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Greaves

After searching the internet, and sending out some emails, I was unable to find some greaves for a decent price, that would match my stainless steel-plated bracers, even with modification.  So, I set about designing, ordering online, and purchasing locally, all the necessary parts I would need to make some heavy leather greaves with stainless steel plates.

Once I got the plates, I have to grind the corners into curves, drill 4 holes per plate (8 plates total), and then curve the plates.  Most of that was fairly strtaight-forward.  Curving them required some ingenuity.  Since I could not locate a sheet metal bending machine in town (imcluding at work), I came up with an idea.  I would use my heavy, but small, drill press vise, open it to approximately 2.5", place a piece of 1" wood dowel down the middle (over the gap), and hammer away.  Not a perfect curve, but given that these steel plates are 2mm thick, it took some serious hammering.  Most of the plates turned out just fine, I think.

The leather was 13-15oz armor-grade leather.  I have not hardened them or treated them in any way other than dying them black.  Because I bought the leather in smaller 'scrap' sizes (and saved a ton of money), I have to get creative in cutting out the pieces.  Due to my desired final dimensions, I had to slightly redesign my greaves, and make them from 3 main parts:  a shin strip, and 2 sides.

While creating these, I also discovered that an electric drill makes an excellent leather hole puncher in thicker leather.


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Kris Joosten,
Aug 18, 2009 7:40 PM
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Kris Joosten,
Aug 18, 2009 7:41 PM
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Kris Joosten,
Aug 18, 2009 7:41 PM
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Kris Joosten,
Aug 18, 2009 7:41 PM
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Kris Joosten,
Aug 18, 2009 7:42 PM
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ď
Kris Joosten,
Aug 18, 2009 7:42 PM
ą
ď
Kris Joosten,
Aug 18, 2009 7:42 PM