumbnail

    • @ZacHawkins42
      @ZacHawkins42 23 дні тому +6

      That's clearly King Arthur from Monty Python's Holy Grail.

    • @cagdas135
      @cagdas135 23 дні тому +3

      @@ZacHawkins42 Who made him king? I thought they were an autonomous collective.

    • @TheBayru
      @TheBayru 14 днів тому +1

      ​@@cagdas135 Probably because he has the biggest coconuts.

  • @TheGoldenBear79
    @TheGoldenBear79 23 дні тому

    Thank you Matt! I was just getting ready to ask your opinion about it when you gave the last point answering my question. I greatly appreciate you sharing your knowledge with us Sir. Your content is amazing. Fun, entertaining, informative, helpful, and I’m sure plenty more than I can quickly list. Thanks again Matt. Best wishes to you and your family. ✌️

  • @piokul
    @piokul 23 дні тому +4

    The temperature question is tricky, because reflective surfaces will absorb less heat, but also radiate less heat. Black things absorb more but radiate more as well. On a sunny day I would expect the black armour to get hotter inside. But on a cloudy day I would expect the opposite. I would be interested in seeing your test results.

    • @ryanphillips9657
      @ryanphillips9657 19 днів тому

      From doing SCA fighting in Arizona. A black surcoat definitely is much hotter to wear than blue

  • @kenanacampora
    @kenanacampora 23 дні тому +22

    I would think mirrored armor is cooler than black armor on a hot and sunny day.

    • @Specter_1125
      @Specter_1125 23 дні тому +6

      The finish of the metal doesn’t matter all that much for heat in armor. The biggest factor is what you’re wearing with it. A gambeson and breastplate is going to be significantly hotter than any finish of full plate with an arming doublet (much thinner than a gambeson).

  • @joedoe5079
    @joedoe5079 19 днів тому

    glad you mention in the end my first thought about reflecting light . good thing i watched the whole video .

  • @valandil7454
    @valandil7454 23 дні тому +33

    One thing I don't think anyone's really talked about when it comes to how to mitigate the hot or cold when wearing plated armour is the Jupon, the outer garment worn over your breastplate that shows up in a lot of accounts and iconography but never really turns up in re-enactments.
    Tod touched on it when he was introducing the brigandine, he said that the fabric was stopping the arrow from shattering and maybe causing more harm and would keep you warm in the winter but he didn't go into it 🤔
    I'd love to find out more if you're getting one with your latest suit Matt, when and why they were used and why they're apparently not so common anymore? 🙂

    • @rogerlafrance6355
      @rogerlafrance6355 23 дні тому +5

      Cloaks with hoods seems to also been a thing. Protection from the odd English rain or cold, not to mention shining like a torch in the moonlight. Reenacting weeks of Knights Service marching across England or guarding a nice wet salty castle like Dover, would be interesting experimental archeology. Also, the more posh the Knights kit, the more valuable for ransom.

    • @valandil7454
      @valandil7454 23 дні тому +4

      ​​@@rogerlafrance6355but a cloak wasn't a piece of protective equipment and they can get in the way if you're wearing one while you're trying to fight, I've tried it it's even harder with a sword and dagger at your hip.
      The reason I think of the Jupon's because I can see it not being so much of a hinderance, and we have plenty of evidence of other cultures having their own versions like the Japanese Horo which like the Jupon was more armour than garment

    • @rogerlafrance6355
      @rogerlafrance6355 23 дні тому +3

      @@valandil7454 A clasp and its off and ready to fight. Much like the Great Coat in later times.

    • @alowry2002
      @alowry2002 23 дні тому +4

      The jupon is certainly in the late 14th C and into the 15th C but eventually we see just white harness in the art. I fight in a jupon. It is pretty. It has saved me being killed by friends as they see my arms and it covers any defects in my torso armour.

    • @williamshafer9110
      @williamshafer9110 20 днів тому +1

      I have read that with the jupon on the heat inside the armor is less than the heat outside the armor. Of course the person was in a dessert at the time. I don't know if that's true though.

