Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2007 20:18:29 GMT
Hello fellas! I'm not far from ordering a pair of gauntlets from BestArmour.com and was just wondering if anyone here could vouch for their trustability before I place my final decision? I do in no way doubt their seriousness as professional armourers, but too much info about the matter can't hurt! They have also recently put up the option of having certain parts of armours made out of spring steel. One of which are the gauntlets, of course.. so, can anyone here tell me any specific information about how spring steel differs from (and how it is superior to) cold rolled steel and case-hardened steel? I have this kind of complex that won't really allow me to buy the "second-best-thing" when my finances for the moment actually are sufficient to get to the absolute top! Someone, please, help me in making this decision!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 22, 2007 8:37:04 GMT
I went to their site but was unable to find the gauntlets. Post a direct link if you can. I have used two different sets of gauntlets and have some familiarity with potential problems. Also state how you intend to use them.
Here is a review of the last pair I bought. I had to make substantial modifications to make them usable. /index.cgi?board=otherweaponreviews&action=display&thread=1181344435
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 22, 2007 10:34:31 GMT
Certainly Tsafa, here's the link to the exact pair. www.bestarmour.com/detailsparts/rukavice41.htmlI will order them to be SCA legal (1,5 mm spring steel, most likely) even though I'm not actually in the SCA as of yet, but who knows what'll happen in the future! The one who I presume to be the head of the armoury there, Milan Marek, has gone to quite a length to ensure that he got the correct measurements of my hand, he also asked me whether I had other parts of armour for the arms as he would shorten the cuffs if I did, to lessen the risk that the gauntlets would cause some disturbance. Over on MyArmoury.com, only good praises have been heard about them and I really do think that they are real professionals, serious and caring whether their product pleases the customer or not. As for how I intend to use them..hum.. well, I do intend to actually wear them in conjunction to handling pieces of my collection. Most likely for the SCA if I ever get a chance to join up later on as well!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 23, 2007 6:37:57 GMT
Those guantlets are outstanding. Too beutiful to use for SCA combat. Get yourself a cheaper pair of clamshells for combat and use these for court-dress. Do you know what the price is in US Dollors? I am calculating about $650. Is that right?
They have some of the nicest armor I have seen for sale anywhere on that site.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 23, 2007 13:14:36 GMT
I'd say that your guess of approx. $650 would be pretty close to it. However, I intend to have them made in spring steel which will increase the price quite a bit. $890 or somesuch is probably what I'm looking at! I think I've also changed my decision for going with 1,5mm thickness. I was informed over on SFI that the vast majority of historical gauntlets did not exceed 1mm in thickness, as any unnecessary weight on the hands would serve only to slow one down. And as the pair will be made in spring steel, the defensive capabilities of that 1mm of steel should rise to a desirable amount nevertheless. Still, I need some more time to think it all over.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 23, 2007 20:48:27 GMT
I agree with going with the lightest guantlets posible as long as they protect fully. Also pay close attention to wrist flexibility and articulation. The thinner armor will dent over time, but armor is not ment to last long. I have to make almost weekly repairs to my armor. That is the benefit of making your own armor, you can fix it yourself.
I was advised by many people that the best thing to do is go to events with numberous vendors and try on armor. The armor has to all fit together right. In my case, the guantlet cuffs did not fit over my vambraces and had poor wrist flexibility. The fingers were also too short. I sent them back to be be modified. In the end I had to still make adjustments myself. If I had waited and bought them at the Pensic War they would have fit right. I know this option may not be available to you.
Consider what will you be wearing on your forearms? What kind of goves will you wear under the guantlets? I wear padded gloves under my guantlets.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 23, 2007 21:51:57 GMT
The thing that baffled me the most at first was that they apparently do not make the steel gauntlets complete with leather gloves sewn/glued on to them when you order it, it's a process that I'll have to make do with myself. However, since I don't have any suitable gloves to use with them, I asked if they would be able to make me a pair and they (most conviniently ) could. So I sent them the shape of both my left and right hand, they'll make leather gloves that suits them and then they'll make the steel plating fit the gloves. I sure hope it'll turn out alright! I also intend to have all my future pieces of armour made by these guys, so I should be able to give them some intel on how my current pieces would add up with any addition I can spot on their page, sending them pictures and measuring on how much space there is and whatnot. I'll work it out. As for the outcome of the articulation and the wrist flexibility, I guess I just have to trust in their good reputation and meticulous desire for my correct measurements! I'm sure something can be done should I need to have some minor adjustment made. I also asked him about how spring steel would compare to their original cold-rolled steel and he answered that "1.0mm of spring steel would protect better than 1.5mm of cold-rolled steel", so I'm having positive thoughts about the whole ensemble. Not to mention how light they'll hopefully be in proportion to their supposed protectiveness!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 24, 2007 16:27:28 GMT
I use street-hockey gloves inside my guantlets. They have a thin layer of padding on the outside and only cost $25. icefalcon.safeshopper.com/27/221.htm?752One issue you will want to consider is that if you use them often in sport fighting is that gloves begin to smell very bad. You will want to seperate them from your armor and soak them in water and let them dry over night. That will get the stench out. So don't have them pemametly attached to your guantlets. Gloves will also wear and tear and you will need to replace them.
|
|