Craftable armor

[Evaris 61]

So with what's available to craft so far, I'm surprised at the lack of discussion about body armor.  Obviously, with there being a zombie outbreak about, there should be people concerned with their personal safety, and use their environment to their advantage.  And there is -a lot- of things that I can think of people might go for in order to defend themselves.  Here are just a few.

 

Leather/hide armor:

Probably the most obvious.  Adding an extra layer of skin between you and whatever is trying to injure you, usually helps.  It's not much, but something you could do if you were hunting anyway.

 

Suggested action list:

1. skin a hide

2. Combine skinned hide with sewing kit (consumes sewing kit)

3. Obtain leather armor shirt OR pants OR leather gauntlet wraps (choice)

 

 

sports armor:

Less obvious I suppose, but useful against melee weapons, especially those which are blunt, and zombie attacks.  Realistically would mostly just provide a reduction of blunt trauma, though small blades would be more inclined to glance off than with leather or nothing at all.  Rugby armor could be taken as is, but futball shinguards could be implemented for gauntlets.  (I've tried this IRL with both soccer [futball] and martial arts style shin guards - if sized for your shins, they will usually fit your forearms + your elbow decently well, and a second one will cover your upper arm solidly.)   While this is not so much crafting per-se, it is something I'd like to see from a point of realistic loot.

 

 

Steel plate vest: 

This is a fairly simple premise.  With any salvageable piece of steel, hacksaw, a hammer, and some rope, the world of basic bullet and impact protective body armor opens up for you.  Proven in WWII by the SN42 body armor, made from two 2mm steel plates (one on the front of the body, one on the back), body armor capable of stopping most knives and small handgun (.22, 9mm, chance of .45 ACP - the SN42 vest is considered equivalent to a modern type II vest against bullets) rounds can be made.  Granted, it's a bit more hassle than a lot of what will be on this list, but...

 

1A: find a spare steel plate and pick it up

1B: find a car door and pry it off with a crowbar, pipe wrench, fireman's axe, etc, and pick it up

2: Cut the plate into a general shape for a wearable vest using a hacksaw (or perhaps bolt cutters)

3: Hammer the vest into shape using a... hammer.  

4. Combine two vests by stacking them, and again using a hammer for finishing (or skip this for simplicity if that would be preferred.)

5: Combine with rope to make a steel vest.  Or if you wanted  you could call them SN42 vests.  If you really wanted to.

 

 

Trash can armor:

 

This is a bit less effective against bullets, but probably just as effective vs a zombie.  Take a steel garbage can (we've seen them in game lying around... I want to use them.)  use a hacksaw or whatever to cut it in half.  Then just use a rope to attach the pieces and voila, an effective zombie-swing stopper.  bonus points if you add on cut-up food cans for arm/leg protection.  Or a trashcan lid helmet. 

 

 

Pillow armor:

 

Can't say it would stand up to a lot, but against zombies this might be one of the best simple solutions for 1-3 hit protection.  Take 4-6 pillows (or just 2 really big ones) and duct tape them across your body as a vest, along with duct tape shoulder straps.  Doesn't look nice, but you don't have to worry about the first couple zombie hits causing bleeding on your body.  Though if you're at it, might as well grab a thick blanket or a couple more pillows for your sleeves.  We've seen pillows on the floor, might as well add them in as something we can use, right?

 

 

wooden stick armor:

Wooden sticks. Not much use with only a couple, but if you collect enough to cover your body, and have duct tape along?  Would make a fairly nice source of improvised body armor.  Perhaps a bit heavy and cumbersome, but nonetheless effective for a few swipes from zombies. 

 

 

Book armor:  Same premise as wooden sticks.  Duct tape + reasonably hard object = reasonably effective anti-zombie swing armor.  This can be applied to other commonly found objects like used cans, mirrors, or the like.

 

 

Cast iron stove door armor:  If you've seen back to the future, you probably know where I'm going with this.  There are cast iron stoves with heavy iron doors in a number of houses we've seen.  So... why not take a crowbar or w/e and use it with some rope as a vest?  Not exactly the lightest or most practical thing in the world, but it's something.  And generally speaking, something is better than nothing. 

 

 

Duct-taped wool / fleece jacket:  Some of the thicker material shirts offer decent reduction of blunt force trauma, but can't defend against cuts, and degrade quickly to hits.  One rather simple solution:  wrap the entire thing in duct tape while being worn.  The duct tape gives a bit more material strength against all damage, without removing any of the effectiveness of the core material for absorbing shock. 

 

Reinforced rider's jacket: Leather jackets already should be a bit more effective than the leather armor suggested at the top of the page, but there are a few things which can be added to make it more effective.  For one, there is the duct tape option as above. 

But the really nice option for the rider's jacket / hide armor option?
 

Studded leather armor (rider's jacket / hide armor) :   Take said leather top armor, and add in metal studs.  how to stud it?  Well your best option in a zombie apocalypse is probably the simplest one:  Take nails (which should be easy enough to find if we were being realistic)  Push the nail through the leather, then point the sharp end down on a hard surface like a road, and step on it, so the metal ends bend in a direction that doesn't stick you.  Worn with any cloth underneath like a T-shirt or jacket, and you've got an even more effective source of armor.  Bonus points if you reinforce this further with duct tape. 

