new fencing masks

losthelm · Post by **losthelm** » Sun Feb 18, 2001 3:39 am

Has any one tryed the new transparent fencing masks?
If so what is your opinion on them?
How soon do you expect till they become SCA legal?

Vladimir · Post by **Vladimir** » Sun Feb 18, 2001 9:35 am

I havent heard anything about them. Are they clear plastic or something? If so I hope they don't become SCA legal. The wire mesh is bad enough, I really don't want to see guys with plastic face shields. At least in that time period they could have made a wire mesh.

Just because a plastic is clear, doesn't make it less noticable.

Kevin the Hound · Post by **Kevin the Hound** » Mon Feb 19, 2001 11:37 am

In the Middle Kingdom we have discussed those lexan-faced masks and decided that we won't consider them acceptable for SCA use. The Midrealm is a Schlager-only kingdom, and the general opinion is that the Lexan-faced masks aren't even close to being designed to face schlagers.

I personally am dying to get a Fencing Helmet. I much prefer the looks over a Fencing Mask.

Kevin the Hound
(Kevin O'Shaughnessy in the Midrealm)

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Pars Acuta in Alio (The Pointy End Goes into the Other Man)

Vladimir · Post by **Vladimir** » Mon Feb 19, 2001 12:04 pm

anyone know how I can get some of that pierced steel that they use on fencing helmets (as opposed to masks)

I have a morion that I wan't to convert, but all I can find is really thin pierced aluminum. It is way to thin and since it is decorative for the house it is also expensive
about 30 dollars for a 3X3 sheet.

Kevin the Hound · Post by **Kevin the Hound** » Mon Feb 19, 2001 1:19 pm

WWW.McMastercarr.com

In the search box type: perforated steel sheet

They take credit card orders and can ship it in various sizes. Be careful to pick a perforation pattern that falls within SCA guidelines. And make sure it is thick enough.

The mild steel is reasonably priced. The stainless is expensive.

Kevin the Hound

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Pars Acuta in Alio (The Pointy End Goes into the Other Man)

losthelm · Post by **losthelm** » Mon Feb 19, 2001 4:45 pm

If you check the research and testing that was done on the new style masks they can with stand up to 1600 neutons of force as aposed to the curent masks that with stand 1300 neutons of force. Also the cost on the low end ones is around 55 american dolars and the top of the line is at 200 american dolars compared to a fencing mask it is cheeper buy about 20 bucks on the low end and 70 on the high end.

Kevin the Hound · Post by **Kevin the Hound** » Mon Feb 19, 2001 6:48 pm

Okay, I'll concede the point on the Lexan-faced masks, since I personally did no research into their testing.

Can I say that I don't like the look for rapier combat? (Hopeful, apologetic sound in voice)

Kevin the Hound

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Pars Acuta in Alio (The Pointy End Goes into the Other Man)

Norman · Post by **Norman** » Wed Feb 21, 2001 11:42 am

Do a web search for "perforated steel"
When I did I got a whole load of sites.
(you'll have to wade through the ones that sell benches and garbage cans - but worth a look).

But --
I'm leary of what will happen to the perf steel if you dish it to make a facemask.
My plan was to make the thing myself --
That way I can design the mask as I want and pierce where I want -- and dish before I pierce to make sure that the hole size and spacing are not compromised.
(I'm doing an eastern-style anthropomorphic -- the piercings will only be at the eyes, mouth, and a few decorative breaths on the cheeks.

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Norman J. Finkelshteyn
Armour of the Silk Road - http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Olympus/3505
The Silk Road Designs Armoury - http://www.enteract.com/~silkroad
Jewish Warriors - http://www.geocities.com/jewishwarriors
The Red Kaganate - http://www.geocities.com/kaganate
silkroad@spam.operamail.com (remove "spam" from e-mail to make it work)

Payn · Post by **Payn** » Wed Feb 21, 2001 5:31 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by losthelm:
Has any one tryed the new transparent fencing masks?
If so what is your opinion on them?
How soon do you expect till they become SCA legal?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Here in An Tir we have had little contact with them. However, as some of our people also do strip fencing we have managed to get a somewhat informed opinion on them. What has been so far concluded was that the problems with lexan (people ill treating it, cleaning with wrong stuff, scratching, etc...) would be far more limiting than the benefit gained of clearer vision.

Also of note was the method of attaching the lexan to the mask and the belief that repeated pounding of the likes we see with Schlager would result in the thinner areas of lexan around the edges breaking, possibly catastrophically.

Fritz the peasant

Kevin the Hound · Post by **Kevin the Hound** » Wed Feb 21, 2001 5:45 pm

Norman,

This is scary! You and I are thinking alike! I have beed considering making a "Fencing Mempo" with perforated metal over the eyes, the bottom of the nose and the mouth. I figure with very mild cold-working (dishing) on the perforated metal I won't compromise the strength very much (I'm an engineer and have done a little Finite-Element modeling of the perforated metal). If you use 16 ga steel and choose a perforation pattern smaller than the max allowable by SCA Corporate Rapier rules then you should be fine against the hardest schlager shots.

And imagine the look of something like that under a sallet or burgeonet, much less something "Eastern".

Kevin the Hound

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Pars Acuta in Alio (The Pointy End Goes into the Other Man)

Garridan · Post by **Garridan** » Thu Feb 22, 2001 2:24 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Vladimir:
anyone know how I can get some of that pierced steel that they use on fencing helmets (as opposed to masks)<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
http://www.newmetals.com/perfor.htm

From their site: "Nearly any malleable material, such as aluminum, stainless steel, tin plate, bronze, copper, plastic, etc., can be perforated in most any shape perforation."