The Armour Archive

schreiber

I don't know if you can spot-adjust HDPE, but I know you can do it with ABS and kydex. I would assume the same for HDPE.

schreiber

I don't know why 3' seems to be the proper arm length, and in fact I didn't question that when I made mine. I wanted to go as long as possible in the space I have and it ended up being about 32". I thought it was obvious that a longer arm is going to hit harder with the same amount of power app...

schreiber

The first helm I made was a barbute of six pieces. I divided the portion under the cut & welded spunbowl into left and right, top and bottom, in order to get a little flare out of the helm. While I was learning to weld. With a stick welder. It was a dumb idea, but it'll still pass inspection. An...

schreiber

Ok, the genuinely helpful stuff comes before the lecture. First, take your hole punch and throw it the *&^% out. I went through three or four $7-10 hole punches before I broke down and bought the $40, solid steel version which doesn't turn into a mangled mess when you try to punch anything more ...

schreiber

If you do go the glue route you need to be careful about what glue you use. Just yesterday I was finishing a coat rack and glued some 1/8" EVA to the back so it wouldn't scuff the wall. I had already painted it. I used regular cyanoacryllate superglue to put on the foam, but apparently superglu...

schreiber

MOAR

schreiber

Ok, I'll bite.

Why is he mixing mild and stainless?

schreiber

Well, here's my thought process, and the reasons why I'm not making maille right now. First, it seems like everyone wants to be able to sell loose riveted rings, but nobody can. I'm not sure what's up with that, but I wish I could order some. Second, if you can get a hold of solid punched rings, why...

schreiber

Hm... you don't define "simple" at all. When I sit down and think about it, there's a lot of "simple" stuff me and my buds were doing in the Summer of '95 which was absolute crap and not really safe. When I think about what "simple" means to me right now, I'm sure that ...

schreiber

What about western European vambraces with integral elbow protection ? A beast for which I've not yet heard or seen a name, but of which examples exist. If you could direct us to a picture of this beast, I'm sure we'd all appreciate it. Also, if this picture exists and is in a book, I would probabl...

schreiber

Since I would build the swege in 4 pieces from cut & milled steel I tend to think a swedge would be a good choice if doing 20 or more... then again I'm a tool hog. Hmm.... now that would be a good option. Particularly since I believe the taper is the same across all the sockets - it's just the ...

schreiber

I'm not shure but ironmonger sells lots of stakes that fit pexto plates. His stakes "require some shaping". (They require lots of the mentioned "quality time" with a grinder.) Windrose was selling stakes that were machined and I bought the two styles he had at Pennsic two years ...

schreiber

I am tired, tired, tired of not being able to get stakes that fit in a stake plate, other than the same six pexto stakes which aren't designed for making helms. I have a plan to take plaster casts of the holes in my plate. I would then develop those into blanks for making stubs, 6" long or so, ...

schreiber

I don't know how all you guys get by without a stake plate.
Spend your day making something that is worth $250, sell it, and buy a stake plate.

It's the right tool for the job. When it takes you five seconds to swap the stake you're working on, you'll realize why.

schreiber

My favorite period method I read about involved soaking it in dung. Leather is another one of those things that costs a lot of money because it has to cost a lot of money. Come to think of it, right now I can't think of a good or service that costs more than it should, aside from eyeglasses. Not tha...

schreiber

Or you could do a flush rivet. Drill hole. Countersink hole on the outside. Put a flat rivet through so it points outward. Clip it fairly flush with the surface. Smash with the flat end of a hammer, so that the countersunk area is filled with rivet. File/ grind smooth - it should barely look like ri...

schreiber

New fighters, I often notice, make more of the weight of their harness than they really should I agree to a point. I wholeheartedly agree that light harness weight isn't going to offset the effects of poor health. You should at least lift weights regularly and be able to run a mile. The reason I sa...

schreiber

As systems of government go, I think pure democracies are one of the lousiest options.

