Hardened leather armour, taking custom orders

Kilkenny · Post by **Kilkenny** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 7:45 pm

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.

Kilkenny · Post by **Kilkenny** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 11:13 am

bump

Daddy needs a new set of shears.

Randy W · Post by **Randy W** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 12:04 pm

what type of prices do you have on your greaves?

Charles Alexander · Post by **Charles Alexander** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 12:22 pm

Nice work....

Kilkenny · Post by **Kilkenny** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 2:04 pm

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.

Kilkenny · Post by **Kilkenny** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 2:06 pm

Charles Alexander wrote:Nice work....

thank you.

Ned Chaney · Post by **Ned Chaney** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 5:08 pm

How much do you think a pair of 14th C greaves with the tooling similar to these cuisses

would end up costing?

Kilkenny · Post by **Kilkenny** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 7:02 pm

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.

Ned Chaney · Post by **Ned Chaney** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 11:23 am

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.

Kilkenny · Post by **Kilkenny** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 12:05 pm

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.

Kagetarou · Post by **Kagetarou** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 12:55 pm

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

Kilkenny · Post by **Kilkenny** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 1:18 pm

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.

Bentz · Post by **Bentz** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 1:49 pm

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

Kilkenny · Post by **Kilkenny** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 1:55 pm

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.

Bentz · Post by **Bentz** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 3:24 pm

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!

Kagetarou · Post by **Kagetarou** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 5:55 pm

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!

Bleddyn De Caldicot · Post by **Bleddyn De Caldicot** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 7:02 pm

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

Kilkenny · Post by **Kilkenny** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 7:46 pm

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.

Kilkenny · Post by **Kilkenny** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 7:52 pm

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 :lol:

Randy W · Post by **Randy W** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 8:12 pm

PM sent

Bleddyn De Caldicot · Post by **Bleddyn De Caldicot** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 8:28 pm

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.

Kagetarou · Post by **Kagetarou** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 10:41 am

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!

Kilkenny · Post by **Kilkenny** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 11:41 am

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!

PM sent