Seeking Review of TI Gauntlets and Gauntlet Recommendations

[heraklides]

I am interested in getting a pair of TI Armour Titanium gauntlets. Has anyone used these? If so, a few questions if you don't mind.

How is the grip on the grounding finger version?
Does the cuff interfere with bending the wrist?
I've seen the video where he gets hit on the fingers with a baseball bat. Have you had any finger hits that penetrated the padding?
How well would it protect against a glancing greatsword/polearm shot that slides down my greatsword. (A freak shot like that in a melee broke my thumb once.)
Any problems with the workmanship?
Are they holding up under repeated use?
In your opinion, are they worth the price?

Any other similar gauntlets to recommend? My criteria are protection, dexterity, workmanship, weight (no mild steel) and looks.
(Although I sometimes fight with greatsword & polearm, my persona is classical Greek/Roman so Gothic won't work.) Ancients didn't use gauntlets but something Stealth or Wisby-like might be OK

Thanks in advance

HERAKLIDES

[Rhyos]

If I may hop in with a question, myself - do they do bifurcated gauntlets?

[mrks]

hi there
a few answers:
go here and ask: https://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=gr ... 73041&ap=1 not sure the link works its on facebook and is called "Titanium Finger Gauntlet Support Group"

sadly I didnt keep track of who I was selling to early on so most of these guys own later pairs. not every one owns a pair though. my 2 former squires need to come to the shop and make their own and so far have not chosen to do so. maybe they ware waiting for me to give them a pair?

How is the grip on the grounding finger version?
pretty good. kind of like hockey gloves but a proper fit is necessary for high performance if the finger tips are too long by 3/4" they suck fit wise. the finger tips should end a little before the middle knuckle. too long and they are clunky. but fit comfort really depends on a pair of well comfortable fitting gloves. sucky gloves always equal a sucky fit. one guy traded his in because he used his own nylon composite form fitted gloves when I told him they wouldnt work. then tried a pair (that someone decided to cancel on) pair and ended up exchanging them.

Does the cuff interfere with bending the wrist?
not that I have found. I also make a bell type cuff that can be short or long.

I've seen the video where he gets hit on the fingers with a baseball bat. Have you had any finger hits that penetrated the padding?
if your fingers are contacting the metal and your fingers are slammed together can hurt due to vibration transmitted through metal of the fingers. they are very protective not pain free: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeMLoDAZ ... er&list=UL
the finger shells are deeper than your fingers and your fingers are padded out so the metal fingers dont contact the weapon but collapse down when hit.

How well would it protect against a glancing greatsword/polearm shot that slides down my greatsword. (A freak shot like that in a melee broke my thumb once.) really well. the thumb plate is not articulated and longer than most giving excellent protection to the thumb/joint. I had my thumb sliced to the bone by a similar greatsword shot that lifted the thumb plate during one of the 6foot and under weapon scenario. I do make a articulating thumb version for the nongrounding finger version but I dont recommend it for greatweapon fighting.

Any problems with the workmanship?
while I dont consider them experimental any more they are still under testing and improvement. they have been in use for about a year now. the early pairs had too small a rivet used for the wrist articulation and would blow out during hardcore use. most have been sold to the EMP guys who use 2 handed weapons, do a ton of punching to helmet and grapple quite often.

I never ever ever take down payments only sell what I have made. prefer doing custom work. will either: make you a new pair if what I make you doesnt fit or offer full refund no questions asked minus one way shipping and lastly fix what I sell even if its not convenient.

"Any other similar gauntlets to recommend? My criteria are protection, dexterity, workmanship, weight (no mild steel) and looks.
(Although I sometimes fight with greatsword & polearm, my persona is classical Greek/Roman so Gothic won't work.) Ancients didn't use gauntlets but something Stealth or Wisby-like might be OK"

lots of european guys are making gauntlets that look better and are cheaper. they probably wont be lighter or more durable. I could probably dye the heat scale black and not do shiney. will try it this afternoon and see what happens. baldor asked for something similar but I refused to make a custom pair using his requirements.

happy to answer any other questions you may have... so ask away.
also please write and ask how others are doing.
I was providing a list of emails for a few requests... but its not fair to bug the owners by emailing them.

mrks

[mrks]

those are really nice.
the bi gauntlets are out of my titanium skill category.
sharp 90 degrees bends like that are impossible with any of the heavy duty alloys.
besides I couldnt stand the finger splay on a pair like that.
thanks for asking.

[Rhyos]

Thanks for the quick response! Would a pair like this be more do-able? Getting a little tired of having a particular finger smashed, hence the bifurcation.

[mrks]

not sure I could make that in ti. the knuckle bar would be different and to get that kind of articulated tolerance would take me forever.
I would refuse to make the thumb like that as it is not protective enough.
I would have to make a special die for the finger tips and that can literally take month(s) to find the right ratio and die size.
titanium does not like to be sized or resized and is fussy to work in tight tolerances

lastly the finger splay on the first pair is ridiculous. put a wedge between your middle and ring finger and then try some greatweapon pell work. the grounding finger gaunts I make have a extremely small splay equaling two pieces of 18 ga metal and two leather glove fingers and it still takes a while to get used to them. please split your fingers apart and try the pell work before ordering something like them and being disappointed.

so basically I have no interest in making a bifinger gaunt at this point in time due to it not being necessary.

I would recommend mittens if you are getting injured.

mrks

[Sjolander]

Looks like a ninja-turtle hand lol