The Armour Archive

Mike F

Alaric: The price breaks have been stated twice, actually. They're 50# 100# 200# 300# and 500# IIRC. I just figured everyone knew where to find weight/thickness numbers, sorry. Guillaume: If you're willing to pay for it, I'm willing to ship it. The problem is international shipping can get expensive...

Mike F

The effigy of Sir Endmond Thorpe has roundel cops. I'm doing some myself, actually.

Mike F

Hey 'Porgie! What would it take to get you to ship some of it over here? (20, 18,16ga?) Krieger & I wants some!!! To Cali? Mmmm. 70lbs at 48x24x3 would be $33 or $90 if you wanted it priority. They won't ship a 48x48. Just for planning purposes, of course. Well, I'll just flat out say it, Admiral q...

Mike F

Okay, from today: I can't help you much with the copper color, sorry. Corrosion always occurs at the anode. An anode can be formed by causing stress in the metal. Thus, if you really wail on a rivet (Steel on steel, no lead blocks) it'll concentrate corrosion on it. Also, keep the solution and harne...

Mike F

Armor was important to the fighting nobility. I use the analogy of a car quite a bit, but it's not always correct. Your friends would see your armor, and would talk about it like we discuss any amount of gossip today. Your underlings would see your armor and judge you at least partially on it, as it...

Mike F

A careful hand with a forge (quite possibly a modified one) could do it as well. They did back in period, obviously.

Mike F

I'll talk to my Chem professor today, but I doubt he'd know. He's a biochem guy.

Mike F

Really? My birthday is the 21st. Give us a present.

Mike F

And they want it to hold together? Paint the inside of the plates, throw them in a vat of salt water and they'll rust, but I don't know how you get a coppery patina. Do a google for patina and you might be able to find something nice. Otherwise, salt water and dissimilar metals cause corrosion. How ...

Mike F

1/8" steel? Niiiice. I need a Beverly (instead of my HF knockoff) first, but then that's on the hit parade!

Mike F

I'm tired, so I don't want to go back to take new pictures.

I had one other tool, but the attachment won't take, so enjoy what you get.

Mike F

I tried Precision Steel, and their quote system didn't work. I don't have much faith in companies that can't keep their own web site working. I will, however, try again. Edit: Their quote system still doesn't work. Gruber, I'll try to call you in the morning, but I'm busy with class just about every...

Mike F

http://www.admiralsteel.com/products/blades.html They also have damascus patterns if anyone was so interested. And that will most certainly help the rates a bit. Barring any unforseen circumstance, does anyone (besides Wulfe, if you still want those numbers) have any hard and fast numbers so we can...

Mike F

Okay, so good news, bad news. Bad news: 20ga is only 18.5" in width, as is 22ga. I'm not holding anyone to this because of the width, but I think you can do just fine with that width for most pieces. Good news: The price break at 50# is stunning. I don't want to name numbers on a public forum, but i...

Mike F

I've had luck with MAPP for heating and MAPP/Oxy for small welds, but I don't have a rosebud tip, so the heating with the MAPP/Oxy is pretty narrow. I think that's a fairly good compromise, myself. Dunno if you can get MAPP in large containers, though. Do you have any links to info on Oxy-Propane?

Mike F

Don't buy dollar store mallets. Don't grind dollar store -rubber- mallets. If a dollar store rubber mallet launches its head over your shoulder while dishing, throw it away. If the dollar store mallet's head hits you in the eye when it flies off this time, don't glue it, tape it and screw it on the ...

Mike F

A section of railroad rail.

Where in SE Wisconsin are you? There are a number of us around who can at least try to help you out. I'm on the low end of tools myself, but something can always be worked out.

Mike F

I can only get prices under 50# until I can reasonably come up with that weight. Personally, I don't like asking about the rate for 500# and ordering 110 or so.

I'll get a quote on the ~50# order if I get some stuff together.

Should have it by the end of the day. We'll see.

