Fluting Armour

Gothic and Maximilian armour was often heavily decorated with embossed ridges. The ridges, or fluting, generally ran in parallel lines up and down the suit in Maximilian armour.

German Gothic armour tended to have fluting which radiated out in clam shell or bat wing patterns beginning from a feature point, such as the bottom of a breastplate.

In addition to catching the light and creating a highly decorative effect fluting also added a great deal of strength to the armour in much the same way that corrugating metal roofing does.

The fluting is achieved by hammering the metal along the side of the ridge of a large chisle-like stake.