Sparring armor, ideas?

[The_Night]

just go full on suit of armor. lol

i always recommend Arwaza. they make good pads for Kumite, also best Gi's i've ever owned.

[BlessedWrath]

I bought both a thermoformer (12"x12" vaccum table, no heater) and several sheets of 1/16", 1/8" and 1/4" transparent polycarbonate on Amazon. The table was the expensive part, at over $100. The sheets are closer to $5 per.

Polycarbonate is the strongest synthetic material I've ever seen. The 1/4" plate withstood multiple hits (same location, point blank range) by a 1,000fps air rifle rocking pointed, hollowpoint, and flat-tipped .177 cal lead pellets. The worst that happened was a small deformity in the material which caused the plastic to form a shallow depression at the hit location and an equally shallow mound on the other side. I've hit this stuff with hammers, axes, swords, awls, picks, bowling balls -I've even dropped an anvil on it. I think it's fair to say you won't damage it in a sparring match with lightsaber replicas.

Standard thermoforming temperature sits around 300-350F. You put the material in the clamping frame, stick it in the oven (on cinderblock supports), wait for it to start sagging, take it out and put it on the table, over top your forms, and kick on the vaccuum (also not included). If it's hot enough, the plastic is immediately sucked down over your forms. This is pretty much identical to the process used to create the original Stormtrooper armor.

It's relatively cheap, not terribly difficult, and will produce the strength and weight you're looking for. As to the look, you may have to make some custom forms that will fit very closely to your body, so that you can hide the armor under your costume. I would suggest vitals only, and either a coat-of-plates approach, or something akin to scale armor. References to either can be found on Arador, The Ring Lord, and many others.

Try to stay away from soft or flexible armors. Maille will not be of practical use to you in a sparring match, as its only purpose is to mute the bite of a blade, not its impact. Maille will bend and flex around the impact point, causing just as much damage as if you were struck without it. Padded or quilted armors will heat up in even the coolest climate, causing danger of heat exhaustion/stroke.

Hard leather is also an option, but may be more difficult to accomplish. Leather is prone to mildew and rot, UV damage, etc, etc. It's also very expensive.

I hope that helps.

[Manroon]

Thanks! I've actually got some Stormtrooper armor that was made that way, but I don't use it for that purpose for fear of breaking it. I bought it secondhand and am not sure of exactly how durable it is, I just know it's durable, but I'm pretty sure it's not polycarb though. I THINK it's ABS, or whatever the 501st guys normally use. A suit done from polycarb WOULD be a sweet idea though, and likely would hold up since that's what the saber blades are. Great suggestion! Now if I only had an oven I could put plastic in.... XP

[BlessedWrath]

Two points I failed to mention:

1. You are absolutely right. Standard Stormtrooper armor is definitely not polycarbonate. It's polystyrene. It's extremely weak stuff that will break if subjected to any real abuse, including extreme temperatures. I definitely advise against using standard, costume grade trooper armor.

2. I've had ideas for some time about rigging up my own built-in heating element. A simple frame, equipped with drawer sliders and springs, should be capable of holding the clamping frame quite easily. On top of that frame there would be heating elements mounted close to where the clamping frame would come to rest. Heat the plastic, let it sag, then pull it down while at the same time pressing the vaccum's footswitch. Bam. Done.

The heating elements may not actually require much engineering at all if you come at it from a repurposing viewpoint. Scrap two $10 toaster ovens by pulling out the heating elements without disturbing any of the wiring or timing mechanisms. Mount the elements to the top of the frame, then simply plug them in and use the existing circuitry. No wiring, no building, no engineering.

When I finally do set this up I'll let you know how it goes.

[Sularen]

I wouldn't chuck bricks at it or anything, but those worried about getting smacked in the teeth with a blade may want to pick up an airsoft mask.  Many of them have a Scout Trooper look and could easily be painted as such.  Small details could be added to many of these to lend more of a Star Wars feel rather than a Mortal Kombat ninja feel. 

