04.29.08

A Brief History of Flintlocks

Posted in Weapons History at 7:56 pm by Administrator

Flintlocks were an evolutionary step in the history of guns. The flintlock is the foundation for modern guns. It was a vast improvement over the matchlock guns, which were basically fired by lighting a fuse. Obviously, the matchlock wasn’t very reliable, especially in high wind or rain. You could also see the fuse burning at night, which gave away your position to your enemy.

So, the flintlock was invented to fix these problems. The way the flintlock works is by using a piece of flint to strike the steel frizzen, which creates a spark that lights the gunpowder in the pan. Pretty simple, right? The flintlock was innovation at its finest and was in use for nearly 300 years.

Check out our English Flintlock guns! Don’t forget to browse our huge selection of medieval weapons for the Rennaissance Faire too!

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04.21.08

The Battle of Thermopylae

Posted in Weapons History at 4:17 pm by Administrator

Or as most people know it now: The Battle of 300.  This amazing period of Mediterranean history was wrought with much death and destruction.  Well, actually most of early Mediterranean history was like that, but the Battle of Thermopylae was certainly the crux for the Greek people. 

Xerxes, though definitely a murderous tyrant, had nothing on his predecessors, Croesus and Darius II.  Croesus was a profoundly determined man.  He, like many tyrant kings, wanted to expand his empire.  I won’t go into what he did to earn his deadly reputation…just read The Histories by Herodotus.  The book is very easy to read, and is extremely fascinating and horrifying at the same time.

Back to the 300…the Battle of Thermopylae obviously stuck with people down through the ages.  I mean, the Battle of Marathon was probably one of the most important Battles in ancient history, but more people know about Thermopylae than they do Marathon.  The Battle of the 300 epitomizes the very nature of Spartan Greeks at the time. 

The movie, 300, was simply gorgeous.  They kept the culture fairly accurate, though some nuances were changed for modern audiences.  What I loved about the movie (other than the amazing art and colors) was the accurate depiction of Spartan battle.  The phalanx was the patented Spartan battle configuration.  Each warrior kept the warrior on the left covered with their shield.  There were no weaknesses in the phalanx and that is how the Spartans rose to fame as the strongest warriors in the world.  To make the phalanx, you need a 300 shield.  You will also need a 300 sword.  Shield in the left, sword in the right…unstoppable.

Come check out our medieval weapons and read The Histories by Herodotus!

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04.14.08

Oh, d’Artagnan!

Posted in Medieval Products at 3:01 pm by Administrator

Well, there are no musketeers here, but we sure do have the Rapiers!  The art of fencing is still alive and well today, but unfortunately the frock coats and the men in stockings have turned into people with white suits and nets over their faces.  But, the art remains the same!

The whole point (no pun intended) of the rapier is the speed at which you can attack with it.  The light, slim blade slices through the air with amazing speed.  The basket hilt is a common hilt for the rapier, as it protects the hand better than other hilts.  With the thinness of the blade and the speed of attack is taken into consideration, no wonder fencing practitioners wear that net helmet!

Check out these beautiful fencing swords and don’t forget to browse our huge selection of medieval weapons!

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04.09.08

Featured Armory Product of the Month!

Posted in Weapons on Sale at 7:40 pm by Administrator

Replica English Flintlock Pistol

This beautifully crafted flintlock pistol features a delicately engraved lock. It is constructed with a simulated wood stock and a simulated brass barrel. It is 15 inches in length.

From now until May 31st 2008 save 10% instantly on this replica pistol. Simply enter coupon code englishflint during checkout to apply the discount. Click Here to order the English Flintlock Pistol

Thanks from A2 Armory!

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04.07.08

The Ren Faire, you say?

Posted in Medieval Events at 7:47 pm by Administrator

If you are looking forward to the Renaissance Faire as much as I am, I bet you are looking for the coolest, most historically accurate knight costume you can find.  Sure, you can find some cheapie plastic knock off just about anywhere online.  But, where else can you find museum quality replicas for prices as low as A Squared Armory’s?

You have so many options when it comes to armor.  You can go with plate armor, chainmail, leather, or a combination of all three.  If your local Ren Faire is during the height of Summer, you may want to wear as little armor as possible.  It gets HOT under all that steel.  If it isn’t until October, you can wear pretty much whatever you want and you probably won’t get too hot.  Even in October, I would keep the leather armor to a minimum as it tends to retain heat more than plate armor or chainmail.

Shopping for the Renaissance Faire should be fun!  Come check out our medieval armor and knight costumes.  Get your order in early to ensure you get it before you need it!

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