  • @thossi09
    @thossi09 23 дні тому +40

    The ad is still playing so I'm going to venture a guess: Is it because a shiny armour symbolises status, as in "Ha ha! I'm so filthy rich I can afford to have a gang of retainers always buffing and polishing my armour, getting dented pieces replaced, etc!"

    • @Theduckwebcomics
      @Theduckwebcomics 23 дні тому +4

      Not at all. Labour was much, much cheaper then, it really wouldn't have been much of a flex.

    • @davidkertesz3723
      @davidkertesz3723 23 дні тому +6

      Labor was cheap but it was also scarce (that was the reason for serfdom, to lock a rare commodity onto your land)

    • @SuperFunkmachine
      @SuperFunkmachine 23 дні тому

      @@Theduckwebcomics Cheaper but far from free.

    • @Loromir17
      @Loromir17 22 дні тому +2

      @@Theduckwebcomics was it really that cheaper though? Take into account that each of your retainers had to have at least a place to sleep, rationed well-enough that they aren't slowly dying of malnourishment (in a time when food was much more scarce, ergo expensive) and clothed well-enough that they aren't slowly dying of hypothermia (and if you think hand-sewn natural fabrics are expensive today, boy were they then). Sure, in comparison to a modern minimum wage worker, a servant boy was destitute - but that destitution did not come cheap to their owner either.

    • @joschafinger126
      @joschafinger126 22 дні тому +2

      ​@@TheduckwebcomicsCheap, yes, but not very productive. Getting a mirror finish right with modern machines and a single person operating them is easy and fast, once you've got those machines. What might have taken a fortnight then, can now be done in minutes. Under such circumstances, an hourly wage of £30, say, is actually cheaper than one of £3.

  • @kaoskronostyche9939
    @kaoskronostyche9939 23 дні тому

    Another great discussion. Thank you.

  • @jefo2405
    @jefo2405 20 днів тому +1

    Another glorious video by Matte Easton.

  • @robertusaugustus2003
    @robertusaugustus2003 23 дні тому +2

    I know that visor!! Going by that the rest of the harness will be glorious, can’t wait to see it!

  • @blackoak4978
    @blackoak4978 10 днів тому

    Regarding rust prevention, a smoother surface will resist corrosion more(aside from the lower surface area) because there is less electrical differential across the surface. Ions of metal are less likely to move and react with oxygen if they are firmly in the crystal lattice. Peaks and valleys have an electrical differential between them that causes ions to move from one to the other in the presence of a conductive medium, like water, while also increasing the chance of it oxidizing

  • @jpeterd92
    @jpeterd92 2 дні тому

    That it could reflect the sun into the enemy's eyes was literally the first thing that popped into my mind LOL

  • @-RONNIE
    @-RONNIE 23 дні тому

    Thanks for the video 👍🏻

  • @Joe___R
    @Joe___R 10 днів тому +1

    It is not just the surface being smoother on polished armor that helps it resist rusting. Traditionally, the metal would have been burnished before polishing it with fine stones or charcoal. Burnishing helps to close off the micro pours in the metal, preventing anything from getting into them and starting the rusting process.

  • @MrBobsmithers
    @MrBobsmithers 21 день тому

    this was awesome. Well spoken

  • @triggerhappy1911
    @triggerhappy1911 5 днів тому

    Bro these topics. So specific. So interesting.

  • @stocktonjoans
    @stocktonjoans 23 дні тому +11

    are these the same reasons why you shave your head?

  • @gjzgodd
    @gjzgodd 14 днів тому

    Your fifth suggestion was my first thought! Makes a lotta sense

  • @kenfraserjohnston
    @kenfraserjohnston 23 дні тому +1

    Greatly appreciated your statement regarding that whether or not mirror polish armor actually deflects better, it was *perceived* to. That's in the same spirit of the comment by Barbara W. Tuchman in "A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century", page 42 second paragraph, "...what people believe about their own time becomes a factor in its history." As usual, context is key...even in (maybe especially in) armor preference!

