DIY Metal Gauntlets
Gauntlets are essentially protective gloves that are part of a suit of armor, typically plate armor. You may want a pair of metal gauntlets yourself for the purposes of reenactment or because you are a history or weaponry enthusiast. However, buying gauntlets of any kind is quite expensive. You can make your own from sheet metal. Iron or steel are more durable and authentic, but aluminum is a good choice to practice with or for making gauntlets that are for costume only, as it is much softer and lighter. All types of metal follow essentially the same steps.
Things You'll Need
- Paper or cardboard
- Grease pencil
- Tin snips
- Saw
- Sandpaper
- Sander
- Drill
- Ball-peen hammer
- Pipe
- Wire
- Wire cutters
- Awl
- Leather straps
- Buckles
- Needle
- Thread
- Scissors
Instructions
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1
Create a pattern from paper or thin cardboard. The simplest type of gauntlet is essentially a mitten. You will need a cuff, a plate to cover the back of your hand, a plate to cover your fingers, and a plate to cover your thumb. The cuff should be large enough to go around your wrist, and the other pieces should be large enough to cover the respective parts of your hand. Gauntlets do not cover the palms of your hands; you will need to wear gloves under the gauntlets.
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2
Trace the pattern onto your sheet metal with a grease pencil, then cut out the pieces. The best tool for cutting the sheet metal depends upon the type of metal. Cut thin or soft metals with a tin snips. Use a power saw for hard and thick metal.
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3
Sand the edges of all of your pieces. You may need a sander for hard metals.
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4
Punch or drill holes for the rivets. On the cuff, you need two or three holes on either edge of the cuff to hold it together once it is shaped into a cylinder. These must be symmetrical. You also need holes to hold the hand plate; these must be on either side of the cuff with the distance between them the same as the width of the hand plate. The hand plate must have holes on either side of the top and the bottom as well as one to the side to hold the thumb plate. Hold the plate on top of you hand and make a mark with the grease pencil to determine the placement of this rivet. The thumb plate needs one hole at the bottom. The finger plate needs one hole on either side to hold it to the hand plate.
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5
Punch two additional holes in the middle of each side of the hand and finger plates. These will hold leather straps that go across your hands to hold on the gauntlets.
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6
Bend the cuff piece into a cylinder. You can do this with your hands if you are using a soft metal. Otherwise, roll it into a cylinder by gently tapping the ends with a ball-peen hammer. Hold a metal pipe on the inside of the cuff and strike the hammer against it from the outside to help shape the piece. The ends of the cuff must overlap, with the holes to hold it together matching.
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7
Bend the sides of the hand and finger plates using the ball-peen hammer. Hold the pieces against your hand often as you work to ensure that you have the right fit. Curve the thumb plate slightly.
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8
Cut a short length of wire for each rivet. To make a rivet, gently tap the end of a piece of wire with the hammer until it forms a mushroom shape. Push the other end through the hole, then tap the other end the same way. The rivets in the gauntlet should be fairly loose so that it moves with your hand.
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9
Punch a hole in one end of each leather strap. Sew a buckle to the other ends of two of the straps. Rivet the straps to either side of the hand and finger plates so that the straps can buckle across the underside of the hand. Pull the plain straps through the buckles to see how long they need to be, then punch another hole in the plain straps so that you can buckle them. Cut off any excess leather.
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Tips & Warnings
Some gauntlets are more flexible and cover individual fingers. This is difficult and requires much more skill.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
