Building a HEMA Stainless Gorget

 

Need a gorget but no money for gorget, because spent all money on more swords.

I'm not a fan of getting stabbed in the neck, plus you can't enter HEMA comps without a gorget so I decided to make a copy of the Winter Tree Craft (WTC) gorget so commonly used. 

I had some scrap stainless steel lying around which was just enough, roughly cut with a grinder. Also grabbed some copper rivets, buckles and leather straps from Cripsin Leather in Brisbane.

Once I had the cuts all cleaned up, initially with more grinding, I  then finished it off with a belt sander and a steel linishing belt installed. 

I have an old cast body of a Singer sewing machine I use for moulding shapes, you can bend parts like this by hand or use a hammer to bash in the tighter curves. 

Probably should have drilled all the holes first but I do tend to rush into things. Once all the holes were drilled on the drill press, I cleaned them up on the belt sander again

This is the copy I made on the left and the original WTC gorget I borrowed on the right. I then cut out the leather lining to suit. 

The original WTC Gorget I borrowed. I tried to copy it the best I could as this has to pass inspection in competitions. 

Adding the rivets, cut to size and peened. 

My leather strap cutting is rough as guts but I'll clean it up before finishing. 

A nicely peened copper rivet

I drilled shallow holes in my makeshift block of mild steel to help with the rivet process. 

Top view 

Many copper rivets

The final finished gorget

Much neater straps 

Behold, Gorget

The fitting

Works well, and passed the competition inspection. Pretty keen on attempting a full suit of armour some day. just need the space to do so.