The Armour Archive

Steve S.

I don't know what AMS steel is, but as long as you can bend it and punch/drill holes in it it will be fine in terms of weight. I've made them out of 18GA mild and they work fine in spite of not being hardenable. The overlap of the plates makes them very protective and even if you get a dent you gene...

Steve S.

I can tell you from personal experience that 16GA is way overkill for a coat of plates. 18GA works fine.

Steve

Steve S.

I've just made my first gauntlet. It is a Wisby #3 style with a splinted cuff similar to the other Wisby gauntlets (#3 was not found with a cuff so it is conjecture). You can see pictures in this thread: http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=166796 The splinted cuff is not reall...

Steve S.

I thought those were usually called "pirates"?

Steve

Steve S.

These are amazing!

Also, I love the brick.

Also, I love the Manessa Codex mod.

Steve

Steve S.

This was turning out the flange on a "soupcan" cop. the edge of the anvil really chewed up the piece if I didn't have the corner of the anvil right in the crease, which of course you can't see while you are pounding on the opposite side of the metal. I guess you just have to get a feel for it. Steve

Steve S.

I found this today:

http://www.arador.com/armour/downloads/ ... ouring.pdf

I think this is a good article for beginners.

Steve

Steve S.

I found an interesting article today on a great helm find and other similar great helms:

http://www.academia.edu/2909994/A_Uniqu ... in_Moravia

Lots of nice pictures.

Also interesting battle scars on the helm.

Steve

Steve S.

This garment makes me remember years ago at one of the arms and armour study days at the Wallace Collection presentations on maille-lined garments. It was something akin to hidden body armour. I vaguely remember some discussion about someone walking up to another person and putting their hands on th...

Steve S.

So when you are turning over a flange towards the outside of a piece, how do you keep from chewing up the fold line? I folded a flange over the edge of my anvil but it sure does chew up the metal, and if you miss the fold line it's terrible.

Steve

Steve S.

It could stand to be deeper but I wouldn't try to make this one deeper now that you have a crease in it. Oh, clearly once I committed to the crease it was done with any further dishing. I haven't looked at as many effigies and brasses as I should have, but it appears to me that when they were using...

Steve S.

Do you have a 4.5" angle grinder? They make cutting wheels for them. You should be able to cut it down with strategically placed cuts. Clean it up with a regular 4.5 abrasive wheel.

But it will likely take a bunch of wheels. Wear a dust mask!

I do have one of those.

Steve

Steve S.

Do plasma cutters have consumables?

Steve

Steve S.

http://imgur.com/a/tazg7

Needs to be much deeper. I'm going to go cut a stump tomorrow.

Steve

Steve S.

Harbor Freight has a relatively inexpensive plasma cutter. Not rated for that thick but maybe you could hack at it with it.

Steve

Steve S.

Speaking of rail, I have about a 3-foot section of it under my bench. I've never used it because it is too cumbersome. Is there an easy way to cut off a more manageable length? I don't have a torch.

Steve

Steve S.

Great photos, thanks!

Steve

Steve S.

I think ASOs are often good enough for amateur armour work. Really for me mine is just a large chunk of metal for doing flat or boughing work on. Sometimes I use the edge for folding metal, and the horn is useful for reaching into thing for rivet setting work. For most shaping I use stakes in my vic...

Steve S.

Perhaps the rules differ in Northshield, but finger gauntlets can be legal if large solid plates cover the finger bones, rather than the scale-like plates. Padding I don't think even needs to be 1/4"; I know of several people (including the former KEM) that uses them with probably no more than 1/8"...

Steve S.

http://i.imgur.com/gvPXuAv.jpg Well, I have completed the first gauntlet prototype. Well, minus a strap and buckle to hold the cuff closed, anyway. I'd estimate about 20 hours. Once I have good patterns down I imagine you could make one in 10-15 hours. You can see why Brian charges $900 a pair for ...

Steve S.

For the padding on this one I just took some felt fabric and folded it over on itself twice in a narrow strip to fit under the finger strips. They are already sewn down so you can't see them anymore. :) This would not be SCA legal, I think they require 1/4" of foam rubber or equivalent under metal. ...

Steve S.

Maybe a stupid question, but where is the above pic from, Steve?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... d_madu.jpg

Steve

Steve S.

Very cool! I love close helms.

Steve

Steve S.

I have encountered a problem.

The armored shell of the gauntlet fits the hand so well that I'm afraid when I get my hand shoved into it I won't be able to get it out! I might need a bigger glove.

Steve

Steve S.

Yeah, I don't have a belt sander yet. For truing up rough edges I usually chuck the piece up in my vice and use a file.

Steve

Steve S.

Yes, I folded up 3 layers of felt.

Steve

Steve S.

I've got the Harbor Freight throatless shear, and it works well, but does not cut straight lines very well. I'm not sure the straight sheer would work that much better, actually. I would need to fabricate some kind of "shelf" to support the piece being sheared. I'm thinking a 90 degree notcher might...

Steve S.

I think a pattern wiki would be great!

You must share pictures of the progress of course...

Progress here:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=166638

Steve

Steve S.

OK, here's a Northern Tool 8" shear for $85!

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... 4Aod5XIAnw

Steve

Steve S.

I like this one but it only goes to 22 gage:

http://www.harborfreight.com/8-inch-ben ... 90757.html

Steve S.

Getting closer:

http://www.toolplanet.com/product/8-Inc ... 4Aod-XIAgg

Steve

Steve S.

Why do you need to cut perfectly straight lines? Just curious.

Most of the plates in the Wisby #3 gauntlets are made using straight cuts.

Steve

Steve S.

Plans to make one:

http://www.craftsmanspace.com/free-proj ... shear.html

Steve

Steve S.

This is looking more like it:

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/DAYTON ... 04191930:s\

Steve

Steve S.

Anyone have any specific links?

This sounds great:
http://www.ottofrei.com/Durston-12-Guil ... Shear.html

But it's $1400.

Steve

Re: help with cutting metal

Re: help with cutting metal

Re: gauntlet questions

Re: naval based mercenaries

Re: Show us your pole arms, spears and great weapons

Re: How do you keep from chewing up your fold line?

A nice article on basic armour construction.

Interesting artle on great helms.

Re: Curious Corazzina

How do you keep from chewing up your fold line?

Re: First attempt at elbow cop

Re: Quick (or not so quick) ASO question

Re: Quick (or not so quick) ASO question

First attempt at elbow cop

Re: Quick (or not so quick) ASO question

Re: Quick (or not so quick) ASO question

Re: 1390s effigies: what's under the jupon?

Re: Quick (or not so quick) ASO question

Re: Progress on my first Wisby gauntlets

Re: Progress on my first Wisby gauntlets

Re: Progress on my first Wisby gauntlets

Re: Madu blow up?

Re: Surly Anvil's latest helm/ 4130 spring.

Re: Progress on my first Wisby gauntlets

Re: Looking for an affordable bench shear

Re: Progress on my first Wisby gauntlets

Re: Looking for an affordable bench shear

Re: Pattern Archive - Who's Mantaining It

Re: Looking for an affordable bench shear

Re: Looking for an affordable bench shear

Re: Looking for an affordable bench shear

Re: Looking for an affordable bench shear

Re: Looking for an affordable bench shear

Re: Looking for an affordable bench shear

Re: Looking for an affordable bench shear