Looking at a variety of sports could yield what you're looking for.  Some "crash pads" used for roller derby and similar sports are entirely functional, designed not to impede in movement much, and some varieties look pretty cool.  The motorcycle gear mentioned above comes in a wide variety of styles that look awesome.  I like the look of the martial arts hand-wrist-elbow "armor" bracers. 

Leather can be expensive, but if you learn how to craft with it, you'll understand how to make armor pieces without investing too much.  I could make a pretty heavy-weight pair of bracers with "Kickin' your Sith butt" carved in them in Aurabesh for around $25 (that's what it would cost me - not what I'd charge others).

So yeah, check out gear for all kinds of sports (rock climbing, fencing, street hockey - find the weirdest ones you can) and you may find just what you're looking for. 

[Jammo]

What about the kind of stuff Ancient Greeks wore? Check it...

http://news.discovery.com/history/linothorax-alexander-great-armor.html

[Jenny]

For Kendo, I of course wear Bogu (note: Use of this link in no way implies an endorsement of this particular product or vendor).

When I was in the SCA and fought heavy weapons, I wore hockey pads under a hand-made Sendai Do.  

I suspect what I wore for sparing with a lightsabre would depend on how hard my partner wanted to go at it. If we were going full speed / full force like the SCA folk do with rattan, I would want at least a full set of hockey pads and a fencing mask with cowl.  A polycarbonate blade has less "give" to it than a shinai does, and probably even less than a length of rattan wrapped in tape.

If y'all are not fighting that hard, you might be able to get by with lacrosse pads instead of hockey pads.

I suggest adhering to the minimum SCA standards, though... hard protection (hardened leather, steel, impact-graded plastics) for hands, elbows, knees, with a hard gorget (throat / neck protector), helmet, and kidney protector.  Hockey gloves are also a good idea.

(And if you want to do wax-hardened leather, let me know; I can give instructions).

[Manroon]

The only leather work I've done is putting grips on my sabers, but I know I'd love to get into more. It's just a wicked sweet thing for costume parts, and since it has practical applications in sparring for armor, it'd be great for double duty use. There seems to be several members here who do leather work.... I wonder if I might ask, would any of you say that it's very hard to learn? I know the saber grips were pretty easy to do, but all that was for me was cutting to size, punching some holes, and lacing it up like a pair of boots with a better knot. lol

[Jenny]

If you can sew, you can work leather.  It's relatively easy to learn, and your local Tandy shop likely has classes.

[Manroon]

One more thing on the list of stuff I should get around to. lol Still, considering how much cheaper it is to make than to buy.... I might try this soon.

[Jenny]

To make it impact resistant, however, is a specialized technique.  Wax-hardened armor is not great against cutting, but it works very well against impact.  And as long as you don't leave it in your trunk, in Arizona, in the summertime, it lasts very well.

[DarthCooper88]

 I get large sheets of 10 -15 oz Bull leather 1/8" to 1/4" using duifferent attaching techniques, rivets, & alot of buckles , here is a typical example of some of my hand made armor, takes about 2-3 weeks of construction to build, this set has 6" of adjustment to fit a variety of different sized individuals, & get alot of work from the SCA crowd. (works wonders against bokken & lightsabers

[Manroon]

Now that, Cooper, is something I could rock. I'd probably do mine in brown though. Ooooh, or maybe burgundy!

[DarthCooper88]

 @ Manroon , the hides come a creamy white color ready for dye, I have even seen forest green & purple stains done! Another idea: check the local army navy stores for either british riot gear (black very starwarish looking), German riot gear as pictured , (jointed aluminum padded) A flak vest with shoulder guards can be picked up for 40-50 bucks (will stop 9mm) I have a couple of different types that I have collected . this german set was cool & would make a good base to start, I picked the legs sections & arm section up for 15 bucks per set. The british & also US army riot gear is pretty economical as well

[Jenny]

Looks like a specialized Sendai Do, there, Darth Cooper.  Nice work.