ARM / TORM Visit, 15th March 2025

Booty!

So Mick and I went to visit the TORM & ARM events in Warwickshire. I was after shield-bosses, shoes, another helmet, maybe a flag pole.

It was very busy at both events, TORM parking was rammed full. We had a good stroll round both, handling swords, wincing at prices, considering axes, etc.

NB: if you're looking for a fighting axe, remember to avoid top-hafted examples. They ain't safe - the head should be put on from the bottom of the shaft. We saw lots of top-hafted examples, and some were pretty good, but not 'fightable'.

UPDATE: I am reliably informed that top-hafted axes are fine in the Society unless they're dane-axes (and even that may change). Also, I checked my fighting axe (my first weapon) and ... it's top-hafted. So, as usual, disregard me. I think they ain't safe, though I actually bought one and have used it for decades.

At TORM we found some very nice shield bosses, hand-forged by a blacksmith. They were £16 each, but he took £60 for 4, so £15 a pop. I need two for Adam & Tom, I believe Freya wants to buy one, and Mick said he thought Ella might want one? If not I have a spare. Time for me to think about marine plywood some more. Mmm, marine plywood.

We also got some nice thick leather which I want to make arm-guards out of for Adam & Tom: for under-tunic use, of course. It was quite a bargain, £59 for a big sheet - a half-hide, I think? There should be some spare after two pairs of arm-guards, maybe enough for another pair.

Then we went to ARM just a few miles further down the road.

Just inside the door we found Rifleman Harris of Sharpe fame - Jason Salkey. I got his book (signed) about the making of Sharpe's Rifles: From Crimea With Love. We also got a couple of pictures which was cool. He was a nice bloke, though perhaps too tall.

No sign of Sean Bean, was probably making tea or getting killed again. Wotevs.

Yes, he is quite tall

NB: Rifleman Harris's character in Sharpe was not in the original books - they actually introduced him because a real Rifleman of the 95th wrote an account of his time in the peninsular war, and his name was Benjamin Harris. I have this book, of course:

We didn't find any helmets that were apt, but I did get a couple of pairs of shoes for the boys (size 10!) from the Merchant of Menace who is "Society Approved".

And, of course, I bought some mead. It's very nice.

I'll probably buy another helmet just like the last one I got from Armor Arena online, took 3 weeks to arrive, which is pretty good.

Oh, muvver!