The Armour Archive

Hi Everybody. This is more of a comment than a question.

This past weekend, I got to work with some 16 ga stainless. I am accustomed to 12-14 ga for helmets. Wow, did it ever form nicely. It was remarkably easy to just bang into the shape I wanted. It seemed like butter. And I bet brass/copper/bronze would be easier yet.

So I got to thinking that it might be a lot of fun to go thin for a bit and just make some helmets for fun. I bet a guy could pop out a complete 16 ga. helmet pretty easily and make it look exactly how you want. Maybe this armouring thing could be fun rather that a battle. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy it, but cutting, shaping and drilling 12ga. stainless feels more like a battle sometimes when a guy has less than perfect tools.

So anyways, that is about it, but I just thought that I would mention that thin stuff is fun to use. Because I had forgot about that so I thought I would mention it in case anybody else had forgotten too.

Hrogn

(P.S. - this is not an appropriate thread to comment about denting 12 ga and how it is excessive to need it for helmets or if you can do it, etc.)

after you have spent some time working 12ga stainless 14 ga seems soft.

same goes for Ti. lighter gauges are easy to shape until you hit 22 ga.

mrks

20ga steel is a pleasure to work. You really need spring steel to make it work, though.

Have you tried working hot? It's neat. Like butter.

Cupric alloys work harden quickly, mind you.