[Bryn-gwlad] Combat archery prep (was Re:Would-becombat archers?)

[Sir Lyonel Oliver Grace]

Salut cozyns,

Plastic and aluminum have good and bad characteristics. Generally speaking, 
for the level of armor an archer requires, I see no real advantage in either 
material. Yes, in the case of aluminum, you might obtain the raw materials 
for free. Still, there are trade-offs worth considering. As one who went 
from a Wisby coat of plates (steel) and steel legs and arms to an aluminum 
coat of plates and finally ended up spending many years with plastic breast 
and back plates, plastic cuisses and greaves, and plastic arm armor, I think 
I have a pretty good perspective.

Aluminum from street signs works fine if you want material to use as splints 
for your vambraces, body armor, and gorget. For the more complex pieces like 
knees, elbows, and even the demi-gauntlets, Master Eule's response is 
generous. Aluminum is wonderfully light, but it's an evil metal to work. 
Extremely brittle and with a crystalline structure that is easily pinned, 
aluminum was to be carefully heat-treated to dish it or work in complex 
bends. By comparison, steel is a cakewalk. Frankly, if you're going to put 
that much work in, you might as well just use a thinner stainless steel and 
temper it.

ABS is incredibly easy to form, and it's lightweight. Makes great 
custom-fitted body plates, cuisses, greaves, vambraces, and rerebraces. It's 
also tends to be a bit expensive. The stuff you get for free has already 
been worked. Since ABS relies on layers of criss-crossed fibers to give it 
strength and since heating breaks down those fibers, ABS should only be hot 
formed once. After that, every reheating increases its fragility.  There are 
those in the SCA who heat ABS and then dish it. This works in that you get 
whatever shape you want, but it also makes the material brittle. I wouldn't 
trust it. I also don't care for the look of dished plastic. It looks a bit 
too shiny and insect-like for my taste.

With the price difference and the ugly appearance, the only real gain is in 
weight. Honestly, though, the total weight difference between a steel knee 
cop and an ABS knee cop is not great enough to notice when you're trying to 
shoot down a hundred screaming Trimarins running up the hill at you.

Another option is Kydex. Bad idea. Has to be worked at a higher temperature 
than ABS, so you're more likely to burn yourself. More to the point, if you 
heat it just a few degrees too high, you get cyanide gas in your kitchen. 
Kydex is also more expensive.

All in all, I have to agree with Master Eule. Let the good folks in the 
barony help you arm up in steel and leather.

lo vostre per vos servir
Meser Lyonel
_________________________________
Micel yfel deth se unwritere.
		--AElfric of York




>From: "Eule" <eule at ecpi.com>
>Reply-To: Barony of Bryn Gwlad <bryn-gwlad at lists.ansteorra.org>
>To: "'Barony of Bryn Gwlad'" <bryn-gwlad at lists.ansteorra.org>
>Subject: Re: [Bryn-gwlad] Combat archery prep (was 
>Re:Would-becombat	archers?)
>Date: Sat, 2 Sep 2006 18:04:31 -0500
>
>Charles mentioned:
>"Also, you could make them out of retired road signs. ...snip...They're
>aluminum, not steel, but
>the requirement is for 'rigid material', not steel.
>
>Another alternative is a good, thick Kydex or ABS plastic. ...snip....
>
>To which Eule offers:
>Yes, however, it takes just as much effort to make them out of the
>appropriate material as it does to make them out of something that was
>not found in our designated period.
>
>Eule/Steve
>Unus sed Leo
>
>
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