The Armour Archive

I have seen two main styles of finger gauntlets. You have the more common scalloped style with simple overlapping finger plates and then you have the kind that are a little more involved with knuckle plates and wider metal pieces. Cost aside, what are the ups and downs of these? I ask because I am looking to buy finger gauntlets because i have had 4 different sets of full clamshell types and have been very unsatisfied with all of them. Prefering a small pair of hockey gauntlets to all of them, I am ready to try finger gaunts I think.
Scalloped- From what I can see, they dont appear at first glance to offer much protection. All of the ones i have seen have relatively small plates and the design does not appear to be able to transfer the force of a direct hit blow very well. In addition as a polearmer and greatswordsman, the chance of a rising shot coming upwards at the fingers against and coming up under the scales looks to be fairly high. Has anyone used this style and what are your experiences with them?

The other style seems to be a bit more protective. That's all I have to say since I havent used them and dont really see any negatives. I know both styles are not as solid as a clamshell set but as long as the hands are protected I would prefer the added dexterity.
So users, tell me what you think and if I am right or not?

I ditched my clamshells the moment finger gauntlets became legal and haven't looked back.

Each style has it's drawbacks and benefits, and you have to weigh what you want and what each provides to choose a pair.

So what kind do you use, the scalloped or the knuckled version or something else?

I have the knuckled kind, and I love them. IMO, they are quite a bit safer than any clamshell I've tried.

Have no experience with the scaled type.

I use what they used. My armor is as period as it can get. I aim to do what they did, and suffer as they did and experience as close as I can to what they did.
I have 14C hourglass gauntlets with period fingers, and Wisby ones that are the same. I have never had serious issues with each, but I don't mind the pain. It's less than getting blasted with a lance or falling from a horse going 20 MPH.

YMMV.

Fokke wrote:So users, tell me what you think and if I am right or not?

Not to be rude, but rather than asking people to repeat themselves, may I suggest you read the thread ?

There are numerous comments on precisely what you are asking.