any ideas on how to build a safe front opening gorget?

[Armourkris]

I've been re-working my maille and plates to bring it more in line with period examples.
I've reached a point where the next thing I'd like to do is add a maille collar. I figured that if I'm going to do that i might as well build in something ridged for heavy and cut and thrust fighting. However, I'm having a tough time working around the fact that whatever i put in is going to have to open at the front.
Does anyone have any ideas on how to do up a front opening gorget that wont get bounced?

I'll get pics of what I'm working with up as soon as i can get my room mates camera, until then this picture gives a bit of an idea of more or less what I'm aiming for
http://velizariy.kiev.ua/avallon/cuiras ... 15th_C.jpg

[Magnus Ulfgarsson]

I'm not 100% sure what you're thinking of....

But is it a gorget that opens at the front and hinges at the back, then you just need to slot it and it should be fine. Umm.. slot it is my own word probably.

An example would be 2 pieces of curved metal/leather with a hinge at the very back.

They come together and butt up at the front. On one of the sides is another piece of leather or metal that is attached on the outside of that side. But that piece comes out over the edge of that same side so that when you close the gorget that piece will overlap across the opposite side.

I may have no idea what you're talking about though.

[Armourkris]

Magnus, i;m not 100% sure what you mean, but it gave me an idea that should work, now it;s time to bust out the posterboard

[Hanko Kal]

I have seen two types of gorgets that were common with the Ottoman Turkish armor. The first was almost a standard collar type, a little on the high side. The other was front opening but it was done in heavy tight chainmail patterns. I can't find the photos of the second type. I have the first type done with a coat of mirrors type armour.

[Konstantin the Red]

I've been re-working my maille and plates to bring it more in line with period examples.
I've reached a point where the next thing I'd like to do is add a maille collar. I figured that if I'm going to do that i might as well build in something ridged for heavy and cut and thrust fighting. However, I'm having a tough time working around the fact that whatever i put in is going to have to open at the front.

This is to accord with the general front-opening construction of a mamluk shirt?

For an SCA throat coverage mod in something front opening, all you need do is make sure your rigid reinforcements overlap. They might fit into something like a belt loop hidden beneath the mail, perhaps locking on a stud in the fashion of a Sam Browne belt (invented by a one-handed British general -- he needed one shoulder strap at the least, and a one-handed fastener). Sam Browne studs can be gotten through Tandy/LF. Your mamluk's collar will have to rise a little higher than in the pic, I suspect, to give proper coverage to your throat.