armourer

An armourer is a craftsman who makes, repairs, and maintains armor and related equipment. In medieval and early modern Europe, armourers produced protective gear such as plate armor, chain mail, helms, gauntlets, cuirasses, vambraces, and shields, and they measured and fitted armor to individual wearers. They often belonged to guilds and could specialize in particular techniques, materials, or kinds of armor. The profession varied regionally, with European armourers focusing on metal plate and mail, while other cultures developed lamellar or scale armors and separate crafts for different armor components. The term derives from the French armure; spelling differs by region (armourer in British English, armorer in American English).

With the rise of gunpowder weapons and changing military needs, full suits of armor became less common on the battlefield, though armourers persisted to maintain arms and ceremonial armor. In contemporary contexts, the term broadens to include specialists who service firearms, armor, and related equipment for military, police, or security forces. In the film and television industries, an armorer is responsible for prop weapons, ensuring safe handling, compliance with laws, loading and testing ammunition, and coordinating with directors and stunt teams.