Breastplates

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>>30737747
>>bound ?
Bounce, that is.

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A late 18th century continental heavy steel breastplate, musket ball proved, 2 studs and 2 hook fastenings, stitching holes to turned rim. Good Condition

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"Description: Spanish armor breastplate, or cuirass, with a “proof mark” in the left half. This hemispherical dent was the result of a musket ball fired into the armor to “prove” the efficacy of the manufacture. "

As far as I understand, they would even go on using these musket-tested armors.

As a sort of public message that "yeah, don't even bother. This thing can take it". It was something to be proud of. A sort of mark of quality.

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French Cuirassier, Napoleonic era.

After Napoleonic times, artillery and rifles had already defveloped to such degree that such armors were a bit obsolete. The last time these kind of troops were used was in first world war, and by that time they were hopelessly outmached by machine guns and generally not worth their cost.

>>30737822
some smiths face when he just gives it a solid whack with a ball point hammer and sells substandard gear as musket proof

but how cool would that be. finding and owning a breastplate that had a musket proof mark, and an actual musket bullet hole next to it

>>30737747

...if memory serves, the only time body armor ceased being used completely was during the 30s and early 40s. That's a 20 year gap at most.

>>30737937

Most armor pieces at the time were worn by important people, and were custom ordered and fitted.

When he picked it up, the smith would generally fire a pistol point-blank into the plate to prove it.

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Effectiveness during the Napoleonic Wars:

Though the armour could not protect against contemporary flintlock musket fire, it could deflect shots fired from long-range, stop ricochets and offer protection from all but very close range pistol fire. More importantly, in an age which saw cavalry used in large numbers, the breastplates (along with the helmets) provided excellent protection against the swords and lances of opposing cavalry and against infantry bayonets. It also had some psychological effect for the wearer (effectively making the cuirassier more willing to plunge into the thick of fighting) and the enemy (adding intimidation), while it also added weight to a charge, especially in cavalry versus cavalry actions.

Napoleonic French cuirasses were originally intended to be proof against three musket shots at close range; however, this was never achieved in practice. The regulations eventually recognised this, and cuirasses were subsequently only expected to be proof against one shot at long range.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuirassier

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So I guess it was like their version of modern NIJ level IIIA -protection?

Good against pistols and shit, but you really have to be lucky if the enemy has a rifle.

>>30737822
The original meaning of "Proof" is "Test". As the metal manufacture at the time was iffy, as was QC on thickness and such, the only way to be sure your armor would stop a musket was to test it against a bullet- hence "Bullet-proof". The mark is left effectively as a QC stamp.

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>>30737747
>When firearms started to get popular, it heralded the end of the heavily-clad armored knights.

Does not really fit the time line all that well. Guns got very popular in the 1430s. First the Hussite wars starting 1420 changed the Bohemian armies, then from copying the said people the Saxons, Brandenburg, the Hungarians, and the French moved to heavy firearm use as well in the late 1420s. The Ottomans fought the Hungarians in the 1430's and liked their firearms.

Full plate dropped out of common use just after 1500. The Almain rivet is the reason why that happened because it costed about 1/6 what traditional full plate did.

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>>30738459

>>30738429
>Almain rivet

personally I think armor got their reputation for being movement restricting when munition plate came into popular use.

One-size-fit-all are typically pretty uncomfortable and that's what most people wear. A tailor made full plate was limited to the very rich.

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>>30738429
Yeah, the idea of leaving things out to reduce cost was truly revolutionary.

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>>30737747
Armour in WW1.

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>>30738557
And some more here: flashbak.com/world-war-1-body-armor-1914-1918-32670/

>be blacksmith
>i hate this part of town everyone only comes here for horse shoes
>the horses shit all over the street, my shop is surrounded by horse shit
>nobles use to buy armor here
>now its just guys that want to look tough
>at least they can't figure out I use hollow musket balls and a weak powder charge

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I've seen the inside of one of these; sort of like a cross between chainmail and brigandine. Made of some shiny alloy. Maybe nickle.

