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About Us
Using tools and techniques inspired by those of the 15th century, we carefully handcraft historically accurate plate armour for reenactors, collectors, LARPers, and more.
History has given us many wonderful and unique suits of armour, each era featuring its own advancements as weapons and defenses evolved. While we primarily work with 15th- and 16th-century designs and strive to make them as accurate as possible, we also create armour from other historical periods—or entirely custom fantasy pieces tailored to the individual.
The Armoury Story
As a young boy, Dez Armstrong was fascinated by battles, weapons, and armour. That passion eventually led him to the world of Live Action Role Playing (LARP), where he began crafting armour for himself to wear in fighting groups like Amtgard, Dagorhir, and Belegarth, as well as at Renaissance festivals.
It was at the Texas Renaissance Festival (TRF) that Dez’s fascination deepened. He began asking questions and learning more about the craft through Valentine Armouries. After being offered a position by Melvin Wright and Rob Valentine, Dez dedicated himself to the art of armour-making. Through years of hard work, he eventually became the master of his own shop—Azure Armoury. Today, Dez trains a new generation of craftsmen as apprentices, who are now creating fantastic works of their own each year.
Our Philosophy
At Azure Armoury, we enjoy the challenge of transforming a flat sheet of steel into historically inspired armour. Each new piece is a rewarding puzzle that combines technical skill, historical knowledge, and an artistic vision. For Dez, creating armour is more about the love of the process, whether it’s for himself or someone else. This passion is what allows us to keep our prices accessible, despite the many hours involved in hand-making every piece.
Visit Us At TRF
You can visit us in person each October and November at the Texas Renaissance Festival, booth #506. We perform live demonstrations throughout the day, showcasing the tools, methods, and history behind the armour-making process.
In addition to our demos, we also feature a museum of arms and armour that includes a wide variety of styles from different cultures and time periods—including Roman, Greek, Viking, Crusader, Gothic, Maximilian, Samurai, and more. We continue to grow and update the museum every year, so there’s always something new to discover.
Where We’re Based
In order to get the bots to see things better I have to use the American spelling of armour on the page somewhere. In the US armour is spelled armor and thus plate armor would be correct in the states. Additionally larp armor should be used in that case instead of the more traditional European version. Even something simple like explaining how I make custom plate armor must be spelled in the American way to activate the machines to help with the searches. I know this is all silly, but that is just how it is.
Our Home Base
Azure Armoury is located in Dickinson, Texas—just south of Houston. When not at TRF, Dez can usually be found in his home studio, hammering steel and studying the armour of different medieval cultures. Whether creating for his personal collection or for the reenactor community, Dez remains deeply committed to preserving and reviving the legacy of historical armour-making.
You can keep up with our more current projects on Facebook or Instagram by clicking the icons or contact us direct at Dez@AzureArmoury.com