Mike F

Okay, they cannot do wider than 24" Sorry, everyone. However, prices may be slightly lower, as they have price breaks at 50, 100, 200, 300 and 500 lbs. If we get a break from quantity I will, of course, spread the love around. Is everyone still interested? I realize it'd be hard to raise a bascinet ...

Mike F

Alright, I know at least one other person (Wulfe?) is interested, so I'll bump this and edit it for area, and then we'll try to get a quote by the end of the week (Friday at the latest, I'd like). I'll be charging this order, so it should be under about $2k, so anyone who pays up front will be doing...

Mike F

Do not feed the Ego.

You'll find Anthony is one of the more accessible experts on anything. Just don't ask him to an event seven hours away.

Mike F

I use a MAPP gas torch and manage to work hot. I work smaller and colder than you should, but it works out pretty nicely. I can raise 16ga with fairly regular results. There is no substitute, in my opinion. I agree with Doug on how I'd much rather hold the piece, but it's well worth the problems to ...

Mike F

Mike: Prefereably shrapnel through small arms, and as flexible as a good suit of plate. Nissan: I had always considered mounting the plates rigedly, but if they "floated" even a little over some padding, that would absorb a substantial amount of energy even before deformation. I'll be at Doug's real...

Mike F

I've been doing some thinking, and I'm stuck on which would be preferable for modern armor. Does anyone have any suggestions? Method 1: Hard over soft (Ex: Hardened kevlar or steel over specrta/kevlar or similar) Advantages: Good deflection surface, less suceptable to environmental damage (barring c...

Mike F

Eight weeks for a harness? Sounds like "Two fighters against a Star Destroyer?" in my head. The problem is, what's normal is a very varied thing for tools. For example, I don't have a welder. I don't intend on getting a welder. I started raising since I can't get the right dishes cheaply and I can't...

Mike F

Trevor, what are you basing those numbers on? Not that I have any answers, but I'd like to see the source. Bear in mind, even maille had division of labor. One group made the blooms, another drew the wire, a third made the links and a fourth wove the links into a mesh. Milan, I believe, had over 100...

Mike F

13th century was predominantly maille, so plate probably isn't what you're looking for. Transition period was about 14th c while you start getting full harnesses around the 15th century. Nissan: Bear in mind, that was, while authenically made, made in the shape and style of the armor of an emperor. ...

Mike F

What about the patrons' rates? Or am I misunderstanding somewhere?

Still quite worth it.

Mike F

Hmm. Stupid me, I didn't realize it was so close. That would make things much cheaper. If I clean out my Tracker I might be able to fit the 2x4 sheets in there. But I'll definitely keep you in mind if I need larger sheets. Well, I do need larger sheets, at least for helms, but such is life. Maybe th...

Mike F

I've been thinking about a nice, healthy order of spring steel from Admiral Steel, and figured it'd be nice of me to ask around to see if anyone else who cares to pick it up would want anything. If it's delivered via the usual channels, the steel will be in West Bend, whereas if it's freight (I hope...

Mike F

Is there a way to simply rent time on a vertical mill? The punch would be very simple (the die, on the other hand . . .) and could be made fairly quickly. Then send it out for heat treating. Given the tools, I could do it, but that's several grand worth of tools that I don't have.

Mike F

I'd give Wombat the benefit of the doubt if the same song hadn't come up every time. "Never gets back to me, but when I pretend to be a new customer, I get a message within the quarter hour." If you're out, you're out. If you're behind, just say so. I don't like this taking new comissions while igno...

Mike F

Wow. Nice job finishing it, then.

Mike F

I know exactly how you feel about having it almost done. I've -seen- the closure system in question before he moved. He sait it was amazingly tough to do, actually. I sometimes get a bit jumpy because Cad's a really great guy (as you know) and I really respect him. Granted, this lack of communicatio...

Mike F

He doesn't have internet at home. Have you e-mailed him lately? I get a response within a week or two if I e-mail him. Ultimately (not attempting to troll) he's not behaving irresponsibly, as he moved back home to take care of his mother. While I agree he should probably be easier to contact, and sh...

Modern Armor: Layering?

Milwaukee Area Armourers, Spring Steel Order - Chicago, too!