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Just popping in to post this bitchin' historical artifact of a Waterloo cuirass that took a cannonball.

>>30740878

100mm stoppan powa

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>>30738547
>Yeah, the idea of leaving things out to reduce cost was truly revolutionary.

That was not the main cost saving measure, rather it was the construction method. By reducing the number of large parts it makes it easier, thus lowering the need level of skill for craftsmen, faster, and cheaper (less needed fuel). Making a replacement for something at one sixth the cost of the old product is no small feat.

Also leaving parts of the armor off greatly improved breathability, to the point most of the upper noblity also moved very quickly to the Almain rivet.

>>30740878
Was he okay?

>>30740878
Should have been wearing ceramic

>>30738563
Seems like a bad idea to deflect rounds directly into the arms

>>30740878
I've seen that one in person.
(•_•)
It was...
( •_•)>⌐■-■
...breathtaking.
(⌐■_■)
YEEEAAAAAAAHHHH.jpg

>>30740878
Holy shit

#fukkenrekt

>>30738557
This looks rad as hell. Like from a sci-fi movie.

>>30738503
People overestimate how much armor was worn by the average soldier in medieval times.

>>30740878
imagine the fucking damage that did.
fuck.

>>30740878
Did he die?

>>30740878
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbxgYlcNxE8

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>>30738503
> A tailor made full plate was limited to the very rich.

The depended on the place and time. More so on the place.

There was 2 main sites that made around 60 to 80 percent of European plate, and about 7 sites that account for almost all of the rest. The HRE had both of the main sites and two of the secondary sites. Being closer to were your armor was made would cut travel expenses and increased the chances that your lord has negotiated some discounts for those under him. The end result was that those that lived closer to the HRE used more and better quality plate then those that lived elsewhere. A German army of the mid 15th century would have 60 to 90 percent of its men wearing a complete harness, and this was before munition plate was really a thing.

>personally I think armor got their reputation for being movement restricting when munition plate came into popular use.

Very likely

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>>30740961
Fucking kill yourself you fucking reddit shit

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>>30740989
>People overestimate how much armor was worn by the average soldier in medieval times.

There was not really a average soldier in medieval times. Wages and the price of gear was all over the place and most soldiers bought their own gear. It was that way even for the knightly class. A English knight from late in the hundred years war would wear about 30 to 35 pounds of plate, commonly wearing brigandine over their chest rather then a breastplate. A French knight facing him down would likely be wearing 60 to 65 pounds of plate.

Hi all
Thank you for such interesting topic.
Keep continuing :)

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GFM with his bodyarmor.

>>30741346

have a cry poofter

>>30740878
Guy's okay. Just a flesh wound.

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a side note about cuirassiers...

These old type helmets they used had those nifty wide metal-covered chin-straps.

Apparently why were functional, and designed to stop a sword slash to the face. Sure, would still leave a big scar on your face, but would stop the blade before lethal damage is done.

Lethal damage would be done later in the sick-tent when the surgeon-barber would stuff poultice into your open wound to make sure it would have a nice infection.

But it showed that they took "enemy will have swords and it might come down to melee" seriously.

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>>30741955
Bling bling, motherfucker.

>>30741011
Nah, I'm sure he kept all his vital organs on the other side of his chest.

>When firearms started to get popular, it heralded the end of the heavily-clad armored knights.

Not really.

firearms began to grow in popularity and become commonplace around 1420, with the Hussite rebellion in bohemia.

Plate armour didnt reach its heyday, in terms of commonality of use, and technological standard, till about the 1580's, and continued in use actively till the 1630's or so - fully 200 years after the rise of the use of firearms.

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>>30740878

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>>30738459
I really like these asymmetrical ones.

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>>30740961
Gtfo

>>30742473
Jesus Christ.

>>30738464
>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuirassier

>smg fire