Mid-15th Century Italian style leg harnesses:
Size: Medium
Length: 32 inch inseam
Completed: July 3, 1999

They are made from 304 stainless steel. The demi-greave, 2 lames below the knee cop, and the last (outer) wrap plate are 18ga. and the rest is 16ga.

They are more or less based on the legs seen in the Churburg catalog on suit #18. They are also shown in Arms and Armour of the Medieval Knight By David Edge on a Mid-15th Century Italian suit. A line drawing of the suit is on the following page. Another line drawing of them can be seen in European Armour: circa 1066 to circa 1700 by Claude Blair.

Note the differences between the two line drawings and the pictures. The line draw in Arms and Armour of the Medieval Knight seems to have mistakes. It shows the plate at the top of the cuisse extending down the side and the wrap plates being attached to it.

Knees with demi-cuisse Finished Nov. 1999

Patterns (Click on thumbnail for full-size image)

Upper Cuisse

Cuisse and Wrap Plates

Top Lames and Demi Cuisse

Knee Cop
             

Bottom Lames and Demi Greave

I would build this helmet 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 top edge of the cuisse and upper cuisse plates. Roll the top and bottom edge of the two wrap plates.
5. Dish knee cop and shape the wing on the knee cop. Shape the other plates.
6. Add a crease down the center of the legs.
7. Fine tune the articulation
8. Polish the plates
9. Assemble the legs
10. Add the straps