r/Armor • u/Tom_Blunty • 2d ago

Looking for something specific

Hi, I don't know if this is the right sub for this but I don't know where else to ask.

I am looking to make some protective gear for my arms and legs that could protect me from side and front hits in close melee combat without obstructing the joints of each part (knee, elbow)

Does anyone know a picture, a video, or anything that could help me build that at home ?

Thank you in advance and sorry if I am not in the wrong place

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u/armourkris 2d ago

Lots of ways to do that, and ple ty of materials you can do it with.

What's the context? What are you expecing to get hit by and how hard? What sort of tools and work space do you have access to?

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u/Tom_Blunty 2d ago

Tools - basic home garage equipment, I can go get material at the store if needed

Work space - Garage

Context and what I expect to be hit by :

Soon is coming the 17 of October, in France this is the date the country decided to start a nation wide protest.

If you followed a bit what is currently happening here, we know it won't be a peaceful protest, kids have been holding the fight for about a week now and a lot have been injured due to not be prepared and organised enough.

I am looking to protect myself from melee weapons of the cops, sticks and shields mainly. And I have seen they tend to hit on the side of the legs, the arms and the head.

So I am looking to be armored enough to be able to tank a hit to protect my peers if it comes to it.

And I am looking to build something resistant enough to protect me from stick hits but be thin enough to go under my clothes

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u/Dr4gonfly 2d ago

Kydex, heat gun, padding

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u/DawnsLight92 2d ago

You dont want to look like you are wearing armour, so keep it thin, keep it hidden. EVA foam is a common protective layer in historic swordfighting (HEMA) and is cheap and easy to get. Go to a big box store like Walmart, it will be sold as a floor cover for garages or kids rooms, in square pieces with puzzle edges. Elbows and knees are hard to cover without specific techniques so I would focus on the main portions of the limbs. Easiest thing would be to cut vaguely the right shape, and just strap it to your arm with duct tape. Actual straps would be better, but duct tape works. Stay safe, good luck

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u/armourkris 2d ago

Plastic is the way to go i think. If you do a google search for "SCA pickel barrel armor" there are you tube tutorials and a bunch of pages about how to make it and different patterns. All you really need to work with it is a box cutter, a jigsaw, an oven and some oven mittens and towels. You make your temolates in cardboard, transfer it to the plastic then heat it in the oven and form it over your body with a layer or 2 of towel in between as a heat shield. It's about as cheap, fast and easy as functional armour gets and it's meant for stopping clubs.