Pheonix Dawn Plate Armour: China!

[Konstantin the Red]

I wonder why you think you need to re-temper a length of rail? Just start hitting stuff over it. It holds up locomotives and doesn't dent under steel wheels, remember?

[Zetheros]

True, it's just that after shaping with an angle grinder, it loses some of that hardness. Although, now that I have a set of really nice stakes, I'm not sure if I really need a shaped anvil, just a larger surface for planishing and straightening.

[Zetheros]

I won't be able to rent a welding setup today, but I might be able to start cutting out parts of my armor.

[LastKNIGHT]

Post pics of the flat pieces after it's cut out

[Zetheros]

Well, I couldn't tackle the 5x5' of steel with those shears today...it cut like butter, but it was just too large. Now I'm cold-chiseling it down to size first...

[Zetheros]

Half-way done with chiseling out the visor. It's quite enjoyable, really. Enjoyable? Is he insane?

No, really! When done on a chunk of steel that you don't really care about, you can make incredibly tight turns; which is perfect for the level of detail I'm aiming for.

I'll have pictures on tuesday.

[Halberds]

You asked:
Enjoyable? Is he insane?

That is a good question I have asked myself.
So I tried to answer myself.

Self said this:
You wouldn't be doing this if you diden't enjoy it.
I asked what is it that you enjoy.
Self said: the Zen.
I asked what that was.
Self said: It is getting lost from the external world and drawn into the metal.
The art of creation for the pure joy of creating it.
Not because you can, it's because you want to.

I thought that over and remembered my planishing expearence.
I was determined to make many thousands and thousands of planishing hammer marks.
No piece on the helm was to be left un-planished.

I was lost for hours upon hours.
It's like transcendental meditation in a way.
Myself and I... were enjoying each others company.

Thanks for posting over here also, and keep up the good works.

Hal

[Giles de Bois Guilbert]

Another negative about rotary shears is that they also create little notches on the workpiece as it feeds the metal through

[Zetheros]

Yeah, I almost thought of returning it, but I'm thinking that the blades might just be maladjusted so they aren't cutting properly.

@Hal: I agree

[Zetheros]

Here are the photos...they aren't great since I left my camera at home, and since the webcam takes grainy photos in a low-light area. These were taken from my mac air...the video will take an hour to upload, and I had no idea that I appear so serious and awkward while working on armor.

The bottom part is left unfinished and larger than I'll need since I'm uncertain as to how much metal the raising will require.

[Zetheros]

Just bought a throatless shear that uses beverly 2 shear blades for $133 and is advertised as being able to "cut up to 14g mild" Good god, I hope it's worth it.

[Zetheros]

I realize my latest posts have been seriously lacking in punctuality and quality =/ Work has kept me quite busy, I might even be working into this weekend. The good news is that the new metal shears work, and I have a great torch kit (all I need now are tanks)! The blades chipped like glass the first time I used them, but they still cut very well, despite leaving a serrated edge.

I've drastically made my designs more elaborate too. I'll try to get another update in tomorrow night.

満天 - Kalafina

[LastKNIGHT]

Yay for progress, kalafina, and fate zero :DD

[Zetheros]

Yeah! Can't wait for episode 25
http://youtu.be/TcQyuNH75_A

[Zetheros]

Lets go see if I can get in another update tomorrow night! I'm on a roolllllllll

[LastKNIGHT]

You don't wear gloves when hammering?

[Zetheros]

Nope. I don't even use gloves when bending jagged steel. It gives me more control over my workpiece. (If anyone plans on working like this, one must always have a good grip on the steel, if it slips, one would bleed all over the place...but the benefits of control outweigh the risk, in my opinion. Work steady, and always keep leverage and body positioning in mind.)

[Zetheros]

I finished removing the burrs on the winged gorget, and cut out/removed burrs on the helmet top. Thanks to this thread for the helmet top pattern!




I'll be cutting out the rest of the plates for the helmet tomorrow.

[LastKNIGHT]

You might want to timelapse your videos so it doesn't look as awkward.

[Zetheros]

Meh. It's not like I'm trying to impress or anything. I'll just awkward-penguin myself through.

Awk! Awk! Awk!

[Zetheros]

The helmet plates are done, the day is won, and by Ocean's Wrath, and the heralding of a dawn shrouded in phoenix fire, I will cut out all of the plates of my cuirass; front and back, by tomorrow night!

*sigh* I just remembered I don't have any 16 or 18 gauge.

Ya know what? Who cares. I'm turning myself into a tank. 14g cuirass here we go, with proper structuring... At least it's not 12g Mac!

Besides, it'll improve my central equilibrium.
...
I think.

[Zetheros]

A man has given his vow, therefore a man has procured. -twiddles moustache-





My next vow is to cut out both pauldrons in one day. But that will come at a later date, I've run out of sheet steel.

...or, I could make my gauntlets out of 14g scrap...hmmm...HMMMMMMMM....

Okay, well I can definitely cut out some sabaton claws*cough* I mean toes and maybe a few knuckles and talons*cough*fingertips. Expect another update with those tomorrow!

[Zetheros]

Sorry! No update for tonight. I have to be at work at 7am tomorrow.

Fell asleep when I got home :p Waking up at 5am is rough. Today's my day off though, so there'll be an update this night.

[Zetheros]

Talons! Keen as an assassin's blade, curved...cold as a crescent moon on a frozen night.

All the pieces of 14g for the gauntlets have been made, the rest will either be 18 or 16g.



I'm not sure if I have pieces of steel scrap large enough for the toes, but I'll be acquiring more steel this weekend. In any case, there will be an update tomorrow.

