Where to Shop

The notes below about possible sources of SCA combat gear should not be regarded as endorsements of any of the suppliers noted. Always start by asking on the Southron Gaard Discussion list, just in case one of our members has some stock of what you are seeking, or can offer good, up-to-date advice about where to look.

  • Armourer Available:
    Lord Dieter is available to assist with any kind of armouring project -- creation, maintenance, repair... Tel: 03 360 0909.
  • Leather for armour etc.: The most common source locally is Lapco, 93-97 Clarence St, Tel: 343 3892.
  • Rattan for swords and pole weapons: Rattan Competitive Cane, Unit 21/80 Waltham Rd, tel 027 432 3911. The owner, Tony, is typically very helpful, and sells rattan for roughly $30 per 3-4m length; you can cut them on-site for transport if necessary. Typically you want poles in the 30-32mm diameter range. He can arrange couriering to other cities at very reasonable rates if you ask him to first cut poles to 2.4m or less.
  • Fibre/"strapping" tape for arrows, swords etc. 3M catalogue number 8957NA for the 1" width. It can be bought at Shardlows in Saxon St, between Cashel and Tuam Sts, near (a little beyond) Fitzgerald Ave. In Australia, can be easily bought at Bunnings, Mitre 10 etc. for about $A9 a roll.
  • Mesh for your helm (during combat archery): Coulter Wire Works, 63 Coleridge St Sydenham, Christchurch, Tel 366 0636. Always try for offcuts, or sometimes they have "near-new" mesh. Buying new should always be the last resort. If you end up in the offcuts section make sure that you have a good pair of gloves! Also take along a sample of legal mesh to make sure that they know what you are after.
  • Rapier/fencing gear: Fencing masks and mundane jackets can be bought locally at Mainland Fencing Equipment, 30 Hillview Road, Phillipstown, Christchurch. mainlandfencing@yahoo.co.nz, 03 365 8281.
  • Combat Archery blunts (Riverhaven Mk II): These are often available locally in small quantities, or from THL Emrys (below). Otherwise, you can import them for around $A1.10 each, plus postage, by contacting the Seneschal of either the Barony of River Haven, or the Barony of Politarchopolis. See this page for contact information for these groups.
  • Period bows and other archery gear: THL Emrys Tudur, from the Barony of Ildhafn (Auckland) is frequently able to supply period-style bows, arrows, feathers, shafts, points and blunts, and often travels to these parts. You can contact him at: this address.
  • General archery gear: Aim-Tru Archery, 34 Mowbray St, Waltham, Tel: 962 5920.
  • Patterns for armour, helms etc. Probably the best online resource is Armour Archives, who also have excellent support forums. Other examples from Master Gwynfor Lwyd can be found here. And a set of resources for making the additional society minimum armour required for combat archery by August 2008 is accumulating here.
  • You can directly order armour items from good SCA suppliers such as Tara Forge and Stonekeep Armoury. There are many other suppliers to be found on the Web but you need to be very sure their equipment is SCA-legal.
  • Patterns for gambesons and the like may be found here and this site has basic armour patterns as well.
  • General "stuff": A browse around the Super Shed recycling centre in Pages Rd can often turn up useful things at drastically low prices, and Terra Nova in Buchanans Rd, Hornby can help you source "waste" products with similar potential for taking on a new SCA life.