October 8, 20178 yr Discover the world of medieval knights and see how their armor was made. This episode of Nova features Ric Furrer who did the one on the Ulfberht sword as well as a master armorer. Check it out, secrets of the shining knight: http://www.pbs.org/video/secrets-of-the-shining-knight-bt1me1/
October 8, 20178 yr It wasn't bad. I'd sure like to see better science though, their "experts" weren't very. Good to see you again Ric. You aren't getting any prettier though. Frosty The Lucky.
October 9, 20178 yr Author 22 hours ago, Laeraor said: Not a bad watch despite it's few inaccuracies! Please do tell, what inaccuracies are you referring to? 22 hours ago, Frosty said: It wasn't bad. I'd sure like to see better science though, their "experts" weren't very. Good to see you again Ric. You aren't getting any prettier though. Frosty The Lucky. What issue did you have with their experts, inquiring minds want to know.
October 10, 20178 yr Author While I'm not an armourer, I thought like most nova shows it was done well. The little bit of armour forming they did show appeared to be done hot.
October 10, 20178 yr it can be found on youtube. I watched it last night as I knew some and have heard of most of the folks involved. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntSnOeB3xW0&t=22s
October 11, 20178 yr I enjoyed it. Just a shame that, as usual, there isn't enough of the working side being shown instead of mostly just theory. Maybe one day it'll be different.
October 11, 20178 yr One nice little detail: the embroidery on the sleeve of the ballistics technicians that reads, "One test is worth a thousand expert opinions"!
October 11, 20178 yr I didn't say it wasn't a good watch, I was just disappointed in the science. The on screen "experts" were historians which isn't a bad thing. What they either don't know or they didn't edit the narrator for were the metallurgical details of the steel itself. The crystalline structure of plate armor is pretty well known, as is the reason for folding. If these details were genuinely a mystery to the on screen experts then they aren't current by years. If they actually are current then they were playing the contrived drama game. It was a good show I'd just like to see better from NOVA, I'm getting used to it though. <sigh> Frosty The Lucky.
October 11, 20178 yr Contrived, Ric knows his stuff and Alan Williams wrote the book on it! ("The Knight and the Blast Furnace, A History of the Metallurgy of Armour in the Middle Ages & the Early Modern Period"---best current work on the metallurgy of armour! 900+ pages large format (11.5"x8.5") and if you drool over micro-structure photos bring a beach towel! I'd bet it would stop a musket bullet!) I was disappointed with the false drama too especially as it was at the expense of putting more information into it. (and yes I have a copy of the book)
October 12, 20178 yr Author 9 hours ago, ThomasPowers said: Alan Williams wrote the book on it! ("The Knight and the Blast Furnace, A History of the Metallurgy of Armour in the Middle Ages & the Early Modern Period"---best current work on the metallurgy of armour! 900+ pages large format (11.5"x8.5") and if you drool over micro-structure photos bring a beach towel! I'd bet it would stop a musket bullet!) This book can be yours for the low price of $246.25 on Amazon!
October 12, 20178 yr 16 hours ago, ThomasPowers said: Contrived, Ric knows his stuff and Alan Williams wrote the book on it! ("The Knight and the Blast Furnace, A History of the Metallurgy of Armour in the Middle Ages & the Early Modern Period"---best current work on the metallurgy of armour! 900+ pages large format (11.5"x8.5") and if you drool over micro-structure photos bring a beach towel! I'd bet it would stop a musket bullet!) I was disappointed with the false drama too especially as it was at the expense of putting more information into it. (and yes I have a copy of the book) ILL request submitted!
October 12, 20178 yr I just ordered the companion book "The Sword and the Crucible: A History of the Metallurgy of European Swords Up to the 16th Century"
October 15, 20178 yr Michael Pikula did a huge amount of work on the show as well. I spent about 6 months working out the particulars and I second any work my Alan Williams. Jeff Wasson in NY is the armorer...best in the US. Ric
October 16, 20178 yr Hey Ric; you still interested in any more of the water tower wrought iron? I'm about to admit that I have more than I will ever use and could bring some to quad-state next year.
October 16, 20178 yr Thomas, I just used some for a class this weekend. Yes, I will take all you care to sell. Ric
September 30, 20187 yr I didn't find a better spot to post this, but if it is in the wrong spot, please move it Really enjoyed the attached Nova show. They examine how the knight's armor was made hard enough to with stand the modern technology of fire arms. intitially it succeded during the short period where the two technologies overlapped. The make 30 pound blooms that they forge into plates to be made into armor. heat treat and temper. I enjoyed it quite a bit. Hope you guys do too if you've not already seen it.
September 30, 20187 yr Well you could add it to either of the two threads that discussed it earlier. google: secrets of the shining knight site:iforgeiron.com to find them easily. It is now merged
September 30, 20187 yr Thanks Thomas It should be noted that I went back and tried to search as you suggest. using Windows 10 the default browser is bing. searching "secrets of the shining knight iforgeiron" does not yield a result in the first two pages. when searching today on google it did yield it as the first result.
February 12, 20206 yr This is now on Netflix (for now at least) My daughter is home sick, wife has exams, so I stayed home with her- She said she's glad the "hot pieces" didn't hit Ric's beard at the power hammer- "I don't want it to burn his face!" Much better production than the "History Ch" stuff I grew up watching in the 90's and early 2000's. Love learning, happy my kids do to. Thanks for the suggestion!
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