Just recently went ahead and made pieces of my own armor, not anything historically accurate at all, just for Live Roleplay in Germany. Your Videos are a gigantic help and inspiration, wonderful work, good way of explaining things aswell. Please keep up the great work, thank you very much :)
Thanks for the compliment, I've got a couple of LARP projects coming up. Be nice to see what you've done if you've got some pictures tucked away somewhere
Holy hell the involuntary cringe when you struck right onto the edge in the demon of what not to do. Not done any armouring yet, but blacksmithing yeah. Absolutely love the way you're explaining. Better than the blokes in the shop I prenticed in. I think folks forget how important WHY is to helping people understand the what of a method. The cup of tea bit is true as hell, in lieu of throwing the job the whole way across the shop. Have a cuppa not a tantrum.
My pleasure, been flat out with work, fighting a chest infection and trying to teach for the last few weeks, so the videos have taken a hit - hence the slideshows - but more real stuff soon.
Im soooo happy i found your channel after reading all these comments about how youvve helped people with the armour builds. Im looking around while thinking of making my own armour, ive just bought some chains for chainmail :P
Hello again! I just but a bricklayers hammer to do flutes for your gauntlet series. I am now thinking about making some steaks and molds. I have a stockpile of old rail stakes that I want to grind down to do this. Do you think they would be hard enough, as a beginner's mold? I am working with very mild steel. Luke
Hi there, mild steel, as long as it is a weighty piece of steel does just fine, most of my stakes, that aren't chisel shaped, are mild steel. Given that a lot of the work you are doing isn't directly in them and will be ht they survive just fine. They are also fairly simple to repair and weld back into shape if you need to. The worst thing that can happen is after a while you'll deform them too much, but they can be brought back, repaired and replaced relatively cheaply. Better still they 'adopt' the shape you need and become a treasured tool.
When you find out let me know, watched a lot of Grahams videos and think the heaviest is 1/8 inch, but could be wrong. This video, about 12 gauge, a little thicker than fuel drum!
Thanks for these videos! I’m an ex-matelot up north. These videos have inspired me to set too on some sheet mild steel I have. I’ve just butchered a scutching hammer, a sledge hammer and various other second hand stuff to make some basic tools. Would you be able to make a short video on patterns? Top tips etc? Cheers! You legend!
stevie b will add it to the list. Pattern can be quite tough as they can change quite a bit depending on your metal work technique. Will try and give it some thought
Greenleaf Workshop cheers buddy! I've been an instructor of various things for 20 years. I must say, your videos are second to none. You instructional technique is excellent. I've managed to make a 3 pieces for an arm since I posted last using a scavenged tow hitch and some second hand hammers and a scutching tool! Cheers for building my confidence!
Ive honestly never subscribed so quickly 😅 i absolutely love forging and medieval history so seeing this is just amazing to me, it is detailed enough without being hours upon hours long, it covers history of armor making to a degree and teaches theory and practical application and isnt boring 8,5/10 I would have given it a 10/10 if there was some more different camera angles (sometimes the hand was more in focus or covering the oart you were working on) and some slight background music when you were working on it that faded more into the background when talking Example: alec steele's videos but more medieval music. But all in all i loved the video
Thanks for the pointers, the channel started as a simple something to do type project and sharing the info. The presentation is only something that I am coming around to of late, so you're advice is well timed, thankyou.
This is handy to know cuz I wanna start armor smithing but I initially looked for something like this for something else. You see, I also dabble in weapon making and for kicks, I made a 2-handed combat shovel. Its completely flat with some reinforcement on the back with a splayed open bit of boxtubing welded on about half way. But I was wondering if I could use this technique to put reinforcement ridges on the "blade" by hammering in some straight flutes on the straight surface. Does anyone know if this is viable?
This video is really awesome! I just wanted to ask if u made/are going to make a video on how you clean the surface, i tried to flute a piece of metal, it worked, but i am always afraid when i grind the surfaces. Can i ask you how u clean/grind those surfaces?
I've got it on the list, but to be honest my cleaning rig is very primitive and as a result I've shied away from that part of things, but perhaps I should take another look at it, after all it will show how you can clean equipment cheaply.
can you cheat the flute with a welder and grinder? Build up instead of upsetting the metal. I know thats pretty messed up but ive seen some people make helms and they usually just weld them. Top part being 3mm and sides 2mm and made from 3 parts top and 2 sides.
