Fascinating stuff but also bear in mind that C18th is a fairly small part of the reenactment scene in the UK and trekking in particular is rare (legally and logistically tricky for a start) so not many folk can join in with your discussion other than to appreciate nice equipment and the information ...

Louisa's in Durham and may be able to help-
http://www.rentapeasant.co.uk/

Wouldn't quarterstaff be a bit more feasible? Quarterstaff wasn't typically used wearing appropriate protective equipment though. I don't think modern western audiences would generally be in favour of slow-mo footage of what just happened to one competitor's skull when 8' of 2" diameter oak co...

Being on a horse'd be a pretty good start

Forums are of themselves "old and dated" so not fussed what it actually looks like as long as it works

Both of these schools are based in Brighton-

Sussex Sword Academy-
http://www.sussexswordacademy.org/
(they can also provide links to Andrew Feest who is semi-retired and only teaching privately now- well worth a visit)

1595 Club-
http://www.the1595.com/

Still works for me- tho' it's even quieter than here (and all forums in general)

Wouldn't you be better off with a shire horse? Knights were heavy.

Mark Griffin wrote: If I was doing it I'd be calling it The Duke of Buckingham's Men and every weekend we'd go sight seeing to La Rochelle....

I'll form "The Flashing Blades" and we can fight each other every Saturday morning for 30 minutes; we already have a theme tune...

I'm assuming other hobby/special interest groups are going to be treated in the same way. Especially so if NARES are involved since they are famed* for their inclusiveness, transparency, accessibility, communication and popularity among reenactors... * or is it "notorious" I am thinking of?

I've seen some (English) Police guidance for Victorian/Edwardian chaps who wanted to carry sec.58 pinfires/pepperboxes with their kit, claiming it as an "Ornament", which said that reenactment was "outside the home" so Obsolete Calibres couldn't be present in that context...if on...

If Home Office guidance included them it would simply mean CPS would be directed not to prosecute for simple possession in the home or their sale. If that came in then you'd have the interesting situation of being able to pop over to Calais with your freshly-delivered-by-Amazon bandook but not be a...

If it catches your imagination we still have spaces at the Smallsword Symposium-
http://www.blackboarswordsmanship.co.uk/symposium.html

Duelling in the C18th'd be smallsword (assuming you're not somewhere Mediterranean for which you'd need knives) for which this book'd be ideal and was cretaed with fellows such as you in mind with additional essays on how to practice etc- http://www.wyvernmedia.co.uk/shop#!/The-Art-of-the-Smallsword...

Not used them m'self but heard good things- and they have one famous punter:
http://sewveryhistorical.moonfruit.com/ ... 4575484518

Excellent blog with your answer here-
http://themedievalhunt.com/tag/medieval-dogcollar/

Leeds Castle has a collection of originals well worth a look too-
http://www.leeds-castle.com/Attractions ... lar+Museum

Maxime Chouinard has done a lot of research on the C19th tournament scene which he details here- http://hemamisfits.com/2014/12/20/the-first-hema-tournament/comment-page-1/#comment-875 You can get him direct at the Museum of Healthcare where he works on his email here- http://museumofhealthcare.ca/a...

Prometheus Gearing- http://www.prometheusgearing.co.uk/ Darcy Clothing- http://www.darcyclothing.com Tails & Unexpected- https://www.tailsandtheunexpected.com/ You can also still find originals through vendors/dealers like these chaps- http://www.hogspear.com/ Boots- http://rufflander.co.uk/prod...

I'd be very wary of their offer to transport working firearms over by car for you!

Colin Middleton wrote: as did the question of whether we could ever try any of the mounted techniques.

You might try asking to do such at this event; it sounds right up their boulevard- http://rossfechten-symposium.com/

Shoes n leather bits- http://www.foxblade.co.uk/ Clothes n accessories- http://www.sj-seamstress.com/ http://www.cloakedanddaggered.com/ Saddlery- Pipistrelle leather Firearms- http://www.derbyshirearms.co.uk/ Hats- http://www.kittyhats.madasafish.com/htdocs/ Accessories- http://www.lettersofmarque....

He plays with these fellows so maybe try contacting them-
https://bartitsuclubiow.wordpress.com/contact/

No uniform, technically had kit supplied but generally sorted themselves out for clothing, horses and firearms on the promise of being reimbursed which rarely happened on top of being one of the worse jobs of the era; imagine being a self-employed Special Policeman and you get the idea. Liked by nob...

I had splendid service from these fellows-
http://www.kittyhats.madasafish.com/htdocs/

Try this-
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Medieval-Furnit ... 021&sr=1-2

It's by Emma H-D; she's very good and the pictures very gory so well worth going to

Prometheus Gearing- http://www.prometheusgearing.co.uk/ Timely Fashion- https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ATimelyFashion?ref=l2-shopheader-name TnB originals- https://www.facebook.com/TnbOriginals?fref=ts Darcy Clothing- http://www.darcyclothing.com/shop/ Old Town Clothing- http://www.old-town.co.uk/ Clo...

Terry Brown covers the varnish/paint issue in his "English Martial Arts" book when it comes to bills kept in storage- it may provide further leads.

It's usually interpreted as "varnished" and "unvarnished".