  • @JayCe667
    @JayCe667 11 днів тому

    Adding to the last point: In the heat of battle, reflective armor also blurs out your contours. Thus your shape is harder to focus on, and movement (strikes) on your part is harder to keep track of.
    While in a 1:1 battle, this effect might be rather minute, but as soon as there are more moving objects on the field, this could turn out to be really confusing.
    And #6, food for thought: "Stealth". Yes, I actually said it: Stealth. While in normal light, this might pose a disadvantage, but being in obscured environment, the 'I reflect everything around me' might come in handy. In shrubs you're more "shrubbish", while in the dark you are darker, basically matching your environment better than with a set/fixed color.
    One would have to try to actually find out which scenes - if any - turn out favourable.

  • @LeftToWrite006
    @LeftToWrite006 11 днів тому

    The reflectiveness of the armor shining in opponents' eyes was the first thing I thought of as a reason to make it shiny.

  • @williamberne
    @williamberne 6 днів тому +1

    I guessed the 5th reason from beginning cause I literally own a piece of mirror armour😊 It is a self-made Chinese 护心镜 which means heart-protecting mirror. They usually are in bowl/boss shape, but I could only find a flat bronze disk, So I just mirror polished it then wrapped it's edge with leather.
    Oh man it was so interesting when I'm standing in a line and can see which foe's face is receiving the sun light I am reflecting onto😂 Irritating everyone on the other side makes the lining up and waiting session not boring any more😊

  • @COLDMKULTRA
    @COLDMKULTRA 23 дні тому

    These are all valid points Matt ! 👍👍👍

  • @artbonnar239
    @artbonnar239 23 дні тому +1

    Your last point was my first thought. A visor not only defends the eyes from assault but also from the sun. Helmets have visors for a reason. Second, though not necessarily HEMA, Japanese swords were mirror polished to increase cutting abilities. Smoother surface equals less resistance. So as Matt said mirror polished armour, greater deflection

  • @troppoandante
    @troppoandante 9 днів тому

    As others have pointed out, the thermal behaviour of polished metals is complicated. They have a high coefficent of reflection (in the region of 70% for polished steel) that governs their absorption of sunlight (radiation in the visible spectrum, wavelengths of about 0.5 microns). They have low emissivity, however (in the range of 5% for ideally polished metals and perhaps 15 - 25% for practical mirror polishes) so they emit and absorb radiant heat poorly (wavelength around 20 microns). Think of how young children often get burned by hot irons, they radiate so little heat that one cannot really say how hot they are without touching. Every other material, including painted finishes, has emissivity of 90% or more.

  • @level98bearhuntingarmor
    @level98bearhuntingarmor 23 дні тому +12

    I must admit near the beginning I thought of blinding thing as a joke and then you actually said it lol

    • @patrickdix772
      @patrickdix772 23 дні тому +8

      Well, it does make sense as a factor. If your opponent can't see as well, it's harder for them to fight you. This is still a thing in many modern sports, where the teams switch sides halfway through a match so each side gets the sun in their eyes or a prevailing wind to help / hinder them.

  • @brittakriep2938
    @brittakriep2938 22 дні тому +1

    In famous Zwinger collection in Dresden, there is an armour for foot tournament, made of silver.

  • @timbarth7850
    @timbarth7850 23 дні тому

    I was thinking about an old movie where they polished shields to reflect the sunlight to their enemies and one minute later you talked about the advsntage of blinding your opponents. That was awesome ^^

  • @RheaMainz
    @RheaMainz 17 днів тому

    Neat, a reason I mentioned upon the blackened armour video :D

  • @Generic_Username_01
    @Generic_Username_01 23 дні тому +3

    wow that is VERY shiny indeed 1:03

  • @sitrilko
    @sitrilko 23 дні тому +2

    This is an off question, but could chain mail be particularly shiny, almost mirror finished? Or blackened?
    Or would the gradual rubbing of the links against each other degreade away either of those?
    Thank you