Where the hell do you get those kinds of stakes? Or any stakes for that matter. I live in germany though, maybe they are not that easy to get here or I just don't know where to look?
Hello mate, the stakes I use are almost all old road drill bits that I have managed to pick up from construction workers, builders, road workers and the such, you can buy them first hand but they are prohibitively expensive in the UK. Generally they are blunt or broken, but that's perfect as I grind them to shape. Hope that helps. This is a US site but it shows what I am on about: www.championchisel.com/category/electric-steel/
You can do with relative ease, start with files and work out from there. But don't forget back in the day t hey were using water wheels to turn grinding wheels etc .. but if it's just a case of not having power or the tools you can do it, it just takes longer. Same process though just try and create a grain and remove the scratches from the previous grit each time. You can 'cheat' and use green brillo pad or similar and oil towards the end to create a matt look.
On most earlier stuff you don't really need to worry to much, the flutes are a lot gentler and shallower than often imagined. You could add a few mm, but you'll likely find you'll be removing most of it later.
With difficulty. :) Early bronze age hammers were likely harder than the early iron, so they could have started that way, I imagine the first metal hammer (copper most likely) would have been made with stone … at a guess.
Just recently went ahead and made pieces of my own armor, not anything historically accurate at all, just for Live Roleplay in Germany. Your Videos are a gigantic help and inspiration, wonderful work, good way of explaining things aswell. Please keep up the great work, thank you very much :)
Thanks for the compliment, I've got a couple of LARP projects coming up. Be nice to see what you've done if you've got some pictures tucked away somewhere
they are so beautifully subtle after the cleanup
Thanks, I'm glad they showed up on the video, I wasn't sure they came through clearly.
Thanks for sharing all this amazing info.
Cup of tea and a cake sounds like the best kinda therapy ;)
There's not many problems that can't be solved with tea and cake. ;)
about to start my first set of armor so glad I found your channel
good luck my friend and welcome to the black hole that is armouring :)
thanks sooo much for your videos! They have allowed me to start making my own pieces of armour.
Glad to hear it. Best of luck with your work, it's the most frustrating but ultimately rewarding hobby out there ... IMHO.
Thank You wery much for uploading all those great instructions!
Thanks for the compliment. I'll do my best :)
Holy hell the involuntary cringe when you struck right onto the edge in the demon of what not to do. Not done any armouring yet, but blacksmithing yeah. Absolutely love the way you're explaining. Better than the blokes in the shop I prenticed in. I think folks forget how important WHY is to helping people understand the what of a method.
The cup of tea bit is true as hell, in lieu of throwing the job the whole way across the shop. Have a cuppa not a tantrum.
Great video brother! Very helpful👍 keep up the good work. Thanks for sharing
My pleasure, been flat out with work, fighting a chest infection and trying to teach for the last few weeks, so the videos have taken a hit - hence the slideshows - but more real stuff soon.
Im soooo happy i found your channel after reading all these comments about how youvve helped people with the armour builds. Im looking around while thinking of making my own armour, ive just bought some chains for chainmail :P
best of luck mate
Grand work!!
Hello again!
I just but a bricklayers hammer to do flutes for your gauntlet series. I am now thinking about making some steaks and molds. I have a stockpile of old rail stakes that I want to grind down to do this. Do you think they would be hard enough, as a beginner's mold? I am working with very mild steel.
Luke
Hi there, mild steel, as long as it is a weighty piece of steel does just fine, most of my stakes, that aren't chisel shaped, are mild steel. Given that a lot of the work you are doing isn't directly in them and will be ht they survive just fine. They are also fairly simple to repair and weld back into shape if you need to. The worst thing that can happen is after a while you'll deform them too much, but they can be brought back, repaired and replaced relatively cheaply. Better still they 'adopt' the shape you need and become a treasured tool.
Makes me want a cup of tea
Always time for tea and cake.
Hey, love your videos. But one question: What´s the thickness of your material? ^^
When you find out let me know, watched a lot of Grahams videos and think the heaviest is 1/8 inch, but could be wrong. This video, about 12 gauge, a little thicker than fuel drum!
Thanks for these videos! I’m an ex-matelot up north. These videos have inspired me to set too on some sheet mild steel I have. I’ve just butchered a scutching hammer, a sledge hammer and various other second hand stuff to make some basic tools.
Would you be able to make a short video on patterns? Top tips etc?
