The Armour Archive

Gruber

I'm definitely in! I'll have my new shop moved into and ready to go thev19th.... 1000s/ft of space!

Gruber

Hey Wade! My family and shop will be living in Asheville, NC. come October 6th. My new shop will be set up and running in time for the big weekend.
450s/f of shop at the ready if people want to scoot over and play.

Gruber

Here's a pair that are 4130 spring, hardened and tempered and custom built to the customer's hand casts.
708 953-2944
I'm on the east coast.

Gruber

Thank you! I think I quoted $2500 plain, and $2800.00 blackened with the brass.

Gruber

I've started giving my customers a choice between hourly or a flat price. The four that have taken the hourly route have all paid less than expected, and my shop still received a respectable wage of $60.00 per hour, the same as the auto body and weld shops in my area. Those legs, for instance, took ...

Gruber

https://m.facebook.com/356355614391056/photos/pb.356355614391056.-2207520000.1428443212./956878367672108/?type=1&source=42 https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=956991210994157&id=356355614391056&set=pb.356355614391056.-2207520000.1428443212.&source=42 https://m.facebook.com/356355614391056/photos/p...

Gruber

Mark T, I read MilanH's post where he mentioned Czech armourers, then Partsandtechnical's post, then saw yours and thought you we were comparing Czech armourers to American armourers for a second... I let off a shotgun blast instead of responding to the post. I apologize for that.

Gruber

The American armourer has more than enough skill to do what "they do" . I can feel my right eye twitching. I'm saying no more for fear of saying too much; but at this rate, the American armourer, I mean real, full time paying rent on a shop space and feeding one's family on a LIVABLE wage without go...

Gruber

I'm still around... Surly Anvil here!

Gruber

Is there any way to translate that to power delivered from a human? 43 hardness means nothing to me except it's different than 48, in terms of a weapon strike.

Gruber

I do. I'll dig one up.

Gruber

I proof every one of 4130 helms with three strikes, all 10+ on power, with a two handed two pound Axe. It even gets photographed and recorded for my customers.
Anyone else doing that?

Gruber

How long does a typical ss helm last in acl?

Gruber

Looks like that knee has a bad case of camel toe.

Gruber

They look great. For bauzies. I feel the same way... they remind me of soup ladles on steroids.

Gruber

http://nebula.wsimg.com/5b890a9c7636db98bc8839356536aaf9?AccessKeyId=91D916979F7B930CCBDF&disposition=0&alloworigin=1 I built these and two other pair like them for a couple of the guys on U.S. team going to the 2013 Battle of The Nations in Poland. One of them, Avoloc, took 4th place in the one in ...

Gruber

Close helm spring locks: http://youtu.be/pfp2LRB4L0Y
I just added this and another to a jousting helm. I've done four spring pin and lock retro fittings in the past few months. People love them!

Gruber

Well, I suppose a finger could slide out from under on the leather side if the plates weren't made wide enough. In regards to the inside fingers slipping out, the same is true for fingered gauntleets no? I think the way to ensure the two fingers in each group stay like together would be to sew the f...

Gruber

So, I took a little time today to try out the rivet and leather articulation in regards to the bifurcated sport hourglass theme. Here's what it looks like in motion. I like it. I think they could find a place on our rattan combat fields. Thoughts? Bifurcated articulated with rivets and leathers: htt...

Gruber

These are the ones I just finished in Jason's possession. I'm waiting to see how he finished the cuff too!
Surlyanvil bifurcated: http://youtu.be/0Gm0RkjhMLw

Gruber

The last few pair of gauntlets I've made with articulated wrists, I've increased the length of the wrist area fore and aft using the center of the wrist as my benchmark. I then cut my one piece pattern, shape it with the same method of shrinking/compression and flaring as you would a one piece hourg...

Gruber

I will experiment Sunday with the leathers. I have three orders for them now, so it's probably best to dial these ideas in now, eh?

Gruber

Thank you! and only in armour... The tomatoes and various thrown objects don't hurt as much.

Gruber

Oh my God! Thank you Mac and Caelwin! I have four orders for them now, I'll see if one of my customers would be willing to be the guinea pig in regards to the leathers. I can't believe it- I may actually be contributing to an ongoing discussion between Mac AND Caelwin at the same time.... Pipe dream...

Gruber

Mission accomplished!

Gruber

I've been building the bifurcated design for the past two years for a few of the live steel groups for exactly the same reasons. My first pair I built are in still in use from 2007. The design is briliant, and the dexterity is crazy!
http://youtu.be/0Gm0RkjhMLw
http://youtu.be/easTxNEkhO0

Gruber

Surlyanvil gauntlets: http://youtu.be/easTxNEkhO0
Surlyanvil bifurcated: http://youtu.be/0Gm0RkjhMLw

Gruber

http://www.surlyanvil.com/hand-gallery.html http://www.surlyanvil.com/casting-1.html Here's some of what I have done over the past two years for gauntlets... along with the casting. For hands, I ask you use alginate in a hand casting kit. These are easy to find on Amazon and your local craft and hob...

Gruber

They are built from 4130 spring steel and heat treated, and built using your hand casts to ensure a proper fit. They're $850.00 as shown, $1050.00 in a pseudo 14th century style welded cuff, $1200.00 for proper 14th century one piece forged hand and cuff with enclosed thumbs, and $1500.00 for a full...

Gruber

Surlyanvil gauntlets: http://youtu.be/easTxNEkhO0
Surlyanvil bifurcated: http://youtu.be/0Gm0RkjhMLw
They can be paired with any style hand and cuff you want! 14th century hourglass, to 15th century German fluted or even 16th century Spain!

Gruber

So then bring the chin up to the bottom lip. I can do that. Thank you for the insight!

Gruber

Thank you.... Upper lip, or bottom lip to chin?

Gruber

Here's what I got done today. I added the cheek extensions and added the band around the base of the helm. It is just a mock up to figure out what really should be done there and what looks most correct and aesthetically pleasing; but the form is coming along. The entire helm is in its "sketching it...

Gruber

Not for fighting. A customer ordered it for display.

Gruber

Thank you buddy. I didn't use any dishing or sinking, all raising hot over the nose of my anvil and a rounded fluting stake. This is the second nose, the first one looked very ape-ish. I shaped a three sided triangle first, then pushed the creases of the nostrils down.

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Re: Check out the dexterity!

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Re: 2 days of mempo-ing in 4130 spring steel

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