Fantastic!

Good idea and materials saving to just tuck the apron in to the belt.
So the advent of ties on aprons was when the wearing of belts went out of fashion presumably?

Maybe that's why mead is so popular because it combines the two essential properties for healing...honey, I understand, has antiseptic/healing properties and having it turned into alcohol has the anaesthetic properties

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You could start with these, might lead you to what you're looking for.

The herb specialists will know this I expect but camfor, lavender, etc spring to mind with me. I don't know how common they'd be at that time though.
As I say, the herb people on here will know I'm sure

It's no consolation but you've got to realise how privilaged you are to have met such logic from one of the world's prize idiots

Thank you for that John I knew about using water based devices (but not the names of them) but i was intrigued by the spirit level and I didn't realise how early the spirit level as I know it was invented. For some reason I'd thought it would be about late 1700s.

Sorry to wander off topic folks.

Alice the Huswyf wrote:It actually is as easy as "falling off" - you are wrong - you were right.

Very smart and good to know there's more people starting to enjoy this hobby all the time

Now that makes much more sense Lucy

It must have been one of my 'misquotes'...like "it's as easy as falling off a bicycle, you never forget how to do it"" rather than "as easy as riding a bicycle, you never forget how to do it"

Sometimes referred to as "over egging the bacon". You have my sypmathy. I've done this so often in real life, thankfully I'm sooo dreadful at sewing, etc. that my kit doesn't get too much chance of "improvement" either way. And can anyone tell me why it's "over egging the ba...

But all re-enactment is "cheating". We arrive at a site in modern (ish) vehicles, set up a less than likely (as an archer I wouldn't be staying in a dirty great big comfortable tent like I and many others do) camp. We dress up in clothes that are realistic to a greater or lesser extent (bu...

Maybe that's where the practice of having the tie up of the apron at the front comes from? Easier to get it undone...but then isn't there the danger of the loose tie ends getting in the fire?

Before anyone has a go at me for being picky or nasty, this is a genuine question of interest....when was the first known spirit level in history? I wouldn't put it past the Egyptians to have come up with one. If they didn't have them in Bronze age, would they have used some other method or just wor...

Such a shame but glad to hear you'll be having another go. Perhaps the whole thing needed soaking to swell the timbers/seal the joints before floatation attempt?
(Obviously I know little about boats...just an idea)

guthrie wrote:Just don't let it get too greasy and then lean over the fire. Apparently apron fires have been a common cause of death for centuries. Or so I have read.

Justice for cooks with poor hygiene rating?

Great photos of a beautiful piece of work
Why was the launch not so successful? Seems a shame after all that, were you there to see what happened?

I'd suggest linen, or later on, cotton, as it's a lot easier to clean than leather.

Lots of work but well worth it

That makes more sense Chris. Overdoing the 'officer' bit is like too much admin in an organisation, doesn't work too well.

I was actually referring to winding up people who deserved it at the time so I'm not keen on the tirade on 'authenticity' :( Maybe you just proved a point to me though....slight lack of sense of humour overall when it comes to discussing the ins and outs of what really happened in the past...too muc...

In our group we usually refer to Dave as our "Captain of Archers". It's not an official rank in any way, it's just that he knows what we're all supposed to be doing, and besides, it winds so many other people up that we consider it fun

I suspect you're probably right Matt, the armouring improvements started quite early on so any need to increase draw weights to use heavier arrows would have been then too (around 1400s and on). If it worked they would keep using it and there must be a point at which an optimum is reached...as said ...

Wasn't it supposed to be very wet in Britain early on as well? There were crop failures and famines in 14thC weren't there? So, presumably the yew growing in warmer, drier climes at the time would have been better during 15thC, hence the importing.

But aren't we coming back then to a time (by Henry VIII) that the 'heyday' of the artillery bow has gone? It's like Henry wanted to keep some sort of tradition alive...a bit like the Victorians did later. I'd like to see more references to the bow, arrows, etc. and archery skills requirements from e...

bjarkileach wrote:http://www.capapie.co.uk

I agree, but not cheap and nasty cheap, good price for good quality.

A joy to watch someone create something like that whether re-enactment or not.
I wonder how long it really took to do (can't tell from the speeded up film but I expect someone clever on here could work it out)?
Thank you for posting it Vermin

alfred the bowyer wrote:Hm yes, the notion "horses for courses " comes to mind

I think that's the whole point...adapt to what's required at the time and lets face it, if everyone hadn't done that, we wouldn't be here now would we

I absolutely agree with the idea of bow, string, arrow and archer being in harmony to get the best result. I have a lovely ash bow made by Jon (so, of course it's the best bow in the world, it's mine) and i think it's weight is still around 50lb...plenty for little old me :D but you know I have good...

I agree on both points. The picture doodled in the margin may be more relevent than the text but we don't know that as 100% certain. I think speculation and to some extent extrapolation (from confirmed 100% bona fide evidence, which no-one really has) is reasonable as long as we're all honest about ...