Can anyone tell me of their experiences with them, or about the accuracy and craftsmanship of their work? My interest is in historical authenticity and for wear in sparring.

Get Dressed For Battle

I then tried to email them from their website's link and that crashed too.

Eventually I got a mate of mine in England to buy the items I wanted. These were the ball headed spear heads which are good.

I would probably buy more of their stuff if their sales system for non-UK residents worked and was more user friendly. I buy a lot of my gear from overseas and their on-line sales system sucks very badly compared to others that I have used.

If you are a non-UK resident, VAT is not charged at the UK end and you may need to advise the provider of this although most of the time the web-sales software recognises your non-residency and removes the VAT automatically.

I hope this helps.

[ 08-14-2008: Message edited by: Callum Forbes ]

[ 08-14-2008: Message edited by: Callum Forbes ]

[ 08-14-2008: Message edited by: Callum Forbes ]

--------------------

URL=http://www.jousting.co.nz

I've heard mixed reviews. I think we might have some GDFB items. I believe that currently the Milanese Gauntlets are out of stock. Another member of WA was thinking about getting them and that's what they told him.

Other than that...I don't really know what to tell you.

In regard to VAT, Callum is correct. If you are a non-UK buyer, you do not have to pay VAT.

You might have to pay an import duty on the US side depending on what the item is. I know we had to pay a fee on our tent which came from the UK.

Jenn

--------------------

I've been able to handle some pieces and it is really is hit or miss with their products. Like most mass-produced items some runs are better than others. They do have some faults i.e. they are oversized, in some examples they achieved the rolled edge by welding a strip to simulate the roll, and lastly the rivet placement are not always correct and functional. Are they better than Windlass in getting the feel? Yes, very much so. Are they beyond munitions quality, I would say no and may even require some tinkering to get to a true munitions piece. Ultimately it depends on the standards that you are trying to achieve.

The good news in that CAS Iberia is a US importer and they have most items in stock. CAS Iberia Just find a dealer that does business with them.

Also as a bit of a funny aside, the pauldrons are mounted on the wrong shoulders in the full armor pics.

--------------------

Db

I am now starting a full-court press to get one of GDFB's sallets to help with my Burgundian Pikeman/Halbardier portrayal as a very early Christmas present.

The other thing that you should know is that though the profile looks great, the head on shape is a little off along the medial ridge. Also the occular is a bit too wide in comparison to historical.

If you're handy it can be a fun helmet to tinker with, i.e. removing the leather lining and installing a historical liner, tightening up the fit of the visor to helmet, cleaning up the welds, etc. Even without the "adjustments" it can be a nice helmet. Ultimately it depends on what you are looking for and what level of accuracy you intend to portray vs. funds available.

One last advise, know that they run big. I'm a 7 1/2 60cm and can comfortably fit in a Medium with enough room for a historical liner.

I hope that you find this information useful, Kent and enjoy the helmet if indeed purchase it. Look around ebay, you can pick one up easly for $175.

Best,

Db

--------------------

Db

I have the GDFB breastplate, and am pleased with it.

--------------------

Wrong shoulders -and- upside down.

They are still gdfb.co.uk and/or getdressedforbattle.co.uk (same)

The other company (original supplier) is gdfbglobal.co.uk

I haven't seen anything from the new supplier. So... feedback anyone?

CAS Iberia Venetian Sallet

I bought it from a web site that had it drop shipped from CAS Iberia. It lists for $259 and I got it for $219.

This is a helmet that gdfb.co.uk no longer lists on their site. I don't know if that means it's from the old manufacturer or what. CAS Iberia has them in stock and ships right away from Tennessee. No VAT and no sales tax in Massachusetts.

The reason I got it is that despite CAS calling it Venetian, it is a copy of the sallet found in St. Mary's Guild Hall in Coventry, England. The provenance of the original is unknown, but it is a style that is distinctly English c. 1460 and was probably made in England rather than an import. The original is quite well known for that reason and it appears in several of the Osprey books on the Wars of the Roses. The unusual style -- neither Milanese, nor German -- attracted me.

The reproduction helmet is a mass-produced piece made up of halves arc welded together. The fit and finish is a little rough and I intend to clean it up with a small grinder. Other than that I'm very pleased with it for the price. Of course it is nowhere up to the standard of a custom made helmet, but should be functional and good looking with a minimum of work.

