18ga cr cone elbows

[Franklin]

I realize they're thin, but are they too thin for sca combat? I will be making a pair today to test a new pattern. I was just wanting to know if I'll be able to get anything out of them.


Franklin

[Dierick]

Depends on how you are going to make them. If you are raising them, they will probably crumple quickly. If you are going to roll them into a cone and weld/rivet them, they should hold up.

I had a welded pair that I used frequently and held up well enough. Both dented, but that one dent on top seemed to work almost as a flute and kept it from denting too much more on subsequent hits.

[Kenwrec Wulfe]

cr - cold rolled mild? Then yea...they wont hold up.


Dierick -

I would not lump raising into one main category, it depends on what you are raising. I work with 1050 spring. Hardened and tempered, 18ga 1050 will outlast 14ga stainless for dentage and wear, hands down. I would wear an 18ga 1050 spring helm before I would wear a 14ga stainless helm if the choice were available (I know it is not, since 18ga is too thin and light for SCA combat.)

[Dierick]

Dierick -

I would not lump raising into one main category, it depends on what you are raising. I work with 1050 spring. Hardened and tempered, 18ga 1050 will outlast 14ga stainless for dentage and wear, hands down. I would wear an 18ga 1050 spring helm before I would wear a 14ga stainless helm if the choice were available (I know it is not, since 18ga is too thin and light for SCA combat.)

Well, I kinda figured when most people relatively new to armour asked about 18g cold rolled, they are usually talking about mild steel. Nor would they be working with spring steels yet.

I wouldnt go so far as to wear an 18g helm no matter how superior the metal was, simply because of weight. I usually stick with 16g.

[Benedek]

Depends on how you are going to make them. If you are raising them, they will probably crumple quickly. If you are going to roll them into a cone and weld/rivet them, they should hold up.

I had a welded pair that I used frequently and held up well enough. Both dented, but that one dent on top seemed to work almost as a flute and kept it from denting too much more on subsequent hits.

I made a set of 15h cent. poilted elbows that now belong to Josh Warren. They are rolled and rivetted and the "flanges" have been drawn out w/o any heat. They dented a bit but not much at all and it was from a direct greatsword blow.

Maybe Josh can post pic's later.

[Mad Matt]

18ga is sca legal. They'll get dented but they're legal. Worst case scenario you use em till you make some thicker ones then they go in the loaner bin.

[Josh W]

Roll the edges and throw in some fluting and they'll be plenty stiff enough for SCA combat. They might deform under a particularly nasty swordstroke, but so will 16ga or anything heavier. 18ga will be fine. It's not difficult to pound out the occasional dent, and it's worth it in order to have armour that's light and of a more accurate weight. A lot of armour made for SCA use is excessively and unnecessarily heavy.

[Dierick]

Here is the pair that I used. Don't criticize the shaping or style, I have done that plenty myself. This was when I was still a beginner.



18g mild cold rolled and they held up fine.

[Kenwrec Wulfe]

Well, I kinda figured when most people relatively new to armour asked about 18g cold rolled, they are usually talking about mild steel. Nor would they be working with spring steels yet. .

This is very true....but I hate making assumptions on what people do and dont know. I try to never take anything as given knowledge, so I clarified.

I wouldnt go so far as to wear an 18g helm no matter how superior the metal was, simply because of weight. I usually stick with 16g.

Well... ya have to stick with 16ga. I did wear a greathelm that was 16ga 1050 spring for about a year and despite its 7pounds of weight, I never had an issue with it being too light. I miss that helm....

[Dierick]

7lbs sounds reasonable. Most of my helms are between 8 and 9lbs and thats usually because of extras like maille or removable parts.