    • @Red-nn7yu
      @Red-nn7yu 23 дні тому

      maille could be blackened yeah. sometimes maille could be gilded. I don’t think they would be particularly reflective in their finish because it wouldn’t be very practical nor reasonable

  • @l.ijspeert9040
    @l.ijspeert9040 21 день тому

    Testing the heat reflection seems like an interesting video! It would be important to make a clear distinction between heat and temperature. Just measuring the temperature of the metal under direct (sun)light does not say anything - it is the heat flux that passes through that we are after. So I imagine a setup where you position a known amount of water behind the armor and measure the time it takes for the water to heat up by a number of degrees. That way you can precisely determine the amount of heat energy deposited in the water over time.

  • @Dalek-caan-15
    @Dalek-caan-15 23 дні тому +1

    When your armour is done can we please get a video about it like the one you made about your old armour

  • @ivarwind
    @ivarwind 17 днів тому

    I didn't think of the Sun specifically, but I would add that even without reflecting the Sun, mirror-polished armour (just like any mirror-polished object) is confusing to look at. Just looking at the helmet you're showing at various points, it's much harder to get a grasp on its shape and exact position of various elements than with the satin-finished helmet. While it wouldn't prevent someone from figuring out where you are, it might delay them or put off their aim by just that bit extra needed for you to get in the first blow - or get out of there alive rather than dead.

  • @davidmacon1138
    @davidmacon1138 21 день тому

    That's like...Excalibur levels of shine.. BLING your blind, now you're dead.... properly! Good video, could you possibly make a video of painted and lacquered armors or have you already made one?

  • @charlottesimonin2551
    @charlottesimonin2551 23 дні тому +1

    How about high polish makes it easier for retainers to keep you in sight for support and tactics.

  • @6dmiller
    @6dmiller 12 днів тому

    for just a tiny moment I thought you'd say that under a microscope with perfectly mirrored polish you'd see an eyeball.

  • @The_Lone_Outlaw
    @The_Lone_Outlaw 14 днів тому

    Could you do a video showing a side by side comparison of all the main finish types?
    I always thought the satin finish was what mirrored was referring to so seeing them all shown and compared to one another with a general explanation would be really good.

  • @vedymin1
    @vedymin1 23 дні тому +3

    I always wondered...does continuous polishing weaken the protection of the armor overtime ?

    • @Theduckwebcomics
      @Theduckwebcomics 23 дні тому +2

      Not at all.

    • @WhiteCollarCrimeDNB
      @WhiteCollarCrimeDNB 23 дні тому +10

      Theoretically yes practically no.
      You're technically removing metal but at atomically small scales. With modern tools overheating can ruin temper but polishing is still and was also historically done at lower speeds, usually with some sort of medium for the polishing compound.

  • @hic_tus
    @hic_tus 23 дні тому

    woooow that's a fancy Sir Easton in shiny armor right there! daaaaam!

  • @carlchong7592
    @carlchong7592 14 днів тому +1

    Is it harder to accurately perceive the placement of your opponents limbs and orientation of the torso if your opponent is wearing shiny armor?

  • @ThePacificNorseWest87
    @ThePacificNorseWest87 8 днів тому

    I work in a machine shop and when we make plane engine parts that will be touching another part we give them an extremely smooth finish to prevent friction and heat. I guarantee a sword or any blade is glancing off a mirror finish armor far easier than armor without that high polished finish. Metal parts begin to slide on each other like ice when the finish is fine enough

  • @_-ough-_
    @_-ough-_ 17 днів тому +1

    For the last point, couldn't mirror-polished armor just as well reflect the sun towards your allies behind you if the sun was at your back?

  • @Dethneko
    @Dethneko 12 днів тому

    Reflecting the sun into the opponents eyes was the only advantage I could think of off the top of my head. Don't know how practical it would have been as a tactic, but with so much metal flailing around, they must have figured it'd probably happen naturally at least a few times.

  • @Guardias
    @Guardias 3 дні тому

    As a commander mirror armor would be invaluable to inspire your troops as it lets them know you are fighting with them.

