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Main => The Armoury => Topic started by: Henrik Granlid on 2014-09-15, 20:10:18
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I'm currently on the fence of just what gauntlets I both want and dare slip my fingers in to fight SCA heavy combat in, and I'm in absolute love with what John Gruber is offering. The one thing stopping me (appart from anxiety about my wallet) is that I have a hard time finding accounts of his gauntlets and what they are like. I trust the man to do amazing work, that is not the problem, but when compared to the mythos of Grettir T Slow which has spread far and wide, I simply haven't heard anything about Gruber's gauntlets and that has me uncertain.
Does any one have any experience or know somebody with experience on Gruber's gauntlets?
Now, as a student, 1300USD for a pair of gauntlets is a bit on the steep side (but then again, writer, hands, good gauntlets ARE required), but I'm loving the closeness he has to 14th century finger gauntlets in his mittens and I simply can't find any similar (but cheaper) options. There are some fingermittens on the market, but they're all pretty much made from several small lames, giving them a completely different look than that of long finger lames and small knuckle lames. Is there a similar look out there? Or a custom blacksmith that you trust and would throw me at?
Basically, I'm in love with a pair of gauntlets, but I'm uncertain if it is a good love or a bad love. Is there a cousin out there I could date for a while whilst I gather up the capital to be entirely certain in my decision? Or is it a really, really great gauntlet and I should just go straight to marriage?
Regards.
Henrik.
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Do you have a link to his work? Details on materials? Pics?
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John Gruber is the armorer at the Surly Anvil right?
Here Thorsteinn:
http://www.surlyanvil.com/ (http://www.surlyanvil.com/)
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You may want to give Alexander a shot. I was looking for wisby's in spring steel. Everyone I found in the US was charging $800+ for mild steel, he did em for I think $450 or 500 total, shipping included and in spring steel. He seems to like to do new things, so you may want to ask him how much he would charge for something similar-
http://jollyknight.com.ua/armoury/index.php (http://jollyknight.com.ua/armoury/index.php)
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Gruber is indeed the armourer of Surly Anvil and his mittens are simply outstanding.
https://db.tt/0NtA7PpT
I'm wary of ordering from Jolly Knight at the moment since Ukraine is at full on war with Russia.
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I hung out with Gruber and Grettir this summer at an armor session and they are both fantastic.
Grettir has his design figured out and sews in high quality gloves into his mittens.
Gruber is much more flexible about customizing the design to fit any specific needs you have and generally blackens his work instead of polishing it.
Both do excellent work and for sca heavy you can feel safe in both!
Basically if you like Grettirs design and finish options get his... If you want something more custom get em from John at the Surly Anvil!
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Those are pretty gauntlets. For mittens they still have the aesthetic of finger gauntlets. Too many other armorers do 'finger mittens' poorly, and they really just look like mittens.
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Yeah I've seen his work. I rather like the Bifurcated Gauntlets.
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Does any one have any experience or know somebody with experience on Gruber's gauntlets?
I don't have experience with his gauntlets, but I've had some conversations with him over the last year. I was going to go intern with him later this year, but I had a huge bill that sapped my finances, and I'm taking time off work for Days of Knights, so lack of time and money means not going to happen (this year).
He's been doing SCA combat since, if I remember right, the late 80s / early 90s. I think he's still doing it? Regardless, he'd know what it takes to build a set of SCA capable gauntlets. He's easy to talk to and work with. I just put a downpayment on a cuirass with him last week, no complaints at all and looking forward to working with him more. I'd say at the very least, talk with him about what you want specifically, before making a final decision.
I'm wary of ordering from Jolly Knight at the moment since Ukraine is at full on war with Russia.
Without getting too deep into details, the Ukraine is a pretty big place. It's a bit smaller than Texas. The armorers I've seen over there posting about the civil unrest (war?) aren't in the midst of it and are in a relatively safe place and are still able to work as usual.
It's probably fine. I bought something from the Ukraine last week; hopefully it'll show up. :D
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I'm wary of ordering from Jolly Knight at the moment since Ukraine is at full on war with Russia.
Without getting too deep into details, the Ukraine is a pretty big place. It's a bit smaller than Texas. The armorers I've seen over there posting about the civil unrest (war?) aren't in the midst of it and are in a relatively safe place and are still able to work as usual.
It's probably fine. I bought something from the Ukraine last week; hopefully it'll show up. :D
Yeah definitely this.
The unrest in Ukraine is very much restricted to a small portion of Ukraine on the eastern border. I've ordered from and received orders from the Ukraine in the last few months, the most recent being last month.
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i had some gruber work a long time ago if i'm thinking right. good stuff
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Thank you all.
I've sent an email to Jolly and we'll see what he responds.
