Early 15th Century Italian Arms

Finished January 3, 2015

The couters / elbow cops are made from 0.040"/19ga./1.0mm 4130 steel and the rest of the plates are made from 0.032"/22ga/0.8mm 4130 steel. The brass is 0.032"/0.8mm half hard 260 brass. The 4130 plates were heat treated to a Rc48 hardness by heating them to 1700F/927C and quenching them in water. The plates are then tempered at 500F/260C for 30 minutes. The plate were blackened with Sculpt Nouveau Black Magic. The brass is 0.040"/1.0mm half hard 260 brass. From what I've seen the plates should resist denting as well as unhardened mild steel 3 times their thickness.

Latest Patterns

This is the CAD DXF file for the plates. You can use this file to machine cut the metal plates.
arms_early_15thC_20141129.dxf
brass_trim_elbows_20150104.dxf
hardware_20150104.dxf

Finished July 31, 2014

The couters / elbow cops are made from 0.040"/19ga./1.0mm 17-7ph stainless steel and the rest of the plates are made from 0.035"/20ga/0.9mm 17-7ph stainless steel. The brass is 0.040"/1.0mm half hard 260 brass. The 17-7ph stainless steel plates have been heat treated to condition TH1100 and polished to a 600 grit Formax Satin Glo finish.

Finished Jan. 27, 2014

The couters / elbow cops are made from 0.050"/18ga./1.3mm 17-7ph stainless steel and the rest of the plates are made from 0.035"/20ga/0.9mm 17-7ph stainless steel. The brass is 0.040"/1.0mm half hard 260 brass. The 17-7ph stainless steel plates have been heat treated to condition TH1050 and blackened with Sculpt Nouveau Stainless Black and Sculpt Nouveau black oil. From what I've seen the plates should resist denting as well as unhardened 304 stainless steel 2.5 times the thickness.

Finished March 05, 2013

The couters / elbow cops are made from 0.040"/19ga./1.0mm 1050 spring steel and the rest of the plates are made from 0.035"/20ga/0.9mm 1050 spring steel. The 1050 steel plates have been heat treated to a Rc43 hardness and blackened with linseed oil. From what I've seen the plates should resist denting as well as unhardened 304 stainless steel 2.7 times the thickness.

        This is based on the statue of 'Orlando' in Dubrovnik by Bonino of Milan from 1413. A picture of the statue can be seen in The Venetian Empire, 1200-1670 (Men-at-Arms Series, Volume 210) by David Nicolle, Christopher Rothero (Illustrator); 48 pages; Paperback (July 1989) Stackpole Books; ISBN: 0850458994 . Note that I omitted what I believe to have been decorative brass bands.
        You can also see a similar effigy on the Tomb of Giovanni Cose of Naples from 1418 in the Louvre. A picture of this appears in "The Sanctuary of the Madonna delle Grazie with notes on the evolution of Italian armour during the 15th century." by James G. Mann printed in "Archaeologia" Journal of The Society of Antiquaries of London 1930 Vol.80 pages 117-142. The picture is Figure 2 on Plate XXIII.
       The suit is sized for someone between who's height is 5'8"/172cm to 6'2"/188cm and who's weight is 200lbs./91kg to 225lbs./102Kg.

Older Work

Finished April 11, 2000

Pair of arms 1050 Carbon Steel 18ga. Heat treated (quenched at 1500F and Tempered to 600F) (shown 1st)
Note that the turning pins and the interlocking tabs on the vambrace are not correct for 15th century Italian arm harnesses. The turning pins were added at the buyers request, the correct way of closing the vambrace is a single strap and buckle. The interlocking tabs were added as reenforcements for SCA rattan combat.

Finished Jan. 2000

Pair of arms 1050 Carbon Steel 18ga. and 20ga. Heat treated (quenched at 1500F and Tempered to 600F) (left arm shown 2nd)

Left arm 304 Stainless Steel 18ga. and 20ga.
Right arm 304 Stainless Steel 16ga. and 18ga.

Finished April 1999

Right arm 304 Stainless Steel 18ga. and 20ga. (for tournaments)

Finished Sept. 1999

Pair of arms 1050 Carbon Steel 18ga. and 20ga. Heat treated (quenched at 1500F and Tempered to 600F) (left arm shown 2nd)

Finished Jan. 2000

Finished April 11, 2000

Updated Patterns on April 11,2000

Patterns

I would build these arms in the following order:

1) cut out the plates
2) punch any holes which are on the patterns
3) finish the plate edges and corners
4) Roll the edges of both the vambrace halves marked --ROLL-- on the pattern
5) Dish couter/"elbow cop" and shape the wing. Raise/Shape the front of the vambrace. Shape the other plates.
6) Fine tune the articulation. Optional: Cut slots for the sliding rivets connecting the vambrace to the outer lane.
7) Polish the plates
8) Assemble the arms. Add the hinge for the vambrace. Add catch tabs for the vambrace.
9) Add the straps. Optional: Add spring pins for the vambrace.

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