Re: Request for Viking Chair Advice

[Corun MacAnndra <corun@access.digex.net>]

Poster: Corun MacAnndra <corun@access.digex.net>

Erica wrote:
>
>
>I've never really understood the point of making those 'viking chairs'
>anyway.  There _were_ medieval folding chairs (ok, they had rigid seats and 
>backs), and 'directors chairs', especially the wooden ones with tan canvas
backs 
>& seats, have never seemed all _that_  disruptive in camp.  If you want 
>something strong enough to sit on in your armor, why not make one of those 
>6-board chests, & have something a little spiff to stow your gear in as well?

The problem with the 6-board chest is that it's a real pain to haul to the
field for use as a chair, unless of course you've already hauled your armour
up to the field in it, and I doubt any fighter is going to haul 40-50 pounds
of armour to the field in a 6-board chest big enough to hold that probably
weighs another 30 pounds by itself (except maybe Sir Xenaphon, but then he
jogs in his armour, semper fi ;-). The advantage of the "Viking chair" (at
least for those of us with a higher center of gravity) is that it's easily
portable. Two boards, two inches thick, ten to twelve inches wide and around
four feet long each. Four of these can be carried under one arm, leaving the
other arm free for your Lady to take as you escort her to the field.

However (you knew there was going to be one of those, didn't you), as Lady
Erica points out, folding chairs of various types can be found throughout
the middle ages, and not just in Europe. The Chinese borrowed the folding X
camp stool from "the nomads of the north", and even expanded on this idea,
coming up with what looks like a chair that is entirely too confortable, if
such a thing is possible, called the "drunken lord's chair". Sort of a
folding chaise lounge complete with arms and headrest. Now I'm not sure I'd
want to sit in one in full armour, but the camp stool works just fine for this.

There is also the gothic bench as described by Count Dafydd in issue 6 of
the Oak. These consist of three boards of the same width and thickness,
making up the legs and the seat, and a thinner board of the same thickness
as the others that makes up a center supporter. These can be constructed
with a couple of inexpensive hand tools, and made so they can be
disassembled easily. One will seat two people, and it can be made strong
enough to hold someone in full armour. Check out this issue of the Oak. If
you don't have a copy, you may want to contact His Excellency to see if
there are some available, or he might just send you the plans.

In service,
Corun


     Corun MacAnndra   |   Dark Horde by birth   |   Moritu by choice
Though we are not now that strength, which in old days moved earth and heaven,
that which we are, we are. One equal temper of heroic hearts, made weak by time
and fates, but strong in will. To strive, to seek, to find and not to yield.

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