The Armour Archive

I've been wanting to do some of these gauntlets for some time and finally had a break to try my hand at them. For 95% of the patterning I just enlarged the drawings in the Wisby book tell they where the right size for my hand. The thumb works amazingly I'm really liking it so far.

plates taped together to check fitting
[img]http://members.armourarchive.org/kniteb ... y%233a.JPG[/img]
[img]http://members.armourarchive.org/kniteb ... y%233b.JPG[/img]

starting to rivet it all together
[img]http://members.armourarchive.org/kniteb ... y%233c.JPG[/img]

I wanted something differnt and more random looking for the exposed rivets than what you get with modern machined rivets and I hate speed rivets. So I removed the galvinizing from roofing nails then built up the heads with silver solder (its what I had laying around) and it gave me these nice rivet heads that look far better on this project than any others would.

More to come as I progress on the project.

Brian

Wow! those wisby gauntlets are coming along really nicely - lovely workmanship!

Can't wait to see how they develope.

regards
Stuart Q

more progress, found the rivet heads kinda boring so in the style of the one wisby COP that has the brass shields, fluers and sea scallops I made little stamps and struck those motifies into the rivet heads.

[img]http://members.armourarchive.org/kniteb ... y%233d.JPG[/img]

And the insde view
[img]http://members.armourarchive.org/kniteb ... y%233e.JPG[/img]

fingers and cuffs start in the morning

Brian

Ohhhhh... Visby....

Thanks for the progress pics.
The rivet head treatment is your artistic side showing thru.
Hummm… silver solder on copper roofing nails maybe?

Do you pound in a lead or a soft alloy block to shape the pieces?

Hal

Thanks Hal. As to the rivet heads they are steel roofing nails that I coated the heads off. I just let the solder puddle up naturally for shape, then set the rivets over a flat chunk of metal, it left the head slightly flattened out which made it easy for me to go back through and strike the desings with little punches I made. So the designs where added to the rivets after they where installed.

As to shaping I used my default form (ground from a small gauge RR track), a couple of different fluting stakes and a 1in ball bearing stake. Technically I guess I lightly dished the pieces then raised them from the outside then went through and cleaned up the fluting and recess edges on the main knuckle plate.

Brian

Thanks... I like em.

I love seeing your progress pics.

Keep up the good work and keep us
up to date.

Very nice work! Cant wait to see the finished result!

fingers are done now, I'll start the cuff after I sew whats done to a glove.

Devaitions from the orginal so far include different number of lames on the fingers to fit my hand, the triangular plate on the pinky side of the back of the hand was inlarged and there was a small triangular plate that a buckle attached to at the wrist that I haven't used yet. Otherwise everything is to scale from the drawings of the orginal.

[img]http://members.armourarchive.org/kniteb ... y%233f.JPG[/img]

[img]http://members.armourarchive.org/kniteb ... y%233g.JPG[/img]

Brian

now to do the cuff

[img]http://members.armourarchive.org/kniteb ... y%233h.JPG[/img]

Brian

wow. It`s very good.

Nice to see people going from original source material on these. (Instaed of Price's "SCAed" copies.)
Good job.

Brian, I will send that stuff as soon as possible. I'm slammed with last minute shite.

Damn nice! I want to give that a try one day myself; I love to look of the real Wisby gauntlets.

VERY nice stuff,how well do the thumbs work? I've tried using slots for the thumb rivets. Thanks for the pics , they are inspirational!

whonew wrote:VERY nice stuff,how well do the thumbs work? I've tried using slots for the thumb rivets. Thanks for the pics , they are inspirational!

The thumbs work amazingly well. The angle at which the thumb plate meets to the knuckle plate on the backof the hand makes a huge impact on how it works. Study the pictures and drawings of the originals. I didn't use slots at all, I think slots would weeken the design and aren't neccessary if built right.

Brian

Good work, knitebee. I'm happy to see your work developing. I may have a customer order to work out with you some time after the eventing season ends for me around late September.

knitebee wrote:

whonew wrote:VERY nice stuff,how well do the thumbs work? I've tried using slots for the thumb rivets. Thanks for the pics , they are inspirational!

The thumbs work amazingly well. The angle at which the thumb plate meets to the knuckle plate on the backof the hand makes a huge impact on how it works. Study the pictures and drawings of the originals. I didn't use slots at all, I think slots would weeken the design and aren't neccessary if built right.

