Leather DemiGaunt--I made it for the War

Le Brassey · Post by **Le Brassey** » Mon Oct 09, 2000 10:39 am

I needed a left demi for the Great Western War, and wasn't sure I could pick one up at the event---so I decided I better do my best to make one. Here are the pics below.

It's made of heavy veg-tanned leather, with a HDPE panel sandwiched between the layers for rigidity on the back of the hand and around the base of the thumb. The padding is just a chunk of blue closed-cell foam, covered with cloth.

<image src=http://finkas.home.netcom.com/TimsDemi.jpg>

I got alot of compliments at the war on this gizmo, so I think I'll make a pair the next time, adding HDPE sandwiched throughout.

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Timothy D. Finkas
The Historical Forgerie
Long Beach, CA

(SCA: Henri le Brassey / Lyondemere, Caid)

Jean Casqueur · Post by **Jean Casqueur** » Mon Oct 09, 2000 11:03 am

Sweet!!
If you coulour the next pair you make they will look even better.

I like it a lot.

/Jean

Le Brassey · Post by **Le Brassey** » Mon Oct 09, 2000 11:16 am

Thanks, Jean. I made this thing right before I left for the War---it made me 2 hours late [img]http://www.armourarchive.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img] So, I didn't have time to color it, or even seal the leather! Now I will probably dye it a rich dark green to match my harness.

[This message has been edited by Le Brassey (edited 10-09-2000).]

Val Bjorn · Post by **Val Bjorn** » Mon Oct 09, 2000 11:21 am

Sweet

I was thinking about doing something like that and adding Master Cadwallon â€™s Wisby gantlet plates.
May be I can talk my wife in to tooling the leather for me.

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Val Bjorn
"There are arguably two root achievements that have allowed civilization to occur, fire and writing.
"BIC" has made them both disposable." - Bradford Yale

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Oct 09, 2000 12:13 pm

Great job. My only complaint is that you covered up the plastic and blue foam

!~

sebastian · Post by **sebastian** » Mon Oct 09, 2000 2:41 pm

Thats really nice. I Suppose since you made it last minute you didnt bother to make any patterns. Did you?

Le Brassey · Post by **Le Brassey** » Tue Oct 10, 2000 2:31 pm

I'll post the patterns here, once I get the opportunity to scan them.

Tuomas · Post by **Tuomas** » Tue Oct 10, 2000 11:32 pm

Nice very nice *claps*

Tuomas
I like things that go thump

Willem · Post by **Willem** » Wed Oct 11, 2000 1:46 am

Yes... A pattern would be great! Those are sweet!

Altr0s · Post by **Altr0s** » Wed Oct 11, 2000 3:09 am

PRETTY!!!

i want some!

please post a patearn
-altr0s

Le Brassey · Post by **Le Brassey** » Wed Oct 11, 2000 6:05 pm

Here's a few photos after dying the demi. I also include the basic pattern that I used, inspired by the shape of a steel right-hand demi I own, made by Sir Luther Anshelm. For the next version, I will be sure to keep complete patterns of all the pieces and the plastic inserts. Why green? Alot of my harness is brigandine under green leather, so the green-with-brass-rivets-look fits in well.

<image src=http://finkas.home.netcom.com/GreenDemi.jpg>

<image src=http://finkas.home.netcom.com/DemiPattern.jpg>

This worked great for use with my crossbow. It seemed to offer decent protection (although I did not actually test it by getting smacked), and presented no sharp edges to abrade the bowstring. However, it seems a bit bulky to fit inside a standard basket hilt, so modify accordingly.

------------------
Timothy D. Finkas
The Historical Forgerie
Long Beach, CA

(SCA: Henri le Brassey / Lyondemere, Caid)

Nicolae the Red · Post by **Nicolae the Red** » Wed Oct 11, 2000 7:01 pm

Very Nice! :golf clap:

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The Almighty says this must be a fashionable fight, it's drawn the finest people.

Le Brassey · Post by **Le Brassey** » Fri Oct 13, 2000 10:58 am

Now that the gauntlet is dried and sealed with a coat of surface wax (atom balm), it is very rigid. Can't wait to start the next pair!

Prince Of Darkmoor · Post by **Prince Of Darkmoor** » Fri Oct 13, 2000 11:03 am

Le Brassey, perhaps you'll consider contributing your pattern to the archive? [img]http://www.armourarchive.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

Le Brassey · Post by **Le Brassey** » Fri Oct 13, 2000 11:05 am

POD,

Absolutely! But let's wait till I make the next version and work the bugs out properly... then I'd be happy to contribute a pattern.

white mountain armoury · Fri Oct 13, 2000 11:30 am

i realy realy like that alot, great job

Baculus · Post by **Baculus** » Sat Oct 14, 2000 12:22 pm

Beautiful job!

A couple of questions:

1. Do you have the plastic in the wrist area as well as the back of the hand?

2. What thickness is the plastic?

Ok, thanks for the help!

--Baculus

Le Brassey · Post by **Le Brassey** » Sat Oct 14, 2000 5:41 pm

No plastic in the cuff-portion on this first version, but I definitely want to include such reinforcement in the next version.

The plastic HDPE panels on the back of the hand and the heel of the thumb are around 1/16". For the next version, I plan to use 3/32". I hope to have an overlap at the "waist" of the gauntlet, so there will (possibly) be a double thickness of the plastic to protect the wrist.

Tuomas · Post by **Tuomas** » Sun Oct 15, 2000 4:34 am

I like the dye job!!! did you just spread it on?? how did you dye it?

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Tuomas
I like things that go thump.

Le Brassey · Post by **Le Brassey** » Sun Oct 15, 2000 11:11 am

I used Fiebing's Leather Dye, thinned down considerably with alchohol---the strength coming straight from the bottle makes the green way too dark. I just applied it with a wool dauber, switching to a cue-tip and a small paintbrush to get the dye into the crevices of the completed demigaunt. I did a second application of dye after letting the piece dry briefly.

Last, I gave 2 generous coats of "Atom Balm" front and back to seal. Then finished with a soft brass wire brush, then a hard horeshair shoeshine brush, then a soft shoeshine brush.

Note again that areas of the gaunt that were a bit soft earlier in the process---namely the cuff---are now very hard & rigid.