Colluphid Armoury: Italian Arm Harness by Craig Nadler

Italian Arm Harness

       These arm harnesses are based on a set in Churburg made in the early 1400's. They are shown in the Churburg catalog on suit #18 and in "European Armour: circa 1066 to circa 1700" by Claude Blair.
       When you print out the patterns be sure to print them as 8.5 inches by 11 inches with no margins. The arms are size medium (maybe a bit on the small side). The vambrace (or lower cannon) should be a fairly tight fit but not so tight at the wrist that it inhibits wrist motion.
       You may need to adjust the rivet holes on the lanes connected to the couter (i.e. "elbow cop"). If the lanes don't move far enough try making another lane with the rivet holes for the side having the problem a 1/16 of an inch closer to the center. If the lane is gaping then try making a lane with the rivet holes for that side a 1/16 of an inch closer to the edge.

Left arm 18ga. and 20ga. (Shown)
Right arm 16ga. and 18ga.
Finished April 1999
Right arm 18ga. and 20ga. (for tournaments)
Finished Sept. 1999

Notes about Patterns:
       All of the patterns by Craig Nadler on this web site are on 8.5 inch by 11 inch graph paper. The large squares on the paper are 1 inch by 1 inch. If you print the patterns as 8.5 inches by 11 inches with no margins they will be full scale. Instructions on how to do this are at the bottom of this page. If the patterns don't give a size they are men's size medium.
       This pattern is copyrighted, but this is only to stop someone from publishing it without giving me credit. Feel free to use any of my patterns on this site to make armour for personal use or for sale.
      -Craig Nadler
Armour Projects by Craig Nadler

Photos of Finished Piece:

Armour Pieces:

Elbow (Part 1)
Elbow (Part 2)
Rerebrace
Vambrace Bottom
Vambrace Top

I would build these arms in the following order:

1) cut out the plates
2) punch any holes which are on the patterns
3) finish the plate edges and corners
4) Roll the edges of both the vambrace halves marked --ROLL-- on the pattern
5) Dish couter/"elbow cop" and shape the wing. Raise/Shape the front of the vambrace. Shape the other plates.
6) Fine tune the articulation. Optional: Cut slots for the sliding rivets connecting the vambrace to the outer lane.
7) Polish the plates
8) Assemble the arms. Add the hinge for the vambrace. Add catch tabs for the vambrace.
9) Add the straps. Optional: Add spring pins for the vambrace.

How to print the patterns:
From Redhat Linux 5.1 with xv (Should work on any Linux or UNIX with "xv"):
Load the JPEG pattern files into "xv" (example "xv elbow_p1.jpg"). Print the file from "xv" as a grayscale image on a 8.5" X 11" page with the height and width set to 102.50%. Remember to "Center" the image after setting the height and width set to 102.50%.
From MS-Windows 95 :
If you run the program "Imaging" that's under the "Accessories" menu you can load the JPEG pattern files (*.jpg) and save them as MS-Windows Bitmap files (*.bmp). After that load the Bitmap files into "Paint" (which is also under the "Accessories" menu). Then stretch the image 128% both horizontally and vertically. I set all the margins to 0.25 inches, which was as small as the printer driver would allow. It this point I was able to print the pattern so that the squares were 1 inch by 1 inch as they should be.