08-15-2003, 01:44 PM
I've read somewhere that iron produced with a low furnace method, as opposed to the modern high furnace is less sensible to rust. I don't know but I'd be glad to get details on that.<br>
I also very vaguely remember a column made of pure iron in India, that has been erected in the open there centuries ago and does not bear any rust.<br>
Besides, isn't polishing the best method to get rid of rust?<br>
Up to the 12th century, armours were often painted in the heraldic colors of the wearer. The helmets, rather, since the armour was not yet the armour of plates but still mail.<br>
With the development of the armour of plates, the complete harness was finally developed and in the 15th century came to be called in France "harnois plain" (plain harness) or "harnois blanc" (white harness). Milan and Augsburg were the main centers of production.<br>
It was called "plain" or "white" harness because it was entirely polished, and that is definitely a bigger surface than a segmentata...<br>
I don't know the method used for polishing but obviously it was an efficient one.<br>
As for the black and white armours or the 16th century, they were characteristic of the Reiters, german cavalrymen in the service of anyone that would pay good money. They were known as "the Blackened Devils" or "the smeared" (les barbouillés), not because of the black parts of their armour, but because a lot of them were of low grade and the blackened parts were not blued but painted black, with a bad quality paint that would wear off on their faces.. <p></p><i></i>
I also very vaguely remember a column made of pure iron in India, that has been erected in the open there centuries ago and does not bear any rust.<br>
Besides, isn't polishing the best method to get rid of rust?<br>
Up to the 12th century, armours were often painted in the heraldic colors of the wearer. The helmets, rather, since the armour was not yet the armour of plates but still mail.<br>
With the development of the armour of plates, the complete harness was finally developed and in the 15th century came to be called in France "harnois plain" (plain harness) or "harnois blanc" (white harness). Milan and Augsburg were the main centers of production.<br>
It was called "plain" or "white" harness because it was entirely polished, and that is definitely a bigger surface than a segmentata...<br>
I don't know the method used for polishing but obviously it was an efficient one.<br>
As for the black and white armours or the 16th century, they were characteristic of the Reiters, german cavalrymen in the service of anyone that would pay good money. They were known as "the Blackened Devils" or "the smeared" (les barbouillés), not because of the black parts of their armour, but because a lot of them were of low grade and the blackened parts were not blued but painted black, with a bad quality paint that would wear off on their faces.. <p></p><i></i>
