How to Make Armor

Whether you're joining a reenactment society or just want a costume for a party, you might need a set of armor to wear. Although there are several outlets where you can buy armor, they can be fairly expensive. For an investment of some time and effort, you can make your own armor for a custom fit and design at a reasonable price.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Measuring tape
• Pattern or instructions
• Materials such as leather hides, metal plates or metal rings
• Appropriate tools

1. Decide what type of armor you want to make. There are several options, including chain mail, plate mail, leather armor and scale mail. Some considerations may be weight, expense and availability of materials.
2. Find a good pattern or set of instructions for your specific type of armor. Historical reenactment societies or fantasy enthusiasts often have patterns and expertise to share.
3. Take good measurements, including your waist, chest (in several places), arm and top of shoulder to bottom of the armor. If the silhouette is irregular, take measurements at all places the shape will change.
4. Calculate how much of your materials you'll need and decide what tools you'll need to put them together. For example, you can make a chain mail shirt with several hundred metal washers and two pairs of sturdy pliers. For leather armor, you'll need at least one hide, something to cut it with and some sort of fastener for the pieces (usually rivets--and don't forget the punching tool).
5. Buy or collect the materials and tools. You might want to get extra of the materials to practice on.
6. Follow the instructions to make the armor. Usually, you'll start leather armor by tracing a pattern on the leather and cutting it out with a sharp knife, then you'll fasten the pieces together. For chain mail, you'll probably begin hooking the links together to make the torso of the armor and then work on the shoulders and sleeves, if any.
7. Put on the finishing touches. You might add a liner for comfort or gauntlets and other accessories to complete your look.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure you know how to use the tools with the materials before you start on your armor. Practice on some extra bits of leather or metal to get your technique right.