  • @mindmedic9435
    @mindmedic9435 18 днів тому

    Another finish, at least for muzzleloader barrels, is browning. I have this on two. It's a glossy dark brown finish with an almost plum tinge and has a pleasing depth, sort of like a polished rock. I've rinsed barrels with hot water and wipe dry, then just a smidge of oil on them and they resist rust very well.

  • @faramund9865
    @faramund9865 22 дні тому

    What stuff did they use to get a mirror polish. As you say there are drawings of watermill powered polishing wheels.
    But what was on the wheels?

  • @seanbeckett4019
    @seanbeckett4019 23 дні тому

    Is that a Flemish style armor you are producing? I remember you and Toby Capwell discussing Flemish armor in a Richard III video, and you seemed quite intrigued by it.

  • @badsamaritan8223
    @badsamaritan8223 22 дні тому

    White actually reflects heat better than a mirrored finish, so if you're trying to stay cool, a bright white would be best, and would still be very blinding to your opponent.
    Darker colors have higher emissivity, but they're also going to absorb more heat.
    So at night, or in shade, dark armor would radiate your body heat quicker than mirror or white finished steel.
    However, that might not actually be a bonus, unless you live where it's very hot at night, otherwise you might get cold.

  • @1248dl
    @1248dl 23 дні тому

    I've used a light meter to measure the difference in reflectivity between satin/matte finished or highly polished blued and in the white steel, i.e., rifle barrels. The color seemed immaterial to the reflectivity. The level of polish, though, was significant.

  • @brianphillips7696
    @brianphillips7696 23 дні тому +7

    My experience is that bare metal left out in bright sunlight during the summer will scorch you when you grab it but painted metal is safe to touch

    • @tortex1
      @tortex1 19 днів тому

      Probably thermal transfer, the metal heats your hand fast which we interpret as hot, not to mention the actual temperature could reach burn level in the worst case. The paint layer on the other hand would have a lower transfer rate so it heats up slower and doesn't seem as hot to the skin. But that depends on what the paint is based on, and powder coating paint (which is really common nowadays) isn't as high on transfer rates as steel or aluminium.

  • @pirobot668beta
    @pirobot668beta 21 день тому

    Reflections.
    Years back, I was flying model rockets at a sanctioned event.
    One fellow covered his rocket in metallic tape; perfect mirror surface all over the rocket's body, nose-cone and fins.
    We spent hours looking for that thing in knee-high grass...the 'finder' had stepped on it by accident!
    The mirrored surface faithfully reflected the image of the grass surrounding it, making a sort of 'optical Ghillie suit'.
    Would mirror-bright armor do the same in dense foliage?

  • @eideticnz
    @eideticnz 23 дні тому +1

    Reflective surfaces are also slightly harder to focus on.

  • @somecooney5304
    @somecooney5304 21 день тому

    Working on a lvl 3 ballistic shield (under 7 lbs) and trying to figure out how to heat mold mirror-backed plexi glass onto the front and keep the mirror shine. That way, someone shines a weapon light on it they blind themselves; and a mirror finish messes up a sight picture. ;)

  • @Lowlandlord
    @Lowlandlord 23 дні тому +1

    I know about the sun thing because I've watched the OG Lone Wolf and Cub movies, and read the manga for that matter.

  • @MrVeryfrost
    @MrVeryfrost 12 днів тому

    Fighting under the sun against mirror armour must have been very difficult, too.

  • @mountainhobo
    @mountainhobo 23 дні тому +1

    Blinding reflections was actually the first thing I thought about.

  • @TheKrostiman
    @TheKrostiman 23 дні тому +1

    I work with thermal imaging and I can confirm that the nature of surface of an object can greatly effect its emissivity. For this the following is relevant Highly polished metallic surfaces have low emissivity and roughened up metallic surfaces have a higher emissivity.

    • @brk932
      @brk932 22 дні тому +1

      Agreed but it might be negligible difference. In summer you will overheat very quickly with full plate armour. It's all the padding underneath.

