Recommended thickness and material for lamellar plates

[Kristoffer]

So, I have the opportunity to get a bunch of lamellar plates laser (?) cut thanks to one of my contacts. I have never ever done any research on lamellar since I mostly do 16th century stuff so I need to do some research.

1. Will the cutting anneal the plates or could I get hardened steel sheets?
2. I know I have access to 4130 alloy, mild and "standard" stainless. 1050 seems impossible to get here. Would pre-hardened 4130 be good or is there any other alloy I could look for?
3. What should be my target thickness of plates, lets say for 4130?
4. Should the plates be shaped in any way or just flat? I am thinking giving them a good whack with a mallet for a very slight dished shape.
5. Whats the sexiest type of plate to have done?

This is what I have for now. More questions will probably surface along the way.

[Thomas Powers]

How do you plan to mount them? Hardened plates tend to be hard to drill or punch.
The HAZ from laser is extremely narrow and should not be a problem.

[Kristoffer]

Laser will make all the holes..

[Caius705]

I know that full hard 301 stainless is often used for lamellar plates. It comes in prehardened sheets, but I don't know if it's available where you are.

[Kristoffer]

I guess lacing the plates together?

[Caius705]

I know that full hard 301 stainless is often used for lamellar plates. It comes in prehardened sheets, but I don't know if it's available where you are.

[Konstantin the Red]

HAZ = Heat-Affected Zone, if that's mysterious. Most of the high-tech energy-cutting methods only affect very narrow areas. I don't know if that was sheer good luck, or the result of determined research effort -- it minimizes problems with the chosen material's properties changing in inconvenient ways.