How to make armor

Making a "real" knight's armor 14-15 century (Engl. "full-plate") is difficult and requires a forge, a lot of time and experience with metal. However, to make a beautiful, simulation is quite capable to everyone! For this you need to refuse hot forging and tempering the metal in favor of cold forging, and make the armour not the thickness 1,5-2 mm and made of thin sheet steel 0,4-0,5 mm. this instruction assumes that you can handle the cold forging independently and know how to weave chainmail method 4-in-1 (descriptions of this technology much in the Runet).

How to make armor
How to make yourself the knight's costume
How to make a sword

You will need

For forging plates:
1) Workbench with vise
2) a Wooden hammer with rounded corners (ciaca)
3) Brass hammer with zakrugleniem striker
4) Brass hammer with flat wedge-shaped striker
5) Adovacy a tree stump or a thick layer of dense rubber
6) metal Scissors
7) Sheet metal thickness 0,5 mm
To weave chain mail:
1) Two pliers
2) Adjust for the wire rings (steel rod 10 mm in diameter, bent into the form of a handle with a through hole at the opposite end for clamping a wire).
3) Steel wire thickness: 2 mm
For the Assembly:
1) Narrow leather straps
2) Leather straps with a width of 1.5-2 cm with buckles
3) Tight-fitting jacket of thick cotton cloth (not synthetic)

Instruction

Manufacturer of jackets-padded armour. Made of conventional jackets. It should be of a thick cotton fabric, not synthetic, and should be positioned close to the body. The body of the jacket does not restrict movement, parasyte her. Cut off sleeves at the shoulder seam. Smoothen the edges. Attach the sleeves back on the leather straps with a width of 1-1,5 cm (1-2 strap on each side, should go on the shoulder, leaving a free incision in the armpits). Replace zipper/buttons on a set of 4-5 straps with buckles. Sew these straps on chest and belly (the bottom – just below the navel).

Attach the chain mail fabric to the jacket at the following locations. Attach it lacing through the openings with an awl in my jacket.1) fully chainmail sleeves from the shoulder to the wrist or below the elbow (including Bracers)2) ring-band width of 6-8 cm from the armpits to the bottom of бокам3) chainmail "wings" semi-round shape at the back (closing the vanes), the front (covering the chest? on line covering the nipple). 4) a chain mail collar with a round neck.

Forging cuirass. Plate cuirass "half-cancer" consists of chest and spinal plates, segmental lumbar/ventral portion and two segmental gaiters. Make patterns. The chest plate needs to be up to the diaphragm and to have a wide semi-circular cut-outs on the shoulders – a line extending from the clavicle to the point below the armpits at the nipples. Cuirass with smaller cutouts will restrict movement of hands. Back plate needs to come together with the chest on the sides (near the edges) and on the shoulders. Shoulder cutouts it should be less so that the back plate is closed the blade. Cut plates of metal and hammering, giving them a convex shape, referring to the shape of your body (wearing the jacket). In the center of the chest plate make the stiffener. The dorsal plate has a lower degree of concavity.

Segmentation belly/lower back consists of a separate pelvic and lumbar parts, each of 3 bands-Platonov. Make the width of Platonov so that the ventral portion collected from three Platonov overlap, covering the area from the diaphragm to the pubes. Give plastinum shape when forging. Ready plastino 0.5 cm from the edge, drill holes and connect them to free the rivets (4 rivets for each connection). Fabricate and assemble lumbar part corresponding to the abdominal.

The gaiters have a rectangular shape, slightly curved on the leg, and the hips close to the middle, front and side. The groin and back of leg gaiters is not closed. Each hip consists of 3 rectangular, the United free rivets. Forging give them a curved shape on the leg.

Collect the cuirass. Use furniture hinge for the connection of chest and spinal plates on his shoulders. Connect the thoracic (dorsal) plate of an abdominal (lumbar) part of the free studs. Freely attach the gaiters to the bottom plastone the ventral portion of the strip of chain mail fabric width of 5 rings. Wearing a cuirass cinches at the waist with a belt.

Manufacturer of greaves/Bracers. They must protect the leg below the knee and arms below the elbow, respectively. The pattern for them should be narrower at the bottom (ankles/wrists) and extend to the knee/elbow. The length of the leggings – from below the knee to the protruding bones on the ankles. Bracers – from below elbow to wrist. Sizes start wearing a jacket. Make patterns, cut billets of metal and give them a curved shape. Leggings fold stronger Bracers (pattern for leggings broader as they cover almost the entire leg) and make the center rib stiffness. At the bottom of the leggings make a semicircular cutout where the leg goes into the foot (including shoes). Greaves and Bracers are held by two straps with buckles each.

Note

1) All plate elements connected to a movable free rivets. These rivets have allow the parts to freely "hang out" with respect to each other.
2) Chainmail fabric is attached to the jacket and lace-up gives you some freedom, and not stitched tightly.

Useful advice

1) For ribs, use a brass hammer with a narrow face. As otlochno surfaces for ribs you can use a vise with a gap of 1.5-2 cm between the lips.
2) breastplate looks nice decorative jacquard skirt with metallic "embroidery". The skirt should be under the gaiters and have a length equal to the length of the gaiters.

Is the advice useful?