Login

01-17-2005, 06:58 PM

Comparative Analysis ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å“ Corbridge versus Newstead Lorica 
 
The following is my experience regarding the relative strengths and weaknesses of the Corbridge versus Newstead types after 6 years of lorica fabrication and wear. 
 
I am interested in any similar experiences by other reenactors. 
 
I have never experienced an outright failure of the brass hinged fittings, only the ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…â€œ backing outÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚Â

FlaviusCrispus · 01-18-2005, 06:04 AM

Thanks, um, Legio VIII, for this analysis. Do you have any images of your Newstead model? I haven't, as yet, seen any depictions of reconstructed "new model" Newsteads other than those of my group, Legio VI Victrix, which has been using them for two years now. As far as I know, we were the first group to build Newsteads with the large shoulder hinges, turnkey breastplate fastenings and "slot and tab" girth hoop closures. 
 
You can see some close-ups of a couple of our Newsteads via the link at the bottom of this message. 
 
Reading over your analysis, I have to say we have yet to experience anything quite like the litany of problems you list with stretching leather, popped rivets and the like. None of the seven cuirasses we have built so far has shown any signs of girth hoop "overlaps" turning into "gaps." We do use pretty heavy-duty leather for the internal strapping, maybe 4 ounce or greater, so this may account for the lack of stretching and/or rivet pull-through problems. So far, I've had only one broken internal leather in my girth section; I performed a quick "field repair" by simply looping a leather thong around the rivet on each side of the broken section and tying it off. So far, I haven'e seen any need to do a more permanent repair; I figure I'll take care of it when I re-strap the whole section in a year or so. 
 
We wear our cuirasses, on average, at least once a month for stretches of five hours or so; the activity includes fairly strenous uphill hikes, formation marching, vigorous pilum tossing and some full-contact mock combat emplying wooden swords (we'll be taking up the needlefelt system soon). To my knowledge, none of the Newsteads has suffered any damage or breakage, aside from my one broken internal leather. The main problem we have is the loss of the "split rings" that go through the girth hoop tabs-- these have a nasty tendancy to work themselves loose and fall to the ground. Consequently, we usually end up short of split rings and have to bum them off Florentius, who always wisely carries a few extra. 
 
We also have two Corbridge A cuirasses in the group; interestingly, these have suffered several failures over roughly the same period of use (two-three years). If memory serves, these include at least two broken hinges, several popped hinge pins (often in the hinged verticle and horzontal straps), and at least three rivet pull-throughs resulting in shoulder guards gaping open. 
 
We are, to a man, impressed with the robustness and solidity of the Newstead; however, there's no denying the Newstead feels somewhat more confining, and less comfortable, than the Corbridge models. 
 
T. Flavius Crispus 
Leg VI VPF 
CA, USA 
 
 
Here is a link to some close-ups of two of our Newsteads:NEWSTEAD 
 
You can find more images of them throughout the Legio VI Victrix website: LEGIO VI 
 
Edited by: <A HREF=http://p200.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=flaviuscrispus@romanarmytalk>FlaviusCrispus</A> <IMG HEIGHT=10 WIDTH=10 SRC="http://photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/legiovi/vwp?.dir=/Flavius+photo&.src=gr&.dnm=flavhead2.jpg" BORDER=0> at: 1/18/05 9:29 pm

01-18-2005, 07:16 PM

I wouldnÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â€žÂ¢t call my list of experiences a litany. A more succinct expression of my experiences is as follows: 
 
A. 5 sets of lorica fabricated todate ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å“ 2 Corbridge A variants , 2 Corbridge B variants & 1 Newstead variant. 
 
B. Repairs to Corbridge variants limited to resetting of rivets to 3 hinges on 2 lorica in 6 years. Replacement of leather to 4 hinge straps on 2 lorica, due to aging of leather over time. 
 
C. Repairs to Newstead variant in 2 years as follows: 
 
1. Field repair and later shop repair to flattren a damaged Upper shoulder hinge ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å“ damaged during 3 hours of SCA combat. 
 
2. Replacement of 4 girth leathers on 2 occasions after 2 or 3 hours in SCA combat in 97 degree heat and 90 % humidity in which the leathers had become saturated with sweat and body salts. 
 
3. Repairs to rivet attachment of leathers to upper shoulder on 3 occasions after SCA combat. Similar conditions as noted above. 
 
D. The Corbridge variants have been subjected to many hours of wear and simulated combat, mostly of the push and shove type of shield bashing as experienced at Nashville without any noticeable wear & tear. 
 
E. The Newstead variant has been subjected to the more intense combat of the SCA where the damage was sustained in both melee and single combat. 
 
The leather used was 5 oz tooling leather. 
 
I am simply trying to share my experiences and learn from the experiences of others. 
 
Thanks

FlaviusCrispus · 01-19-2005, 01:23 AM

Ah, three hours of continuous, SCA-style combat-- that explains it! That represents a lot more stress than that to which we have subjected our cuirasses. The only comparable experiences we have would be the shoot for the TV program "Conquest," which involved a day-long, fairly continuous series of combat scenarios in miserably hot weather on steeply slanted terrain. But this was about 18 months ago, before most of our Newsteads were completed. Mine was the only proper Newstead in action at that shoot, and the stress probably did contribute to the one broken internal I suffered. 
 
Who are you and where are you located, Legio VIII? Do you have any images of your Newstead and/or Corbridges? I'm always eager to compare notes, and I'm happy to have your report on Newstead durability on the record. 
 
T. FLavius Crispus 
Leg VI VPF 
CA, USA

Login
Username:
Password:	Lost Password?
	Remember me