The Armour Archive

What with the loss of 8 months worth of posts, and the arrival of some new people on the boards, it seems like a good time to post a little "refresher".

I make hardened leather armour. I use 13-15 ounce saddle skirting for the armour and harden it using a process of soaking in a solution of water and Titebond III followed by baking. After the piece dries it is sealed with acrylic floor polish. The result is a hard but resilient, lightweight leather with good water resistance.

I make a variety of greaves, including 14th century inspired versions, SCA "shovel greaves" and a Classical Greece inspired version.
Some examples of greaves I've built are here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/80888788@N ... 339877316/

I also do cuisses, primarily in a style inspired by armour of the 14th century:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/80888788@N ... 339938846/

As well as bazubands and 14th century inspired arm harness:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/80888788@N ... 344972163/

Custom tooling is available upon request, with price dependent on complexity.

Thank you for looking.

bump

Daddy needs a new set of shears.

what type of prices do you have on your greaves?

Nice work....

randy w wrote:what type of prices do you have on your greaves?

My 14th c inspired and Greek inspired greaves start at $75 for the pair. That includes a stamped decorative border and contrasting color between the body and border. These greaves do not provide any knee protection.

My SCA "Shovel greaves" which do provide knee protection start at $100 for the pair, with similar decoration and coloring as above.

Additional tooling is available, shop rate of $10/hour for the tooling.

Shipping is in addition to all prices.

Charles Alexander wrote:Nice work....

thank you.

How much do you think a pair of 14th C greaves with the tooling similar to these cuisses would end up costing?

Edward atte Flynt wrote:How much do you think a pair of 14th C greaves with the tooling similar to these cuisses would end up costing?

About $125. The set that cuisse belongs to, Cuisses, poleyns, Greaves, Vambraces, elbow cops with rondels, Rerebraces is for sale for $500 for the whole lot.

Man that would make a MIGHTY FINE looking kit!!! Do you have any pics of it all together? HEEHEE I think I recognize that one archery bracer on the Bazuband/Arm Harness page.

Edward atte Flynt wrote:Man that would make a MIGHTY FINE looking kit!!! Do you have any pics of it all together? HEEHEE I think I recognize that one archery bracer on the Bazuband/Arm Harness page.

I don't have any pictures of it all together. I guess I had better correct that I think it looks pretty good, but I am biased.

I'm interested in getting a pair of leather demi-gauntlets.

Kagetarou wrote:I'm interested in getting a pair of leather demi-gauntlets.

I've got a plain brown set in stock at the moment. They're $20 each, $40 for the pair, plus shipping.

Or I could make something to your color and tooling specifications, which would take a couple of weeks to fill and price would depend upon the specifics of the decoration.

And how much would a 14th c inspired pair of vambraces run, with and without tooling?

Bentz wrote:And how much would a 14th c inspired pair of vambraces run, with and without tooling?

Those vambraces start at $75 a pair with a stamped decorative border in contrasting color to the body. Tooling is at a shop rate of $10 an hour and I give an estimate based on the specifics of the project before I start work.

In all cases, shipping is additional.

Kilkenny wrote:
Those vambraces start at $75 a pair with a stamped decorative border in contrasting color to the body. Tooling is at a shop rate of $10 an hour and I give an estimate based on the specifics of the project before I start work.

In all cases, shipping is additional.

Many thanks!

Kilkenny wrote:I've got a plain brown set in stock at the moment. They're $20 each, $40 for the pair, plus shipping.

Or I could make something to your color and tooling specifications, which would take a couple of weeks to fill and price would depend upon the specifics of the decoration.

Don't need anything too fancy, just functional. Does wrist size matter? Do you have a picture? Thanks!

what kind of tool do you use to etch into the leather? do you do it before or after hardening it?

Kagetarou wrote:

Kilkenny wrote:I've got a plain brown set in stock at the moment. They're $20 each, $40 for the pair, plus shipping.

Or I could make something to your color and tooling specifications, which would take a couple of weeks to fill and price would depend upon the specifics of the decoration.

Don't need anything too fancy, just functional. Does wrist size matter? Do you have a picture? Thanks!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/80888788@N ... 363726151/
That links to my demi-gauntlet pictures.

Wrist size can matter, but typically the more critical measurement is width across the knuckles. The wrists on these should be good to about a 9 inch circumference, width at the knuckles no more than 4 inches.

bleddyn wrote:what kind of tool do you use to etch into the leather? do you do it before or after hardening it?

Tooling the leather happens before hardening and involves a variety of tools. Some lines are incised with a knife, patterns are impressed with stamps or modelling tools, shading effects are also done with stamps and or modelling tools. I've got over a hundred various stamps and knives for this work, plus modeling tools, edge finishing tools... ok.. it's an addiction

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Kilkenny wrote:

bleddyn wrote:what kind of tool do you use to etch into the leather? do you do it before or after hardening it?

Tooling the leather happens before hardening and involves a variety of tools. Some lines are incised with a knife, patterns are impressed with stamps or modelling tools, shading effects are also done with stamps and or modelling tools. I've got over a hundred various stamps and knives for this work, plus modeling tools, edge finishing tools... ok.. it's an addiction

Cool, I'm just getting into basic leatherworking right now and was curious.

Kilkenny wrote:I've got a plain brown set in stock at the moment. They're $20 each, $40 for the pair, plus shipping.

Ok, I'd like to go ahead and order a pair, let me know how I can make arrangements. Thanks!

Kagetarou wrote:

Kilkenny wrote:I've got a plain brown set in stock at the moment. They're $20 each, $40 for the pair, plus shipping.

Ok, I'd like to go ahead and order a pair, let me know how I can make arrangements. Thanks!

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