    • @TheKrostiman
      @TheKrostiman 21 день тому

      @@brk932 makes sense but all little advantages tend to end up. I wonder how he would go about testing this.

  • @nickscurvy8635
    @nickscurvy8635 21 день тому

    Interesting. Literally my first thought was that shiny armor might reflect light at the enemies and obscure their vision in some way.

  • @pippohispano
    @pippohispano 12 днів тому

    Several Portuguese authors refered that soldiers should have their armour polished and shining because that would instill terror in their foes.

  • @Alpvagabund
    @Alpvagabund 9 днів тому +1

    I saw Lindeybeige in the thumbnail and I had to click

  • @mikecanaday1631
    @mikecanaday1631 14 днів тому

    Polished steel has a higher surface hardness. Harder steel resists corrosion for a variety of reason, some of which you touched on.

  • @konsyjes
    @konsyjes 11 днів тому

    ...a shield bedight with bits of broken mirrorglass, reflecting a thousand unpieced suns into the eyes of his enemies..." -Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian

  • @rafis117
    @rafis117 23 дні тому

    Another point a knight might consider to be in favor of mirror finish is that it could reveal flaws in the armor that another finish - particularly an appliqué finish - might hide. It’s a sort of proofing.

  • @davidcarr7436
    @davidcarr7436 17 днів тому

    A mirror polished suit of armour would be pretty conspicuous on a battlefield, pointing out that the wearer is 1) important, 2) rich. In a time when prisoners were primarily taken for ransom, a super fancy piece of kit might have been something of a life insurance policy if you were captured. Heck, you may have been able to ransom yourself with just the suit.

  • @althesmith
    @althesmith 22 дні тому

    Another thing with the highly polished armour and status- if you can afford it, you can certainly afford a decent ransom for your safe return in case of capture!

  • @MLN-yz4ph
    @MLN-yz4ph 23 дні тому

    I was thinking about the refection of the sun or even local lights like torches on this. While I doubt if it had much effect on someone up close and would not care about friend of foe in that case, I could see it causing issues with ranged attacks like bows or spears. It would not be a major protection but I could see it moving the needle a little and if that was happening in training then regardless of how it worked on a real battlefield it would make it a desired trait.

  • @DeptalJexus
    @DeptalJexus 14 днів тому +1

    Shiny armors = modern day shiny cars

  • @orderofazarath7609
    @orderofazarath7609 17 днів тому

    I heard the reflection part about bronze armor/shields where it resembled the sun.

  • @friedfish69
    @friedfish69 22 дні тому

    Two things -
    First, dark emits heat faster? How rapidly an object emits heat has to do with heat gradient and density, not color. The reality is that hot objects shed heat faster because they're hot, not because they're dark.
    Dark objects heat up in sunlight, so are hotter than similar light-colored objects. Heating up means a greater heat gradient.
    Second, is it likely that shiny armor made sense away from home? The "bust your kneecaps" threat implicit in rich armor isn't much good if you're already decided on battle. And Chaucer, who knew a thing or two about knights, thought battle led to "bismotering":
    "Of fustian he wered a gypon
    Al bismotered with his habergeon,
    For he was late ycome from his viage..."

  • @faramund9865
    @faramund9865 22 дні тому

    I had a trowel with a very rough finish and the water would literally get stuck in the grooves and cause rusting there.

  • @user-nf9yj5my8x
    @user-nf9yj5my8x 17 днів тому

    Question, would it be plausible for some knights to rub oil on their armor? Or even polish their own? Thanks for the video.

  • @here_be_dragons9184
    @here_be_dragons9184 21 день тому

    9:38 you don't need an experiment to know mirror polish will help with heat.
    Specifically with sun rays. Everything that is reflected is not absorbed and sunlight can transfer a lot of energy.
    Phenomenon is well known. Some people have even suggested dark colored cars should be banned (or car should have at least mandatory light colored roofs) in order to save energy on AC

  • @lestrike2707
    @lestrike2707 3 дні тому

    Only weird part: My plate keeps me boiling hot in summer and in the winter. There’s nothing that cools.