What type of steel for hidden body/arm armour?

[Urban]

Hey all, I'm trying to put together an SCA kit on the cheap, I know plastic barrels are cheap but I just don't like the feel of plastic armor.

I'm going to be making a kidney belt or some sort of fabric vest with plates sewn in, as well as hidden splinted vambraces and possibly cuisses.

So to the point, what sort of metal would best suit my purposes? I'd like to go stainless, but I know there are a myriad of alloys and thicknesses, etc. Any thoughts?

[boris_]

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=161852

[Caius705]

First, what's your budget? Second, what's your pain tolerance? 3rd, what tools do you have? I'm a big fan of FH 301 Stainless, but that's more expensive than say 16 gauge mild steel.

[Ckanite]

Could always go with Ti...

[Urban]

First, what's your budget? Second, what's your pain tolerance? 3rd, what tools do you have? I'm a big fan of FH 301 Stainless, but that's more expensive than say 16 gauge mild steel.

Budget isn't too limited, but I can't go crazy. Pain tolerance is pretty high. I'll probably end up using a jigsaw to cut out my pieces. I'd love to do Ti but that's probably out of budget.

[losthelm]

See what your local fab shops may be using. drops and scrap are a lot cheaper then full sheets.
301 304 are very hard but you may have better luck finding 308 Or 316.
410 and 440 stainless also work well but are hard to find as scrap in 16 or 18 gauge.

[Gaston de Clermont]

If it's hidden anyway, I'd consider aluminum about 1/8 inch thick. It will weigh a little less than steel, give you good protection and not cut the fabric or leather you put over it. You can find it in scrap yards. Be aware that there's a huge variety of properties in aluminum, from stuff you can bend with your hands, to stuff that is insanely hard.

[RoundTop]

You'll see some still talking about it. Personally I went with 301 half hard spring stainless in 20ga. But I had to special order it. Cost about 30% more than 304 Stainless (common stainless steel). Note: 301 is different that most other stainless, in that it is springy as well as insanely tough (way more than 304). How hard vs springy it is denoted by 1/4 hard, 1/2 hard, 3/4 hard, full hard. 410 and 440 are a different blend of stainless that you can heat treat (they have more carbon), which is well outside the realm you'll be working in.

If you haven't done it before, I recommend 18ga 304 stainless (308 or 316 is fine too, not a lot of difference in them other than the corrosion resistance values).

Stainless can be a pain to shape without heat, but in 18ga it should be workable.

[Konstantin the Red]

Stainless can be a pain to shape without heat, but in 18ga it should be workable.

Expect to deploy a bigger, heavier hammer if you pound on it. You'll find further use for a new heavy hammer after this, anyway.

SS is troublesome to saw, being rough on any cutting tool; shearing it is the preferred method. A slitting shear costs less than a B2 throatless, and you may be able to acquire your SS in strips anyway, which leaves only cutting the splints to length.

Aluminum is less trouble to cut but tends to clog saw teeth up if you use a saber saw. Use plenty of fluid to keep the chips flushed away and not gumming up the blade from friction and heat. Lots less trouble that way if you can access a band saw. Cuts very easily in a shear, though.

[RoundTop]

agreed on the heavy hammer.

My 301 half made me go to a 32oz ball peen hammer from my 12oz, with a much longer handle. and even then it was hard going.

I've dished 16ga stainless with a 24oz hammer before, but it is a workout.

[Konstantin the Red]

At a guess, I'd go a 48oz or heavier, probably in a drilling hammer,* to persuade 308 to bend readily.

*These are shortish-handled, rather soft tempered head hammers with slightly rounded faces, originally developed for hand-driving rock drills. They found a tough, not an especially hard, hammer head was the thing needed -- no breakage, no flying hammer head chips, bang away all day. They come in various weights.

[Urban]

Thanks for the tips, I don't anticipate needing to do any dishing, just some basic curves.