I decided to attempt to make plate armour for the first time and I decided I would base it off of the experimental light armour that was being developed in America during WW1. I know it's not perfect, I was limited to materials from home depot to work with, and the only tools I had to use were a regular hammer, an angle grinder, and a pipe I propped up between two chairs to use as an anvil.

I used Bashford Dean's book Helmets and Body Armor in Modern Warfare description of the armour and the pictures it had to model the armour after.

I made the armour out of 1.5mm mild steel (again, not accurate) and I used aluminum rivets to hold everything together (probably not accurate). The backplate is articulated with sliding rivets and the breastplate with leathers riveted on the inside (makes it surprisingly flexible).

I'd like any thoughts you have on it, criticism, suggestions, whatever.

Here are some pictures of it: http://imgur.com/a/69WqX
(The person wearing it in the photo is quite a bit larger than I am so that's why it looks so small on him)

I think that looks quite good for no more tools than you had, and a first try. Keep it up! Get a few more hammers, and other tools. A piece of old railroad track makes a pretty decent anvil. :D ...........McM

Now, THAT's something you don't see very often, especially for a first-timer! Very cool. Geez, I never noticed the arms in the photos of the original--looks like they just swiped a pair of Almain rivet "splints" from a museum!

Next you have to find out how the edges were ridged or rolled, and experiment with that, eh? (On scraps first!)

Keep at it, and Welcome!

Matthew

I think you did really well and for a first timer exilant.

When you start to work on the arms there are lots of youtube videos for armor building that will help you out. Dishing the elbows will be a exercise in keeping your language clean LOL.. Motorcycle build videos esp gas tanks will help with some of the dishing as well. So will folks hand making finders but gas tanks are far more complex.


I cannot wait to see the whole set.

Are you doing WW1 reenactment?

I've got to say that's a really cool suit of armor - both yours and the original. It unfortunately looks like all the weight gets put on the shoulders, which is something I've heard as a fault in German body armor as well. I get the impression modern body armor also tends to weigh down on the shoulders from the images I've seen...

...If anything, it just goes to show that we don't always improve upon history. However, I bet you could get a set of center straps on some of the interior lames to get a belt across your waist - that might make the weight a little more bearable and further keep the plates from flopping around.