I'm pretty much caught between my wallet and my heart right now. "Buy nice, never twice" has been a motto for me and I do like to get myself very nice things, but the rationalist in me says "Calm down man, just get a pair of randoms. You can always upgrade later"
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Yeah. I bought my helmet from a lesser known armorer in Ukraine and shipping has been horrible. Two other people HAVE gotten their orders recently so hope mine shows up soon.
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So I got a reply from Jolly and I'd be looking at 600usd for similar gauntlets, that's half.
Do I listen to my heart or my wallet? If I go for cheaper gauntlets I'll have a nicer kit sooner.
Fudge. It's hard to decide.
Bernar, do you have a picture of your gauntlets?
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I surely do! He did a beautiful job, I posted up all the progress pics he sent me-
http://www.vaevictis.co/cgi-bin/emAlbum.cgi?cmd=show_thumbs&path=14th_Century/WisbyGauntlets&tn=1 (http://www.vaevictis.co/cgi-bin/emAlbum.cgi?cmd=show_thumbs&path=14th_Century/WisbyGauntlets&tn=1)
When I'm ready for more pieces, he's definitely my first choice. He did them from a picture of the gaunts and a picture of my hand with a ruler, and they fit perfectly
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Great gauntlets and good news. I noted to him in my last email that he thumb and finger lames would need to be riveted steel on steel rather than on leather lames, still waiting for an answer on that. But yeah... getting his could be a good thing. I'm a bit wary... I feel sorta dirty for hooking up with other armourers and I'm still on the fence. Hell, I might just stick with the Grettir ones, they're still bloody good looking and have some of the nice aspects of the rounded-knuckle versions of hourglasses out there.
Augh.
Decisions!
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I feel sorta dirty for hooking up with other armourers and I'm still on the fence.
lol, I know exactly how you feel. For whatever reason in the armor world you feel like you develop a personal relationship with the armorer, and it feels like 'cheating' to go to a different one.
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The worst part is that this is whilst I'm still merely browsing for stuffs.
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I love my heavy gauge articulated demis for FULL armored combat.
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Yeah if I was in your situation I would buy from Jolly. Buying twice isn't always awful and armor retains value pretty well...
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I think I may have decided to stick with Grettir's, because I'm still liking the look of them. We'll see what Jolly says, and there's also a lovely pair from Baltimore Knife and Sword's custom work (mitten Visbys) that I'm looking at.
For now I'm sticking with Grettir on the gauntlets, it feels solid and, as said, armour retains its value (grettir in particular) and as such, I will always be able to fund a pair of Gruber's gauntlets farther down the road if I need to.
Now I'm wrestling with breastplates ;)
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If he is willing, try Les at 3TurretArmory. He made me some spectacular Wisby's for $475.00.
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Ooo pics Lord Dane!
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My friend Steven Sheldon here in Alabamashire is starting to make Wisbys. Here are pics of the steps in making the pair he is currently working on. I dont' know what he will charge, but suspect it will be comparable to others. https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/steven.sheldon.7587/media_set?set=a.370020843145024.1073741835.100004113334721&type=1 (https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/steven.sheldon.7587/media_set?set=a.370020843145024.1073741835.100004113334721&type=1)
Sir Humphrey
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My friend Steven Sheldon here in Alabamashire is starting to make Wisbys. Here are pics of the steps in making the pair he is currently working on. I dont' know what he will charge, but suspect it will be comparable to others. https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/steven.sheldon.7587/media_set?set=a.370020843145024.1073741835.100004113334721&type=1 (https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/steven.sheldon.7587/media_set?set=a.370020843145024.1073741835.100004113334721&type=1)
Sir Humphrey
Probably $400+ based on this: http://www.forth-armoury.com/photo_gallery/wisby_gauntlets/Pair%201/wisby_3_gauntlets.htm (http://www.forth-armoury.com/photo_gallery/wisby_gauntlets/Pair%201/wisby_3_gauntlets.htm)
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His Wisby's are absolutely drop dead gorgeous and if it wasn't for the risk of crunching fingers in rattan combat, I'd be all over a pair from him in a heartbeat. Hell, I'm honestly contemplating a pair anyhow. But other pices of my armour need to take priority over an extra pair of gauntlets.
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Sir James, that is what he sold the prototypes for. They sold within a couple of hours of when he offered them up. I think he'll want more for the later ones.
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Sir James, that is what he sold the prototypes for. They sold within a couple of hours of when he offered them up. I think he'll want more for the later ones.
Agreed, I was ball-parking with the $400+ since he sold the prototypes at $400. His prototypes were hardened carbon steel, so mild steel might be around the $400 mark. He mentioned similar being $900 from other armories, so that might be his target price for carbon steel? Just hypothesizing. :)
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look for lewis moore guantlets too lol