The Armour Archive

what a mouthful. i am planning on making a pair of gothic fingered gauntlets. minimal decoration, typical shape. i ahve a pattern down that works like a dream first time. my question is this: how do i get the pointy style of knuckle gadling. i thought about dishing each section first then cleaning up with a planishing hammer but not sure how to do that. with me?

Hi Thomas,

I think the guys hammer it over a pointy stake that is ground to the shape of the diamond knuckle.

For round ones; first a divot is pounded in the tin/lead alloy block then a ball bearing is hammered with the metal in between. I like to use a strip of metal and trim it to size after the round bulge is pounded in place on one end. That gives me something to hold on to while shaping.

But then again don't listen to me... as I have never finished a pair of gaunts.

Be sure to post us some pics.

Hal

Ps: My failed attempt:
http://home.armourarchive.org/members/h ... gaunt3.jpg

i am going for the pointy ones. thanks or clearing it up. i might be able to get hold of osme stock big enough. i WILL post pics even if it kills me. you can get your negative sput on a disk now.

Also: should 1mm mild steel be OK, i just got a small piece that looks perfect. By OK i mean for SCA type combat.

I've started on a gauntlet years ago, mostly just to try it out, and sofar haven't bothered to finish it. What worked for me was to dish out the individual knuckles, and put in the creases on a specially made stake (mild bar stock worked well enough). If needed, a small hammer and localised heat will help a lot.

I used 1 mm mild, which turned out the be amazingly stiff when the creases were all put in. Just design the gadling and creases in such a way that there are no straight lines (from any edge to edge) in the piece anywhere. It's along these lines that the metal can/will bend.

http://www.astro.lu.se/~ralph/pics/Image003.jpg shows the results of my attempt so far. For heavy weapons I'd go for slightly thinner than 1 mm spring steel, harden it and draw to a spring temper. But 1 mm mild is already pretty stiff, try a piece and hit it with a stick to check whether you'd dare to go with it.

Happy hammering

I don't plan on using them, i plan to sell them on when i've finished. this is just practice to get me out there. I have a pattern that looks pretty cool and i think i'm gonna try some fluting. I remembered to measure with a glove on this time.