Brian

thank you for your help

got the cuffs 3/4 done, still have to do an inner liner on it. Since the original gauntlet is missing the cuff I decided to go with the thin riveted splints in the cuff as I think it matchs the style best.

inside of the cuff
[img]http://members.armourarchive.org/kniteb ... y%233i.JPG[/img]

outside top
[img]http://members.armourarchive.org/kniteb ... y%233j.JPG[/img]

bottom, custom made tinned steel buckle
[img]http://members.armourarchive.org/kniteb ... y%233k.JPG[/img][/img]

wrist bent up, notice how the plates in the back of the hand collapse on each other allowing tons of mobility while be a snug fit
[img]http://members.armourarchive.org/kniteb ... y%233l.JPG[/img]

Wrist bent down
[img]http://members.armourarchive.org/kniteb ... y%233m.JPG[/img]

Wrist bent back, also for those enterested in the thumb motion, this is thumb closed all the way
[img]http://members.armourarchive.org/kniteb ... y%233n.JPG[/img]

thumb opened all the way, its not a ton of motion but its more than needed to pick up a weapon and fight, did some pell drills and never once noticed any lack of mobility in the thumb (or whole gauntlets at that matter).
[img]http://members.armourarchive.org/kniteb ... y%233o.JPG[/img]

I still need to do the inside liner of the cuff then its done and I'm off to a do a short production run of these.

Brian

Wow those are amazing. I am wondering how they take a hit as far as transfering the shock to the hand/weapon.

Looking sweet!

knitebee wrote: I still need to do the inside liner of the cuff then its done and I'm off to a do a short production run of these.

Brian

Does that mean you will be offering these (or in kit form) for sale?

Haldan

Knitebee,

Bravo!

I've been watching your progress with great pleasure. It is a joy to see someone make an accurate copy of a real object.

I need you to do something for me though...right now....

Get right back in the shop, and make the *LEFT* before you get distracted with another project!!!!

Mac

Mac wrote:Knitebee,

Bravo!

I've been watching your progress with great pleasure. It is a joy to see someone make an accurate copy of a real object.

I need you to do something for me though...right now....

Get right back in the shop, and make the *LEFT* before you get distracted with another project!!!!

Mac

I will second everything stated above!

Those are fricking beautiful.

I too am interested in how well they take a hit. Are you planning on fighting in these?

One other thing I noticed is that some of your wrist motion is coming from the cuff moving. If you stuff a gambeson and vambrace under the cuff, isn't that going to cut down on wrist movement?

Mac wrote:Knitebee,

Bravo!

I've been watching your progress with great pleasure. It is a joy to see someone make an accurate copy of a real object.

I need you to do something for me though...right now....

Get right back in the shop, and make the *LEFT* before you get distracted with another project!!!!

Mac

Not to worry Mac, the left is allready partially done as well as three more full pairs. I've a few ideas to "up the ante" on the next pair.

schreiber wrote:I too am interested in how well they take a hit. Are you planning on fighting in these?

One other thing I noticed is that some of your wrist motion is coming from the cuff moving. If you stuff a gambeson and vambrace under the cuff, isn't that going to cut down on wrist movement?

I'm going to try them at practice this Sat, doesn't mean I'll find out how well they take a hit but I might (I allready fight in finger gauntlets and haven't been hit in the hand yet, other than when I punch blocked once just to see how the fingers held up). As to the wrist movement, its not an issue, I can hold the cuff still and still get as much movement, the plates just collapse a hair farther. After the left is done to match this one, I'll be using slightly smaller headed rivets which will increase mobility more and closer imulate the original.

Haldan wrote: Does that mean you will be offering these (or in kit form) for sale?

Yes I'll be offering a few pairs for sale, still trying to figure out time and materials and such so I can price them. They wont be the most affordable gauntlets out there but you get what you pay for.

Brian

How hard did these end up being to make, compared to other styles of finger gauntlets? I love the way they look.

Knitbee, those look great!

Mac wrote:I need you to do something for me though...right now....

Get right back in the shop, and make the *LEFT* before you get distracted with another project!!!!

Hahaha.. this is true. When Valerius was showing/helping me make mine he did a pair at the same time. He said that was the first "pair" of gauntlets he had ever made for himself.

Rob

When the left one is finished, can I use that one as a ring to marry the first one?!
It is absolutely gorgeous!!
I must go and drool over the originals next week and dream about gauntlets to come..
If you want to tag along I'll be in Visby (Wisby is the medieval spelling) between the 1st and 11th of august.
Or if you want me to ask or look at something special..

Ambrogio

Please..Please..

Provide some photos of the originals.

I too have been collecting information to
re-create a copy of these gauntlets and
love this example by Knitebee.

At this time I have only seen actual
photos which are located at:

http://www.decaerleon.net/pictures.htm

I am sure other views of the same pair
or different pairs of gauntlets would be
greatly appreciated by everyone here.

If they do not allow photos, then please
inquire if they sell some and how much.

Big Thanks

Bravo! That is exactly what I have in the works. You beat me to it. Very nice.

Hi Ansel,
Here are scans from the Wisby book for Gauntlet #3.

http://www.mallet-argent.com/authentic.html

the detailed drawings


an overall view
http://www.mallet-argent.com/images/wis ... let_3b.gif

and great job Brian!

-Chuck Davis
aka Cad

Alsel,
Here is a photo of the original from the museum database. Inventory # SHM 19525:Qx12