[Jeffrey Hildebrandt]

My most recent project has been a time-consuming one; I have just finished a pair of princely 14th century hourglass gauntlets. The cuff and metacarpal are hot-raised from a single plate of 16 gauge steel, and the finger elements are formed of 20 gauge steel and brass. Each gauntlet is lined with a high quality deerskin glove. The nature of their form makes them more difficult to get in or out of than gauntlets from later centuries, but they are a very comfortable fit once on the hand. For sources, details and pricing take a look at the Etsy listing.

I would be happy to take orders for these or simpler gauntlets from the same period, or a complete armour to match.

Questions and comments welcome.

-Hildebrandt

[Isaac D Rainey]

After seeing these magnificent gauntlets I went to your website. You do awesome work, if I had the funds I would buy from you.

[Gregory J. Liebau]

I've said it before, Jeffrey, and will say it again. Excellent work. I'm a big fan of the crisp, yet subtle details you incorporate into your work, setting it apart as very authentic in appearance almost without fail.

-Gregory

[Jeffrey Hildebrandt]

Thank you, Isaac and Gregory! If you return to the Royal Oak Armoury website you will find more features than when you saw it last - we have just updated with an online shop, testimonials, etc. Keep your eyes open in the next week for two projects that I have been thoroughly enjoying - a blackened Lough Henney helmet with bronze trim and a Vendel age helmet with full pressblech and a mail aventail.

I appreciate your support.

-Hildebrandt

[Jason Daub]

Very nice, between this and the Axos helmet I am quite impressed. I haven't seen many armourers attempt pieces from such widely separated times, with such different materials, with such success.

[Jeffrey Hildebrandt]

Thank you, Jason; that is just the sort of compliment to tickle a craftsman's ears. It is well observed that every armour-making tradition had its own associated techniques, and they need to be learned and employed in order to create faithful replicas. The maker of the original Axos helm approached his craft with different tools and techniques than the armourers of the 14th C - evidence suggests annealing and dishing of cold material in one case and hot-raising over steel forms in the other. On the Axos helm the decoration was by repousee and chasing, on the gauntlets a combination of repousee, etching, chasing and engraving.
It is always tempting to re-use familiar techniques when they would produce similar results, so it is rewarding to find that the additional efforts are noticed and appreciated.

-Hildebrandt

p.s. - a note to anyone try to access my website or send me emails: my web hosting has been inaccessible for several days, and I can get no straight answer of when my service will be returned. Please PM rather than email until you can access my site again!