Armored Combat:Glossary - Armor materials

Armor materials

Aventail

Flexible curtain of chainmail on a helmet, extending to cover the neck and shoulders.

Bars

Used in the visor or faceplate of helms, bars must be steel a minimum of 3/16 inch (4.8 mm) in diameter, or the equivalent. If the distance between crossbars is 2 inches (50.8 mm) or less, 1/8 inch (3.2 mm) bars can be used.

Camail

Flexible curtain of mail or leather on a helm, extending to cover the neck.

Closed-cell foam

Stiff foam with closed cells, less dense than resilient foam (e.g., Ensolite).

Equivalent

Virtually identical to the specified material in effect or function, including impact resistance, impact distribution, and impact absorption characteristics, but not necessarily in physical dimensions.

Foam

Any open- or closed-cell foam, including foam rubber, foam neoprene, polyurethane, etc.

Gauge

U.S. sheet metal standard. Note that 16-gauge is officially 1/16 inch (1.6 mm), but commercially available sheet is frequently rolled to .058 or even .055 inch - much too thin for helms.

Gauntlet

An armored glove covering the back of the hand, fingers, and thumb and the points and back of the wrist.

Gorget

A piece of armor designed to cover the throat and neck.

Heavy leather

Stiff leather, nominally 11/64 inch (4.4 mm) thick. This is referred to as 11 ounce leather.

Mail

Any fabric of small metal components either linked together (e.g., chain) or attached to a flexible backing (e.g., ring or scale).

Padding

Quilted or multi-layered cloth material, such as mattress pads, moving blankets, carpet, felt, or equivalent

Partial gauntlet (also called a half-gauntlet or demi-gauntlet)

An armored glove covering the back of the hand and at least the first knuckle of the thumb, as well as the points and back of the wrist.

Plate

Large components of rigid material.

Resilient foam

Dense, plastic, closed-cell foam such as ethyl polymer.

Rigid material

1. Steel of no less than 1/20 inch (1.27 mm) (18 gauge), or aluminum of no less than 5/64 inch (1.89 mm) (14 gauge).
2. Other metals of sufficient thickness to give similar rigidity to those listed above to include treated steel or aluminum
3. High-impact-resistant plastics such as ABS or polyethylene of sufficient thickness to give similar rigidity to those listed above
4. 11/64 inch (4.4 mm) or 11 oz thick stiff leather that has been hardened in hot wax, soaked in polyester resin (properly catalyzed), or treated in such a manner as to permanently harden the leather
5. Two layers of untreated 11/64 inch (4.4 mm) or 11 oz thick stiff leather
6. Other materials equivalent to those items listed above (Any armor of unusual construction or materials must meet the approval of the Kingdom or Principality Earl Marshal or their designated deputy.)

Steel

Cold- or hot-rolled mild steel or equivalent ferrous material