So, I was browsing about on middleearthnews and read an interview with an artist, Turner Mohan. I was 80% on-board as he explained his approach to illustrating Middle-earth cultures, drawing inspiration from both real-world history and mythology. I clicked through his gallery and liked what I was se...

Yea, up until this week the true Ohio Valley Summer Weather has mostly stayed away (save a high-80s day or two here and there). But we're getting into Halimath now, so autumn can't be far. As for what to do if you don't want to venture into the humidity? I've been bringing old gear up to snuff (rest...

I spent yesterday at the annual Contemporary Longrifle Association show yesterday (where I ran into forum members jbook and matthewf) and was very pleased to see an 'exhibition' of historic reproductions by some of the biggest names in the living-history circuit. This incredible collection of goods ...

Sam, it is my duty to strongly remind you that the Drughu that you call Wild-Men are to be counted among the Free Peoples and have always ever been enemies of Orc-kind. As their Sindarin name (Drú edain ) suggests, they are a part of the race of Man. Additionally, in a Fourth Age scenario any Range...

I've had good results in the past with 6-7 ounce cow leather, wet-formed around rawhide wrapped around the blade. (FWIW, those big white dog toys are a great source of rawhide for this sort of purpose.) To get a rough idea of leather thicknesses, use US coins: A dime = 3 oz A penny = 3.5 oz A quarte...

Last year there was a discussion that wound up producing an anyone-can-edit Google map of forum members. Please feel free to add yourselves!

Taurinor, my green four-point HBC (bigger but bulkier) weighs six and three-quarter pounds. My handwoven blanket (literally half the size of the grey one ^) weighs four. My ground cloth weighs three. In a scenario where I didn't have the mat, using my grey HBC and my handwoven plus my ground cloth w...

Yes! I love Tolkien's more enlightened view regarding women warriors compared to his fellow Inkling Mr. Lewis--"Battles are ugly when women fight", and all that. Blech.

Thanks, Elleth! Believe it or not, these were my first attempts at 'embroidery'! Ringulf, glad you like it. The spearhead is actually made of cardboard, spraypainted silver! Made it up years and years ago for a model UN (I was in charge of the costume committee and we got the UK, so...yeah, we went ...

In my continuing efforts to refine my Middle-earth traveling gear, I think I am getting pretty close to how things need to be. For successful outdoor overnighting I need to get at least a couple hours of sleep, and this means somehow managing to keep dry and warm. And to accomplish this, I need to b...

Couple of updates to my wearables I thought I'd share with folks. While Tolkien's description of generalized northern Mannish dress ("breeches, whether hidden by a cloak or long mantle, or merely accompanied by a tunic") does not mention underclothes, my Anduin persona is heavily influence...

A group of four Ithilien Rangers found Sam and Frodo in The Two Towers, so that seems to support that they moved in small groups, at least when tracking - they were hunting down Smeagol, if I remember correctly. Just went back and reread Book 4 Chapter 4. The primary reason for the Rangers' presenc...

In the spirit of a bare necessities 'needs-wallet' and/or just for giggles, here's a quick pic of the zipper-bag's current contents (clockwise from top): a bear's claw, coyote's canine, piece of amber, piece of mammoth (mumak of Forochel?) ivory threaded on a length of buckskin, firesteel and flints...

Sorry for the knee-jerk reaction, but: before going through the anguish of deciding what foot/lower leg covering will go best with your sweatpants, you should first run--don't walk--to your local thrift shop and find a pair of >$5 serviceable, plain linen trousers to replace the sweatpants you're go...

Honestly, I would stick with wool or canvas leg-wraps proper. The fur-on-the-outside (especially when combined with studded leather straps) fairly screams Fantasy as opposed to authentic history. On a note of practicality, normal winningas are just one piece wrapped continuously--as a Ranger in the ...