[Halberds]

I for one.... certainly enjoy your thread.
Glad you have a nice place to metal work.
Much better than a roof top in China with a raw buffalo hide smelling in the sun.

My best suggestion is to use thinner steel for your art works.
24ga. is what my sabatons are made from.
Wood or a light weight rawhide mallet works fine, and leaves no hammer dings.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqVcoFDiOJA&feature=plcp

Be sure to polish your steel hammers used on the outside of the metal.

Keep up the good works and jolly well done.

Hal

[Zetheros]

24 gauge? :O

...But that just sounds like wearing paper armor if you're ever up against a polearm/warhammer...I could even envision a falchion going right through that with a well-placed blow, unless it's made of an incredible alloy and planished/heat treated properly. Maybe even add a bit of well-placed fluting for structural support. Even then I'd imagine it would dent pretty badly. Besides, in actual warfare, doesn't every part of the body become a weapon? Not that I'd like to be kicked by 24 gauge sabatons, but 14g clawed sabatons (just the toes) just sound much more effective in making holes and breaking bones, not to mention the durability after days of marching/charging all over the place.

Of course, I've learned my lesson in using heavier gauges...12g, never again...except for maybe a high-quality helmet top/shield boss.

I'll probably be using thicker rivets/very thin bar stock for the connection points too, on the talons, claws, and knuckle gadling.

Thanks for the tips, and I'm glad you've been enjoying this thread!

(It is much nicer back home in the US. I work much faster and more effectively without getting sick every 2 weeks from the pollution )

Help! I'm-gorging-myself-on-a-bag-of-chocolate-chips-and-it's-4:30-in-the-morning-and-I-keep-editing-my-posts-and-can't-stop-

[Effingham]

You asked:
Enjoyable? Is he insane?

That is a good question I have asked myself.
So I tried to answer myself.

Self said this:
You wouldn't be doing this if you diden't enjoy it.
I asked what is it that you enjoy.
Self said: the Zen.
I asked what that was.
Self said: It is getting lost from the external world and drawn into the metal.
The art of creation for the pure joy of creating it.
Not because you can, it's because you want to.

I thought that over and remembered my planishing expearence.
I was determined to make many thousands and thousands of planishing hammer marks.
No piece on the helm was to be left un-planished.

I was lost for hours upon hours.
It's like transcendental meditation in a way.
Myself and I... were enjoying each others company.

Thanks for posting over here also, and keep up the good works.

Hal

Hal, I love you, man.

[Zetheros]

You asked:
Enjoyable? Is he insane?

That is a good question I have asked myself.
So I tried to answer myself.

Self said this:
You wouldn't be doing this if you diden't enjoy it.
I asked what is it that you enjoy.
Self said: the Zen.
I asked what that was.
Self said: It is getting lost from the external world and drawn into the metal.
The art of creation for the pure joy of creating it.
Not because you can, it's because you want to.

I thought that over and remembered my planishing expearence.
I was determined to make many thousands and thousands of planishing hammer marks.
No piece on the helm was to be left un-planished.

I was lost for hours upon hours.
It's like transcendental meditation in a way.
Myself and I... were enjoying each others company.

Thanks for posting over here also, and keep up the good works.

Hal

Hal, I love you, man.

+1

There are so many amazing people on these forums. I liked Ugo's quotes as well.

So I was thinking of making an update, but I found that I was lacking in steel for the toes =/
There will probably be no updates until this weekend.

[Zetheros]

Playing around with weapon ideas. My main choices would be:

1. Warhammer/Falchion & round shield.
2. Zweihänder.
3. Labrys.
4. Dual longswords.
5. Bardiche.
6. Yan Yue Dao. (Reclining moon blade).
7. Ranseur.
8. Spetum.

Help me choose!

I'm a little intimidated by the skill necessary to build a perfectly straight zweihänder along with heat treating it etc; however I think I can manage. If I screw up I can always turn it into a flammenschwert.

...be-bop bananaschwert.

A halbard doodle (one of many ideas):



...Just imagine using this while on a charging warhorse.

[Zetheros]

...Starting to lean towards the spetum.

I mean, good gods:



Just look at that monster! It's like a zweihänder on a stick...

Also, I sent back my pos $90 torch kit for a genuine Victor torch w/ tips to reduce the opportunity of strewing my innards all over the workshop I should be shaping steel next weekend if all goes well!

[Zetheros]

I have a noobie question...

What would this lever-thing be?



Is it for tightening the breastplate to another plate, mounting a lance, holding a besagew in place...what could it be? I see it on many 15th-16th cuirasses, especially gothic and maximillian.

Oh, and an update about the steel; I'll be getting steel sometime this week. The gas tanks will have to wait for another week or two.

[Garreth]

It's a lance rest. It's good to see some progress picks
14 gauge is WAY to heavy for the cuirass, especially for a little guy like you. Just my .02 cents

[Zetheros]

I'm 5' 10" / 178cm

Thanks for the reply though, I bet it would be awesome to rest this type of spear that I've been designing recently...hold on; I'll draw it up and have it posted in an hour or two.

[Zetheros]

Here it is:



Note the two armour-piercing spikes, the thin main leaf blade, the zweihänder blade grip, and the four hooked decapitation blades similar in function to the chinese dagger-axe. This is pretty much the most efficient design that I can think of, for a weapon that is powerful against all armour-types.

I'm sure I could come up with more efficient designs if I had more time.

[Zetheros]

Red Moon - Kalafina



Drawing...for the fun of throwing digital paint around at 2am...not even trying, hahahaha. Sure turned out...demonic, I must say.