Low profile arms help.

[Thorsteinn]

So it looks like I'll finally be able to finish my low profile arms. I have Clang elbow cops. Anyone got suggestions for materials & assembly/ pattern of the vambraces? Cheap is good, thinner is good, I'm not partial to any particular brace material, & I have a Tandy leather close. Also my fabbing skills are decent.

Have these-

[B. Patricius]

Leather and splints can do wonders.  Also if it's just for SCA, don't forget about the sports armor and plastic.  I saw an excellent hidden kit over on the armourarchive. 

[Lord Dane]

I kind of like that look.

[Sir William]

Yea, if you're going to hide it in leather, I'd go with the plastic splints as well.

[B. Patricius]

It looks amazing on too, here's the forum post I got that pic of inspiration from:
http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=158362&view=unread  I like it because when he takes it off, it still doesn't look like sport armor.

It also reminds me of the BOTN kits, where they have those splints on the inside of their leather.  Super strong, super mobile, and very low profile if you want it to.  Here's some cuisses by http://aesirmetalwyrks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info_id=29 that have cotton batting, steel splints, and then the outer layers, so it's all hidden.  Very cool.

Mine is going to be similar but with the heat around here, the padding and the splints will be separate for ease of washing.  Basically aketon and gambeson, hauberk, and splints all separate, that way I can wash the aketon and gambeson.

[Thorsteinn]

Was thinking of something like this:

[B. Patricius]

exactly

[Thorsteinn]

It's the making of them that might be problematic.

[B. Patricius]

Splints are definitely easier than some armor and you've already got the cops.  Here's the pattern I'm using:
http://www.armourarchive.org/patterns/splinted_arms_dwarlock/ it's not too bad.  Just layout the size of the arms based on the circumference of your own with whatever you're going to wear underneath them, get the leather, and go to a machine shop in the area and ask them to look at their scraps.    learned that from my instructor, it's amazing what you'll find that's completely useful to you, and wasted scrap for them.  I was able to get all my splint metal for about $20 and it's 16 gauge

[Sir William]

I think Gaston de Clermont over on AA is selling splints- you can get'm fairly cheap and he makes them so that you can get enough for a pair of vambraces (or greaves if they're available).