Subject: Armour weights

From: [email-masked] (Darrell Markewitz)
Date: Fri, 16 Dec 1994 04:45:02 GMT

To any armourer reading:
And most specially Tim (Toli) Myers!

Some calculations on thickness and weight of plate armours.
(Data thanks to 'The Edge of the Anvil' and 'Creative Gold and
Silversmithing')

wrought iron - lbs per cubic inch - from .267 to .285
middle carbon steel (1040)  .283  (value for mild - 1018, is the same)

mild steel - various gauges in 12" squares (divide for square inch)
There are some aproximations in the conversions!

14 ga - .063" - 1/6" : 2.56 lbs/ft2
18 ga - .040" - 3/64" : 1.92 lbs/ft2
20 ga - .032" - 1/32" : 1.28 lbs/ft2

As for your project:
- Remember that the wieght quoted by a museum on a period armour will
include the wieght of leather straps, buckles and any remaining padding.
- The (few) period armours I have handled are all extremely thin. About
20 gauge. I would suggest you write to the museum that holds the period
sample you are reproducing and ask them! I have found that requests for
specific information are often well recieved and responded to.
For example, a friend is duplicating the Norse rock crystal necklace
>from  Sweden. When she asked for detailed measurements - they took the
original out of the case and made a photocopy of it  and mailed it to
her!

Good luck!
Darrell(Sylard)

the WAREHAM FORGE
Hamlet of Wareham
RR #2, Proton Stn
Ont, CDN -  N0C 1L0
(519) 923- 9219
[email-masked]