Medieval steel gauntlets: Rule your life with an iron fist

(Credit: Think Geek)

I cannot come up with a practical reason why I'd need these reproduction medieval gauntlets. I just want them. Think of all the people I could be! These are the last pieces I need to complete the following outfits: Destro, Sir Galahad, Drs. Klaw and Doom, and Optimus Prime (after a paint job).

No more carpal tunnel!

(Credit: Think Geek)

I think, though, that I'd just keep them in my bag at all times. I imagine that next time I get into an argument with a drunk dude-bro at a bar I can get him to back down without violence simply by putting them on. They're made out of steel, for crying out loud. They also have leather finger loops that do something, though I'm not sure what.

The gauntlets, or Enforcers of Awesomeness as I'll call mine, are handmade and feature real riveting. If anyone out there is feeling generous, e-mail me and I'll send you my mailing address. They're only $59.99 from Think Geek. I need them for the +2 bonus they'll give me to my Charisma when I'm wearing them.

[dukethepcdr]

Steel gauntlets are for protecting your hands while engaged in hand to hand combat. The finger loops are for putting your fingers through so that you can curl your fingers around them a little bit. This reduces the risk of having your gauntlet fly off when you swing your arm in certain directions as the gauntlet needs to be a little big for your hand in order to put it on and take it off easily. I am a squire to a knight in the Kingdom of Albion in the Adrian Empire (a non-profit Medieval ages reinactment group). We use gauntlets similar to those in addition to all the other pieces of steel and leather armour to engage in duels and even group fights. We use rebated or dulled tournament weapons like swords, axes, spears and shields. If you've ever seen movies like "A Knight's Tale" where they are doing tournaments with dulled weapons and scoring points for making different kinds of hits, that's similar to what we do and is very accurate for mid to late Medieval period tournaments. We also do target archery with long bows, arts and crafts, baking, bardics (singing, poetry, plays etc.), feasts and put on several reniassance faires every year.

As a squire, I have helped many fighters properly wear and repair gauntlets like the ones you have. There are also mitten-style gauntlets which, while not giving quite as much dexterity, offer better finger protection than those finger gauntlets. The ones you have are good as long as you don't get hit between your fingers. That really hurts. Even if the weapon you are hit with is not sharp. Trust me, I've had it happen to me more than once. That's why my knight and I use mitten-style gauntlets instead.

Good article. Not something I expected to see on Cnet.

Yours In Service

Jon de Enefelde, esquire

[DarkHawke]

Wow, great info, Jon! And Matt probably gets the ThinkGeek e-mail like I (and no doubt the vast majority of CNET readers) do. I was geeking out about these yesterday. I'll probably geek out some more when I get them!