Simple Elbows

Rigid elbow protection that covers the three points and 6mm of padding or the equivalent is required for heavy combatants in Lochac. You really don't want your elbows damaged! Injuries are always painful, and sometimes can cause long term inconveniance. These elbows are easy to construct, and good protection. Take care with the strapping, so they don't slip out of position as you swing your arm around, though. Essentially this pattern is the same as the legs pattern, without the demi-greave, demi-cuisse and cuisse, only all 2/3 the size.

Start off by marking out 2 copies of the cop and 4 or 8 copies of the lames on your sheet of 16ga (2mm) steel. Cut out the pieces and file the edges to remove spurs, burrs and sharp bits.

Now dish the cops (the bit that actually goes over the elbow). See the article on legs for a guide on dishing.

Next either slightly dish the lames or simply curve the so they will fit inside the cop. 2 lames on either side of the cop (a total of 4 lames) works very well, but you can use just 1 either side (2 total) if you prefer. The top lame and the bottom lame should be rivetted to a small piece of leather to help with strapping, holding the armor in position and blow force distribution.

The lames are attached in the same way as the leg lames are attached, so see the legs for directions.

If you need additional protection, add a fan to the outside of the cop. Make a fan 2/3 the size of the leg fan pattern, and dish it for strength.

Attach the straps with one on the cop, and one on each of the top and bottom lames. Some people find "X"ing the straps over the inside of the elbow helps their armor stay where they want it to.

As with the other pieces of munitions harness, you can dress the elbows up by putting a ridge down the centre line (this also adds strength), adding brass or copper decoration, acid etching or some other form of artistic expression.

You can also attach the lames on the forearm end of the piece to a vambrace (forearm armor) made of heavy leather with splints of 12mm wide x 3 or 4mm bar, or a vambrace made of sole leather or steel. Configured like this the armor is very comfortable, and excellent protection for a hard to protect area.

Elbow armor attached to splinted leather vambrace.

Inside of elbow showing the leather strap articulation and the attachment of the leather "cuffs", straps and vambrace using 2 part (speed) rivets).

Three views showing detail of the vambrace and the construction of the whole elbow/arm combination.

 

 

The whole unit in situ (on an arm).