Attaching aluminum to leather?

[The_Ronin_Jedi]

For a unique piece of equipment, I want to attach pieces of aluminum on the palm and palm sides of the fingers of a leather glove. From an RP standpoint, the aluminum is actually songsteel (a highly lightsaber resistant material), and the pieces will be placed in just a way that I can safely wrap my hand around a lightsaber. Ideally, the pieces should also be small enough that a person seeing both gloves won't see any metal (only the left glove will have the aluminum on it).

I was thinking putting something thick and metallic inside the glove and bracketing the metal on so that the bracket wont go all the way through the glove, but that seems like it could be really dangerous if the bracket doesn't just mushroom when it hits the metal below.

Anyone know of a good way of attaching aluminum to a leather glove?

[chicago.jedi]

I would say that some sort of industrial glue that is good for leather and metals.

If you try to drill holes in the corners and sew the aluminum on the glove, the thread will likely break and you will loose your metal pieces. Not to mention that trying to sew something to a glove finger will be very tough.

Rivets would hold metal to leather nicely but I do not think there are any that would be small enough for small pieces of aluminum like you want to use. Plus, setting the rivets inside a finished glove finger will be tough.

Have you considered using some sort of mesh? I am thinking about those gloves you see used at a restaurant for cutting up meat. It is like a very fine chainmail. I am not sure where to buy such a thing but a piece of chainmail might be easier to attach than solid pieces.

Or how about something like Kydex? That might be easier to attach and will have a bonus of not scratching up your saber.

You idea sounds interesting. Definitely not something I have heard of before. Good luck.

[Master Rel]

Welcome to the forum.

And to your question, yes?

Is it a question for RP consideration or RL consideration?

Keep in mind you are putting a slick contact on the spots where you want friction, makes for a slippery grip otherwise  

[The_Ronin_Jedi]

Welcome to the forum.

And to your question, yes?

Is it a question for RP consideration or RL consideration?

Keep in mind you are putting a slick contact on the spots where you want friction, makes for a slippery grip otherwise  

I'm talking about real life methods here, since this is for a real life prop that will be used for RP purposes.

[The_Ronin_Jedi]

I would say that some sort of industrial glue that is good for leather and metals.

If you try to drill holes in the corners and sew the aluminum on the glove, the thread will likely break and you will loose your metal pieces. Not to mention that trying to sew something to a glove finger will be very tough.

Rivets would hold metal to leather nicely but I do not think there are any that would be small enough for small pieces of aluminum like you want to use. Plus, setting the rivets inside a finished glove finger will be tough.

Have you considered using some sort of mesh? I am thinking about those gloves you see used at a restaurant for cutting up meat. It is like a very fine chainmail. I am not sure where to buy such a thing but a piece of chainmail might be easier to attach than solid pieces.

Or how about something like Kydex? That might be easier to attach and will have a bonus of not scratching up your saber.

You idea sounds interesting. Definitely not something I have heard of before. Good luck.

Can't say I've ever heard of Kydex before, but I just looked it up, and that sounds like it could work so long as I spray painted it chrome to get the desired color. I guess my question still remains as to what the best way to attach it is.

I did find something similar to my glove concept in Star Wars canon called "Sith Gloves". They look just like my idea, but instead of having pieces of songsteel, it uses phrik in the leather itself, so you can't actually tell that they are lightsaber resistant. I still think mine will look cooler though 

[Master Rel]

I'm talking about real life methods here, since this is for a real life prop that will be used for RP purposes.

Ahhh LARP?

Honestly I would consider using leather gloves, tighter form fitting leather gloves and leather dye, silver.

But if you are looking for the how to attach small thin pieces of aluminum, I would use drink cans, like soda cans. Cat the can top and bottom off, slit the side, flatten.  Cut out your desired pads with a bit extra to create a rolled edge so it will not cut you or anyone else.

Then epoxy glue, tape in place, let dry completely.

Done.

[The_Ronin_Jedi]

Ahhh LARP?

Possibly, but more just for show that will (hopefully someday) be used in an actual duel.

Honestly I would consider using leather gloves, tighter form fitting leather gloves and leather dye, silver.

But if you are looking for the how to attach small thin pieces of aluminum, I would use drink cans, like soda cans. Cat the can top and bottom off, slit the side, flatten.  Cut out your desired pads with a bit extra to create a rolled edge so it will not cut you or anyone else.

Then epoxy glue, tape in place, let dry completely.

Done.

Epoxy glue, eh? I think my dad has some at his place, so that would work, and I have enough aluminum cans to make a small army's worth of these gloves.

[Master Rel]

Possibly, but more just for show that will (hopefully someday) be used in an actual duel.

Epoxy glue, eh? I think my dad has some at his place, so that would work, and I have enough aluminum cans to make a small army's worth of these gloves.

You must, I can not stress it enough, roll the edges or there will be blood...lots of it.

I would look to gloves with existing finger pads, like mechanic gloves, and paint the pads.

Quicker, less expensive, and much safer.

[UnfairBanana]

I used contact cement to attatch leather to one of my sabers, and it held quite well.

[Aurick]

I think Master Rel has the right of it when he suggested the glove with pads. I don't know about you but i wouldn't want those metal pieces scratching my sabers. Good luck, and remember pics or it didn't happen

[Xaeyon]

I agree with Aurick: Rel has the right idea, it'll be more practical. Get a good metallic paint over the pads. Aluminium will make it hard to both grip stuff and will have to be super precise if you want to be able to bend your fingers Plus what Aurick said about scratching stuff

[scraver]

Yep I'm with Aurick, Master Rel and others on the aluminium being a poor choice
Anything hard makes gripping tricky - by the by, I have used those chain gloves (I was on the safety team at a grocery store and got to try out various safety equipment) and they only really work on the hand that's holding the item being cut (a mellon in my case) holding a knife in that hand is tricky.

Then of course I also agree with the scratching issue. My hilt has nickel plating and I even go so far as to wipe finger prints off after holding it.

[Aurick]

I use safety gloves regularly (daily) and scraper is right holding anything would be hard besides what's being cut. As soon as you tried to swinging t it would fly out of your hands!

[The_Ronin_Jedi]

Okay then. I'll look into the safety gloves and see if I can find one that fits the aesthetics I'm looking for.

[Aurick]

... Ok... To clarify I said they would not be good for this application... Just want to make sure I got my point across