Medieval Splint Vambraces

Splinted arm bracers with Celtic etching

Splint armours made an appearance during the Vendel Era, and still are well-known for their lightweight design and strength, provided by combination of pliable and rigid materials - thick genuine leather and elongated metal plates arranged along the extremities. They were used to cover the limbs both in the Dark Ages and in the Middle Ages as a part of transition armour. Nice balance between weight, protection properties and flexibility makes them perfect for modern medieval style fencing.

Ten cold-forged stainless steel bars are pierced for riveting and attached to the thick leather base with cast brass hardware on each bracer. The inside is covered with split leather backing. To make them SCA-legal, the vambraces were complemented with all-metal removable cops for the elbows protection, adorned with corresponding Celtic entrelac along the borders and etched hound on the side rondel. Adjustable leather belts with brass buckles are used for fastening the armor to the forearm, and leather laces for attaching the elbow cops.

The etched pattern depicting a hound echoes famous Celtic ornaments, formed by an endless interlacing of lines, loops, spirals and knots. In Celtic mythology, the hound accompanied the god-healer Nodens and was one of the attributes of the solar god Lugh. The image of a dog was the embodiment of devotion, guard force, and vigilance. Splint bracers are available with Western style pattern as well.

You are welcome to check the matching Splinted Greaves with Knee Cops, and straight Handmade Splint Combat Bracers.

What's the difference between bracers and vambraces?

When wording and terms are widely dependent on the historical context and period, these two terms often intersect, so we wanted to clarify it for our customers. Bracers are often associated with shorter and lighter forearm protection, typically as a part of the costume, light armor, or archery outfit, while vambraces are a part of medieval plate armor and are supposed to provide complete protection of a fighter's forearm and, often, elbow, like bazubands, for example. In the reality of modern sword fighting, the term "bracers" is often used along with "armguards" as a general term for forearm protection.

To check how to measure yourself please click here.

Please contact us if you have any additional questions.

Important note: please take into account that we need your measurements in gambeson or other under-armour gear you are planning to use with this armor. The only exception is when you are ordering both armour and padding from our company — in this case you can send us your body measurements.

Safety disclaimer: Sword-fighting and fencing is a dangerous sport. Fencing, historical fencing, medieval reenactment and martial arts as well as other related types of activity, are inherently connected to a certain risk level of injuries or death. The Company declines all responsibility for any traumas or harm done to oneself or to the third person, along with any material or consequential damage, impaired during the products usage. We admonish that all acts with armour, weapons or their components have to be performed before designated person who is responsible for safety of the particular event and accredited to supervise armour and sport weapon conformance to the event’s standards.