In a microcosm, however, it's helpful to realize when you're the only person in the room who doesn't think you're being a boor.

schreiber

Hi Andrew, still working on that contact info for you. I think the problem with a large forge is the large door you're going to need to get pieces in and out. That's probably why everyone works local with the exception of heat treating. There's no way to contain the heat if there's a giant door gett...

schreiber

If I HAVE to go outside and work when it's under 40 (which isn't often) I bring a quartz space heater with me, and just work in front of it, or more likely, I break out the forge and do some tent stakes or something. I have some kydex coming to my house soon, which means I probably won't even bother...

schreiber

Also what do you mean about pounding it out 4 times? 3 practice ones to learn the pattern? This is the first thing I've made, so I don't have that luxury yet. I didn't catch the first time reading that you had snipped it and smashed the roll. I assumed you had put it on a grinding wheel to get it t...

schreiber

Sweet, I'll definitely be looking into that, probably after the holidays though.... My family does secret Santa arrangements where we give ideas for what we want, and I figure books will fill in for those who won't buy me extra magazines for my Steyr... ...I'm looking at the heyday of Swiss mercenar...

schreiber

I know there are books out there and my google-fu isn't working right now. Who knows of a good book for finding out about mid-late 15th Swiss or German mercenary groups. I am specifically looking in the gothic armor period - not maxamillian. And I am primarily looking for military gear - I'd really ...

schreiber

Personally, I like "bad" pictures more than good pictures. A single shot of a perfect piece is just porn. When people show their in-progress or early stuff, we all get to comment (beyond "WANT ONE" and "it sucks, send it to me") and we all get to learn. I hope I can off...

schreiber

.... I have been trying to find a more cost effective way to hot work. Anybody using an Oxy Propane rig? First, I find that using acetylene for non-welding work is a waste - O/P is definitely good enough. I think any torch should work for O/P, but you need to verify that the regulator will work - P...

schreiber

I made myself a set of 5-piece knees in July, and I filed all the edges to 45 degrees. It's such a bloody simple thing to do, and it adds SO much to the look of the piece. I guess since it takes an extra half hour, and since nobody will notice, we're not going to get that on stock pieces any time so...

schreiber

I've often said that the most useful tool for a beginner armorer is the sewing machine. Look at flea markets and thrift stores for the old metal-cased battle-axes in art deco colors. It'll cost you $25 or so to get it, $40 or so to tune it, and then you'll have a machine that will sew a marquis tent...

schreiber

I can tell you that it's pretty much a guarantee that propane isn't used to heat large sections of sheet without some refractory involved. Ditto what Sean said about different kinds of heat - although you forgot one of the most important... annealing. It seems like the armorer's holy grail of heat i...

schreiber

Well, I also ask because the wife already has a bunch of dedicated dye equipment, and if I can avoid having to buy new tubs & containers to vat dye leather it'd mean I'd actually be able to do it.

Edit: I just saw that those are fabric dyes, I'll suggest those to her, too!

schreiber

Anyone ever tried this? It works on wood just fine, apparently...
I know that with fabric it loses strength after a couple garments, and figured it would be the same with leather.
Other than that, it seems like it would be a really accessible, inexpensive way to vat dye.

schreiber

Yeah, any time you talk tool builds, the guys at metalmeet are the ones to ask.

Out of curiosity, what are you planning on using the EW for? I did a lot of research on these and came to the conclusion that outside of planishing they don't really have a place in the armor shop.

schreiber

Justin Caradoc wrote:Sorry I need to chime in on this.

Don't apologize, that's exactly what I'm looking for!
It's sounding so far like I should just suck it up and pay the extra money to work with the ideal material.

schreiber

Believe it or not, I consider drilling metal to be the most dangerous process we use regularly. Certainly not in the severity of the injuries caused, but in the frequency of them. I'm always getting metal slivers in my fleshy bits, or having something spin out and smack my fingers. In all honesty, i...

schreiber

Edit: I read the original post again including the 1/8" felt padding and grounding on the weapon design criteria. I would have to check the specifics of the design but I strongly suspect that the material in question (either Kydex or ABS) will deflect enough under direct impact as to make brid...

schreiber

Oh, yeah.... interstateplastics.com is the cheapest place I've found online ($50 min order last I checked) and it's $56.64 for a 4x8 of 0.125" ABS, but $213.44 for Kydex.

Does anyone cast steel?

Looking for books on mid-late 15th Swiss and German

RIT dye on leather?