Primary knights were not wearing plate gauntlets: only shield and sword’s handguard protected the hands. Starting on the 1180 year, mail gauntlets came into use. In fact, these gauntlets were a part of mail shirt sleeve. In the end of the XIII century, first separate gloves had appeared. They were made of firm leather with whalebone or metal plates. And by the 1350 year, almost all knights were wearing plate five-fingered gauntlets, covered with metal scales. In the 1430 year, gauntlets had become one of the most part of any armour, and gained great popularity in the end of the XV century.
Let’s have a look at how Steel Mastery makes plate knight gauntlets of the 1350-1400 years step-by-step!
1. First of all, you need to take precise measurements of your hand. Preferred is to take parameters over the glove, which you’ll sew into the plate gauntlet.
2. Then make a pattern on the thick paper with taken measures. Cut the pattern of leaf very accurately to avoid any problems with sizing during gauntlets’ making.
3. Making of wrist. Roll the main pattern in the shape of cylinder. Use semi-automatic welding to connect butting position with little weld.
We recommend having a photo of historical analogue as spectacular example at working place, so you could see and compare your work piece during manufacture. For example:
Shape the work piece with hammer, beakiron and argon torch. Sure, you can make it with cold metal,
but this will extend the wrist making. At work, always remember the safety instructions: when cutting the metal, use safety glass, gloves, duck bib overalls or hoover apron.
With chisel and beakiron, shape the ribs on the knuckles.
After this, polish and make the first fitting up with screws. Drill the holes for rivets, which will hold the
leather. Prepare the wrist for polishing.
Then make the mobile segment of narrow metal strip and fit it to the knuckles. This element is very important part of gauntlet, because leather of fingers will be attached exactly to this segment. It allows bringing the weapon without any problems, and is also an additional protection of hand part between the gauntlet wrist and fingers.
The next step is fingers’ making.
Make the pattern on the leaf and cut it carefully. Bend the metal phalanges, hammer the knuckles and put into the shape of sphere, which will hide area of phalanges bend.
Polishing.
Polish finish with abrasive discs. As there is the dirtiest part of our job, do not forget to use face masking (respirator) to avoid breathing abrasive dust.
Reassembly. Fingers.
Cut leather for fingers. Rivet metal parts of phalanges to the leather with steel or brass rivets.
Reassembly. Wrist.
Cut the leather and rivet it to the metal part of wrist with steel or brass rivets.
General reassembly.
So, here we lift a veil on how we make knight gloves of the XIV-XV century. This safety, historically correct hand protection will come in use during knight tournaments, medieval fencing and reenactments.
Probably, described process is seemed to be easy. But believe, making of such armour requires considerable amount of time, attention and zeal.
Do you like this review?:) Then pretty soon we’ll tell you how to craft the most popular model of medieval helmet bascinet.
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