Renaissance armor

[fernando]

Originally Posted by werecow

... I'm half tempted to buy the cannon ball, but I suspect I can't lift it. }|P

Is it a stone or an iron ball ? Do you know the diameter ... and or the weight ?

[werecow]

Originally Posted by fernando

Is it a stone or an iron ball ? Do you know the diameter ... and or the weight ?

I'm pretty sure it's stone, and just from memory and from comparing it to the size of the sabatons in the picture I would guess it was near 30cm in diameter (but I am not great at estimating sizes). I did not attempt to pick it up as I've had lower back pain recently that I did not want to exacerbate, so I can't tell you much about the weight.

But I know even less about artillery than I do about armour, and as with the armour I can't judge the authenticity of it, so I'm unlikely to actually pick it up (both physically and purchase-wise ).

[fernando]

No problem;i was just trying to compare it with the ones i have. I guess 30 cms. diameter (not perimeter) would be a really huge ball; mine are 19 cms. and weigh circa 8 kilos.
Sorry for your back. By coincidence, mine is also killing me; i am making arrangements for decompression surgery !

[werecow]

Originally Posted by fernando

No problem;i was just trying to compare it with the ones i have. I guess 30 cms. diameter (not perimeter) would be a really huge ball; mine are 19 cms. and weigh circa 8 kilos.

Indeed. Assuming it's indeed an artillery projectile I'm guessing maybe something for a bombard? But I'm speaking from near total ignorance.

Originally Posted by fernando

Sorry for your back. By coincidence, mine is also killing me; i am making arrangements for decompression surgery !

Good luck with the surgery, I hope it helps!

No worries about me; I'm 41 and it's just a minor (but persistent) ache for now, but my dad has a history of pretty bad back problems that started around this age, and I do have a bit of a hollow back, so I'm mostly just exercising caution.

[fernando]

Originally Posted by werecow

... Indeed. Assuming it's indeed an artillery projectile I'm guessing maybe something for a bombard?...

Yes, a 'gross' bombard, they call it. An example of gross bombard catalogued in a local museum, dated from the end XV century, would throw a ball with 33,5 cms. weighing 85 arráteis (pounds)= circa 40 Kgs. It would need some 12 Kg. of black powder to be sent off such 1500 Kgs. rought iron tube.