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Sarah O




Location: BC Canada
Joined: 29 Apr 2017

Posts: 6

PostPosted: Sat 29 Apr, 2017 10:42 am    Post subject: Questions on the making of armor and forge related stuff         Reply with quote

Hello folks, I am very keen on creating armor but am obviously new to the game, so I have quite a few questions where any feedback would be most appreciated!
The two main areas of focus I have for these questions revolve around leatherwork and hot-working steel for plate armor.

If anyone has any information on the making stamp plates for pressing large designs into leather I would be MOST grateful!

Also I want to know if anyone has attempted any case carburizing of any items, how successful was it and how did one go about said case hardening?

Also if anyone has any input on hot working sheet metal in general for things such as raising it would be most interesting to read! I want to know how useful a forge would be to an armorer besides heat treating. Do you have to work in considerably thicker sheet to account for the scale loss? or does the heat treatment after make up for the lack in thickness? Speaking of heat treating, is it worth it to get a kiln to do the heat treatment? (i'm guessing the easiest way would be to heat a salt bath? [though I don't know much of the logistics of creating a saline bath info on this would also be great]) besides that would it be too difficult to harden and temper a large piece of armor in a regular large forge?(gas coke or charcoal aside)

And as a last thing from the standpoint of a career, how often are those that are doing this as their main source of income sell their pieces? Are they sold as they're made? How does one go about pricing their work?

Any info on any of this would be absolutely great!
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Peter Spätling
Industry Professional



Location: Germany
Joined: 07 Nov 2015

Posts: 119

PostPosted: Sat 29 Apr, 2017 11:13 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Welcome to the forum Sarah,

to answer some of your questions. Case carburisation is done fairly easily. Take your piece put it into a steel box, filled with charcoal and heat it up to ~900°C. Wait a few hours. Turn off the oven and remove the piece. You can coat the steel box with dirt to lower its oxidation. Make sure to make the box nearly air tight. A small amount of air might be in contact with the workpiece, but it 's nearly none at all.

As one who makes his living by armouring, even though I'm just an apprentice, I can tell you that a forge is a HUGE help. For raising heat is necessary. The amount of material you loose to burn off is matter of experience. But normally you don't have to start with a 4mm thick plate to end up with a 2mm thick plate. A 2mm thick plate and the correct working is fine.

Kiln = <3

Normally a customer orders a piece of armour, the armourer names its price, the customer says yes, armourer does his thing and delivers the piece(s). Most armourers charge a first instalment.
" How does one go about pricing their work? " - The same way every other craftsman does.

Greetings

Peter
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Sarah O




Location: BC Canada
Joined: 29 Apr 2017

Posts: 6

PostPosted: Sat 29 Apr, 2017 11:45 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Hello Peter,
thank you for the quick reply and buttload of information!
In reply to your response, what do the pieces look like when you take them out? Is it all even? I'm just curious as I've only read about it in all the books I've purchased on blacksmithing, which don't go into too much detail.
How big is your kiln?
As for the pricing thing I was more wondering if when pricing if they price by piece or if they apply a formula like material plus X many dollars an hour (and what that amount would be)
Anywhoo thank you again I'm pretty much alone locally for this interest so your feedback is most appreciated!
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Boris Bedrosov
Industry Professional



Location: Bourgas, Bulgaria
Joined: 06 Nov 2005

Posts: 700

PostPosted: Sun 30 Apr, 2017 4:42 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Hi, Sarah and welcome to the Forum!

The answer of the pricing could be very tricky indeed - you need to consider the time (in hours) you spend making the item; the price of the materials you used; also take into account expences you made for electricity, charcoal, water and so; add the money your sub-contractors were paid (for blade sharpening, heavy-duty carpentry, metal casting and so) ...... and any other.

If interested in, there was a valuable and useful article "How to run a profitable armoury" (or something very, very similar). If it's still on-line, you could find it at Arador or ArmourArchive site (don't remember exactly where).

Hope that helps!

"Everyone who has the right to wear a long sword, has to remember that his sword is his soul,
and he has to separate from it when he separates from his life"
Tokugawa Ieyasu

Find my works on Facebook:
Boris Bedrosov's Armoury
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Sarah O




Location: BC Canada
Joined: 29 Apr 2017

Posts: 6

PostPosted: Sun 30 Apr, 2017 8:42 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Boris Bedrosov wrote:
Hi, Sarah and welcome to the Forum!
If interested in, there was a valuable and useful article "How to run a profitable armoury" (or something very, very similar). If it's still on-line, you could find it at Arador or ArmourArchive site


This sounds like a great read thank you! I will most certainly look it up Big Grin
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