One thing that was interesting was the fit. At first I thought it was too small despite the fact that the stated size was 25 inch circumference and my head is 23 1/2 inches around. It is a half visor style so that the top edge of the face opening is also the top edge of the ocular. If I pulled the helmet down so that I could see out the ocular with the visor closed, the top edge of the face opening cut into my eye brows. I discovered that when I opened up the liner, the helmet sat down farther on my head and no longer pushed against my brow ridge (no Neanderthal jokes please). It seems this is an artifact of the high crown combined with the half visor; it is meant to sit low on your head with the edges almost on your shoulders, rather like a barbute. I may replace the liner sometime in the future which might also affect how much forwards or backwards it sits on my head.

The helmet also came with a bevor which I rather like. It needs to have padding put into the chin, but other than that fits well.

Maybe I'll put some pictures up if I get a chance.

Regards,

First are pics of the bevor. It is made up of four pieces. The right and left halves are welded together and then

the top is riveted inside of the bottom. You can see the weld in the top halves in this pic:

The rolled edge is actually a strip welded on.

Best Regards,

Best Regards,

Best Regards,

Thanks for posting these pics since this is a piece that I have not been able to handle.

I have a couple of questions that I am hoping you could answer. Looking at the profile of the peak, how is it made? Could you run your finger along the inside and tell me if it is actually part of the bowl being pushed up or is it only some extra material that they welded onto the top and ground into shape.

I like the profile of this one a lot better than the "export" sallet and am wondering if it could tolerate a bit of reshaping to remove the peak.

Thanks in advance or your reply. By the by, would it be too much trouble to post some pics w/o the decorations?

Best,

Db

--------------------

Db

'Fraid the peak is formed into the bowl, not added on -- in other words, not built up. The bowl is made up of two halves welded together and the peak is formed into the halves before the welding. If you wanted to take it down, you would have to pound it down on a stake anvil. Since there is a medial ridge to the top of the bowl, that would take some reasonably fancy pounding to reduce the peak without reducing the ridge.

Photos will have to wait until next weekend. I don't have photo floods, so I need natural lighting.

Best Regards,

It looks like mild steel to me, so I bet it wouldn't be much harder to work than taking a dent out of a '57 Chevy. If you had a narrow stake anvil that was close to matching the medial ridge, you could hit the peak with a torch without damaging it and tap it down hot. I'd reheat it afterwards and let it anneal and then you'd have to polish out the heat coloring.

The lining would probably have to come out before all that. Nothing is actually touching the crown of the bowl, but it would be a pain to try to work around. The lining is riveted in with round-headed steel rivets. You could replace them with decorative brass rivets if you wanted.

Best Regards,

There have been a few myths in re-enactment circles about “Get Dressed For Battle”. To clarify, all items under this brand have been developed by A Plaisance and Patrick Duval from www.medievae.com and a few other renowned historians exclusively
for IHTS (Indian Handicrafts & Textiles Syndicate), who own the brands registered under MadridProtocol for Europe and under
USPTO for the United States. All the products are manufactured by them in their own factory and generate employment for more
than 150 employees. IHTS has spent a lot of time and money in developing historically accurate armours, maille and weapons for
full contact re-enactment under this brand.

Currently you can source high quality original GDFB items either directly from Historical Reproductions GmbH in Germany
who are distributors for GDFB items in Europe and sell through their website www.gdfbglobal.com or you can source them
from our dealer in the UK Viking Designs Limited (Mercia Sveiter) www.re-enactment.com

We are no longer supplying getdressedforbattle Limited UK original “GDFB” re-enactment goods.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Brent E Hanner:
If you know any SCA fighters I'd love to hear what they have to say about it. Cause if its got the stength its a hard core score.

---

Hi Brent,

I'm not really in the SCA loop, but I know some people who are. I'll ask around and see if they know if the helmets have passed muster there.

Personally, I think my helmet could take quite a beating except for one thing: the visor don't latch closed, so there is the possibility of it being raised by a blow from below.

Best Regards,

quote:

---

Originally posted by Erik D. Schmid:
[B]There has been quite a bit of confusion as of late concerning GDFB. Here is an update on their status:...

---

Eric,

Thank you for the information. Do you have any information on what CAS Iberia is selling under the GDFB brand name in the US? Is that the current line from IHTS just like in Germany and the UK? My helmet shipped from CAS Iberia and they seem to have most items in stock.

Best Regards,

Yes, CAS Iberia sells the current line from IHTS.