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.