Steel Sheet Ga.

Guy Dawkins · Post by **Guy Dawkins** » Wed Apr 04, 2001 1:10 pm

OK, Here is a question I've had on my mind for some time. When you folks who actually make armour (as opposed to us folks who want to make armour) talk about the gauge of steel your using, are you refering to Steel Sheet Manufacturers Standard or the old U.S. Standard Gauge ?

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Guy

Sasha · Post by **Sasha** » Wed Apr 04, 2001 4:19 pm

Oh this delightful old chestnut of a question.

Mostly what we refer to is what is available locally to us!
We have people all over the world at the archive and the understanding is that the ga we refer to is whatever is marketed at our local metal shop.
It sounds sloppy but it actually works pretty okay. The difference is to all intents and purposes a slight one and there is bugger-all we can do about it if we do not want to go up a whole gauge and then grind back materials.

Just DON'T use 16ga for helm contruction for SCA combat and you will be fine with all the rest.

Sasha

Garridan · Post by **Garridan** » Wed Apr 04, 2001 4:32 pm

The only regulation thickness in the SCA is 16ga for helms, must be .0625" (1/16" or 1.6 mm) or thicker. I think, and most people agree with me that 14ga is about the best for helms. It weighs enough to keep your head from getting whipped about, and isn't too heavy. For everything else, 16ga is fine.
Since we dish the steel, 16ga can rapidly become not 16ga, so the exact thickness doesn't matter as much.