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Post by brotherbanzai on Apr 23, 2009 19:32:55 GMT
One of my longsword training partners is always getting his fingers bashed. In addition to the sparring he does with our longsword group he does some sparring with an SCA type group. He was wearing a gauntlet made from an SCA approved design on the web and still got his fingers crunched pretty bad. I've told him that the main thing is to improve his technique. I also explained the the main function of a medieval type gauntlet is to keep fingers from being severed, not really to keep them from being crushed or broken. That's not really appropriate for what we do since we aren't worried about cutting damage but rather percussive damage. He asked if I could make him some gauntlets that would provide better protection. I decided to give it a try but having no real in depth knowledge of armor, I don't know how well these are going to hold up to hard use yet. We tried them out today and so far they are working very well. Here is the inside of the armor part almost finished. The one on the right shows the metal plates and scales riveted to a leather backing. The one on the left has already had it's layer of 3mm foam installed. When they were both finished they were sewn onto a pair of leather gloves. The gloves are goatskin which is pretty supple. On the inside of the gloves are two layers of felt-like padding on the back of the hands and fingers but nothing on the palm side. The metal is stainless steel. I used regular steel rivets to hold the plates to the leather backing. The idea was to have more padding (two layers of leather, two layers of felt, and one layer of foam) and a thinner layer of steel. Hopefully this will provide more protection against blunt trauma while trading off the protection against cutting that we don't need. I found it to be a bit of a challenge to make something that allows a decent range of motion without being too heavy, too bulky, and still giving decent protection.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2009 20:29:22 GMT
NICE...even more impressive is that this is your first foray into making gauntlets and those look very serviceable. They don't use basket-hilts in his SCA group? Might help his hand a bit if they did.
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Post by sparky on Apr 23, 2009 20:43:18 GMT
Wow those are really nice. Thanks for the pictures, you have given me some ideas...... now to find a couch.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2009 4:54:08 GMT
Nice Job!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2009 11:31:47 GMT
imagine punching someone with that
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2009 12:50:02 GMT
Well done!
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Avery
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Post by Avery on Apr 24, 2009 14:47:28 GMT
'banzi, those look pretty damn awesome! With so many layers of protection, how hard is it to grip a sword?
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Post by brotherbanzai on Apr 24, 2009 17:59:38 GMT
Thanks Ebon P From what he's told me they do use basket-hilts but when my friend plays with them he fights longsword, so no basket for him. Thanks sparky Here are a few observations from my personal experience (you experience may vary) which may or may not be helpful in designing your own gauntlets: The center two fingers only get hit on the back and very tip so there isn't any need to armor the sides of those two. The index and pinkie get hit on the back as well as the outside of each and the tip. So they needed protection along the outside and more at the tip but not on the side facing the inner fingers. For that reason the design of those two finger's armor is different from the other two fingers. The thumb needs protection on both sides, back and tip as well as plenty of room to move around while changing grips. If you end the metal part of the gauntlet well before the leather part you don't have to worry about it digging into your forearm as you move you arms around. Hammer all the rivets flat as you go and then cover them with a bit of duct tape to hopefully keep them from wearing at the foam. Thanks tsafa Yeah Itigar, that would put a damper on their day Wouldn't be too difficult to add on some little pointy bits either. Thanks D.B. Thanks avery ;D It's not bad at all. All the padding is on the back side, the palm side only has the one layer of goatskin. I kept test fitting each piece as it was being made and each group of pieces as they merged to the whole and each part of the whole as it was sewn onto the leather gauntlet. But still I really didn't know for sure if they were going to work until I had them all together and could actually try them out. One concern is that while gripping the sword the armor tended to pull away from the tips of the fingers somewhat (see pics for what I mean). We may need some kind of little straps or something at the tips to hold the armor down . Here's some pics of sword in hand...
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Post by Avery on Apr 24, 2009 19:16:40 GMT
I see what you mean about the tips of the fingers,but all in all, it still offers great protection.... and like you said, the range of motion really doesn't look that limited...gotta be waaay better than what he had before!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2009 23:42:26 GMT
wow very nice job great work
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2009 8:20:19 GMT
very nice work.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2009 1:36:40 GMT
two words ...effing awesome
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Post by brotherbanzai on Apr 30, 2009 20:19:45 GMT
Thanks Avery I'm hoping they'll hold up well. The SCA guys told my friend that the type of rivets I used could pop loose. I looked into tinner's rivets before I started on these but found it hard to believe there would be enough difference to warrant the extra trouble. I didn't use the aluminum pop rivets, I used steel and each one has a steel washer on the backside and was then hammered flat after riveting. I figured it was unlikely to have any less holding power than a tinner's rivet with a copper washer. I imagine if you got hit in the hand hard enough to pop one of those loose, the rivet would be the least of your worries. But we'll see I guess. Thanks aceltone Thanks Brian Thanks kaminoheishi ;D
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Post by Avery on Apr 30, 2009 23:06:43 GMT
I imagine if you got hit in the hand hard enough to pop one of those loose, the rivet would be the least of your worries. But we'll see I guess. Well thats an easy fix......tell'em not to get hit. Not to derail your thread Banzi, but how hard would it be to make a similar armour for the shouder?.... I have an idea.
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Post by brotherbanzai on May 3, 2009 2:32:13 GMT
Similar in what way Avery? You mean with overlapping plates that curved around the shoulder? I wouldn't think it would be too bad. You'd spend more on steel but it would probably take a lot less time (I blew close to 40 hours planning, laying out, and constructing these silly things). I figure around 10 of those hours were in testing out out and planning and adjusting so it would probably take me 30 hours to make another set. But that's me with no armor experience and whatever tools I happen to already have in the garage.
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Avery
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Post by Avery on May 3, 2009 2:49:00 GMT
Yeah, the overlapping of the plates done in a way so as not to restrict moving the arm....say over your head. Its funny you mention steel cost, if things work out right, I should come into possesion of a 200 gallon stainless steel milk tank from an old dairy farm. Tanks in great shape, so I'm debating on using the steel for some armour or just making a bigass port-a-pit cooker out of it. If I go the armour route maybe we could do a trade.....half the steel for your work.
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Post by Deleted on May 3, 2009 5:01:12 GMT
200 gallons-Hey, maybe you can do both! Armour and port-a-pit cooker.
Invite please for bar-b-q! ;D
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Post by Avery on May 4, 2009 2:56:42 GMT
Invite please for bar-b-q! ;D Lol,.... anytime you're willin' to pay for the gas to get here, the least I could do is offer you a hot dog.
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Post by Deleted on May 4, 2009 4:32:28 GMT
Actually, I'll bring baby backs and let you work your magic! I love em!!!
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Avery
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Post by Avery on May 5, 2009 0:32:50 GMT
Actually, I'll bring baby backs and let you work your magic! I love em!!! Hahaha, I make a helluva BBQ sauce too...... You like a dry rub or tangy tomato sauce?
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