Cheers! You legend!
stevie b will add it to the list. Pattern can be quite tough as they can change quite a bit depending on your metal work technique.
Will try and give it some thought
Greenleaf Workshop cheers buddy! I've been an instructor of various things for 20 years. I must say, your videos are second to none. You instructional technique is excellent. I've managed to make a 3 pieces for an arm since I posted last using a scavenged tow hitch and some second hand hammers and a scutching tool! Cheers for building my confidence!
Great video and explanation.
Thanks very much, I do tend to waffle ... I'm trying to cut that back a bit.
Ive honestly never subscribed so quickly 😅 i absolutely love forging and medieval history so seeing this is just amazing to me, it is detailed enough without being hours upon hours long, it covers history of armor making to a degree and teaches theory and practical application and isnt boring
8,5/10
I would have given it a 10/10 if there was some more different camera angles (sometimes the hand was more in focus or covering the oart you were working on) and some slight background music when you were working on it that faded more into the background when talking
Example: alec steele's videos but more medieval music.
But all in all i loved the video
Thanks for the pointers, the channel started as a simple something to do type project and sharing the info. The presentation is only something that I am coming around to of late, so you're advice is well timed, thankyou.
This is handy to know cuz I wanna start armor smithing but I initially looked for something like this for something else.
You see, I also dabble in weapon making and for kicks, I made a 2-handed combat shovel. Its completely flat with some reinforcement on the back with a splayed open bit of boxtubing welded on about half way. But I was wondering if I could use this technique to put reinforcement ridges on the "blade" by hammering in some straight flutes on the straight surface. Does anyone know if this is viable?
This video is really awesome! I just wanted to ask if u made/are going to make a video on how you clean the surface, i tried to flute a piece of metal, it worked, but i am always afraid when i grind the surfaces. Can i ask you how u clean/grind those surfaces?
I've got it on the list, but to be honest my cleaning rig is very primitive and as a result I've shied away from that part of things, but perhaps I should take another look at it, after all it will show how you can clean equipment cheaply.
Thank you very much ^^
can you cheat the flute with a welder and grinder? Build up instead of upsetting the metal. I know thats pretty messed up but ive seen some people make helms and they usually just weld them. Top part being 3mm and sides 2mm and made from 3 parts top and 2 sides.
thanks for the videos there encouraging and very helpful
Thanks very much, glad they're useful.
Where the hell do you get those kinds of stakes? Or any stakes for that matter. I live in germany though, maybe they are not that easy to get here or I just don't know where to look?
Hello mate, the stakes I use are almost all old road drill bits that I have managed to pick up from construction workers, builders, road workers and the such, you can buy them first hand but they are prohibitively expensive in the UK.
Generally they are blunt or broken, but that's perfect as I grind them to shape.
Hope that helps.
This is a US site but it shows what I am on about: www.championchisel.com/category/electric-steel/
I know this is a year latter but search "bushing bit" on ebay and you'll find some nice broad headed ones. Sometimes they'll be a cheap lot of them.
How feasible is it to clean it up by hand? How much longer would that take you compared to using a powered grinding tool?
You can do with relative ease, start with files and work out from there. But don't forget back in the day t hey were using water wheels to turn grinding wheels etc .. but if it's just a case of not having power or the tools you can do it, it just takes longer. Same process though just try and create a grain and remove the scratches from the previous grit each time.
You can 'cheat' and use green brillo pad or similar and oil towards the end to create a matt look.
How do you account for flutes when measuring out the metal to cut
On most earlier stuff you don't really need to worry to much, the flutes are a lot gentler and shallower than often imagined. You could add a few mm, but you'll likely find you'll be removing most of it later.
Thanks
As an american I can agree don't go for the coffee go for the tea when frusturated. Maybe skip the cake though.
Sometimes the problem may be a Cake Level Issue, it's a real thing ;)
@@GreenleafWorkshop just recently had a cake level issue with a fauld I was making.
Don't worry about removing too much material .It's not an airplane .FAA won't get involved.
How do they make hammers if you need a hammer to make it????
With difficulty. :)
Early bronze age hammers were likely harder than the early iron, so they could have started that way, I imagine the first metal hammer (copper most likely) would have been made with stone … at a guess.
or use a bead roller
Not quite a 5 minute fix ;)
I was a bit off the mark with this one, I've changed the playlist to short medieval armour techniques. :)