 

Chair backing:  Another duct tape recipe.  Break off the back of a wooden chair, preferably one with multiple rungs.  duct tape it together for firmness, then use rope or make a duct-tape harness for it and wear it as a vest.  Another zombie resistant vest.  with this you may use the remaining rungs for your lower arms as bracers, just as you could with wooden sticks. 

 

Rope vest:  While we're at it, rope on it's own could be used as armor.  Though not doing much for blunt force trauma, it would prevent cuts from getting through.  That said, you do need enough rope to wrap yourself in to the point it gets rather heavy. 

 

These are just some of my ideas.  I'm sure there are others out there for craftable armor of some sort or another.

 

For ideas from others:

 

Shovel armor:  Using a hacksaw to take the spade off of a shovel, and then attaching it to your chest via rope / duct tape, or as a plate in a carrier vest.  Likely wouldn't protect against more than a .22 or a .380 ACP round at best, and wouldn't give as good of coverage as other armors.    Idea by Scrubbie_McNoob.

 

Ringmail:  Simple enough to make, in setting metal rings into a cloth backing of some sort.  No protection against bullets or the like, but would block most attempts at cutting through wherever the rings protect.  Metal rings could be found in various places - metal shower curtain hangers being but one source which comes to mind.

 

Scalemail:  Another simple armor,consisting of hanging overlapping metal plates on a backing of cloth or leather.  A fairly straightfowrward option, simply consisting of cutting sheetmetal, such as the corrigated roofs we've seen, or card doors, or any other metal laying around, into squares, then punching two holes in the top of the plates, then sewing them onto a shirt.  Not much use against bullets save -maybe- a .22, but it would provide rather nice protection against melee weapons and zombies.

 

Chainmail:  While simple in principle, chainmail is a more time consuming, yet in many ways a far better form of armor than ringmail.  Though high quality chainmail requires rivets or welding, a simple yet effective form if it can be made out of nothing but steel wire and wire cutters.   As with ringmail, it does a good job of stopping blades and blows from drawing blood, but does nothing to stop blunt force trauma or high velocity projectiles.

Edited November 2, 2014 by Evaris

[Conrad_The_Comrade 577]

This started out nice enough. Then I got to "Trash can armour". While I see the logic behind this, just imagine all the younger kids and trolls (Not that they're related) running around with pillows and trash cans...

[scrubbie_mcnoob 136]

What about cutting the heads off of shovels and using them as armour plates? I doubt it would stop much more than a .22 round, but would be good against melee weapons.

[Zedertone 378]

What about cutting the heads off of shovels and using them as armour plates? I doubt it would stop much more than a .22 round, but would be good against melee weapons.

[King Raptor 191]

Pillow armor:

 

Can't say it would stand up to a lot, but against zombies this might be one of the best simple solutions for 1-3 hit protection.  Take 4-6 pillows (or just 2 really big ones) and duct tape them across your body as a vest, along with duct tape shoulder straps.  Doesn't look nice, but you don't have to worry about the first couple zombie hits causing bleeding on your body.  Though if you're at it, might as well grab a thick blanket or a couple more pillows for your sleeves.  We've seen pillows on the floor, might as well add them in as something we can use, right?

 

Yeah, I can force people to walk around with pillows and then take pot shots at 'm!

Approved.

 

I will, however, have to insist that you use the propper spelling "armour".

[commanderbash 102]

any steel that you could cut with a hacksaw wouldn't provide effective armor against even the smallest rounds, Kevlar would be the only serious choice to stop any round, and at that point if crafting a steel backing was an option I'd be interested

[Evil Minion 943]

It still protects against melee attacks and might reduce the bullets damage (but not shock) as well as preventing bleeding.

 

Keep in mind that any armor is somewhat heavy and bulky and should impair your movement as well as causing sounds you can't muffle (no sneaking while covered in trash can pieces).

[way455 40]

This would certainly add a whole new apocalyptic look to the game, I like it! Seeing a survivor coming at me like Randy Quaid with a cooking pot helmet and a hubcap duct taped to their chest would be hilarious! They need to add a new clunky knight walking in armor sound. Lol!

[alldaypk 63]

Any armour type improvements to the rider's jacket would be awesome. As you said there's the duct tape, and with barricading comes nails i suppose.

[Evaris 61]

This started out nice enough. Then I got to "Trash can armour". While I see the logic behind this, just imagine all the younger kids and trolls (Not that they're related) running around with pillows and trash cans...

 

Even if trolls or trollclans decide to all suit up in them, I say let them.  Because why not?  They'd be clunky, loud, and rather obvious.  And thus they're taking protection in favor of avoiding zombies.  As for pillow armor, It wouldn't exactly be obnoxious, In my visualization of it at least.

 

What about cutting the heads off of shovels and using them as armour plates? I doubt it would stop much more than a .22 round, but would be good against melee weapons.

 

See the main issue I see with this is we'd need a bit larger shovels, or you would need multiple shovels, in order to have meaningful coverage of your torso.

 

Yeah, I can force people to walk around with pillows and then take pot shots at 'm!

Approved.

 

I will, however, have to insist that you use the propper spelling "armour".

 

I'm from the USA.  The proper spelling over here is armor.  There are some variances between American English and everyone else's English.

 

any steel that you could cut with a hacksaw wouldn't provide effective armor against even the smallest rounds, Kevlar would be the only serious choice to stop any round, and at that point if crafting a steel backing was an option I'd be interested

 

Well, first, that is part of the reason for taking two plates and hammering them together (seeing as you couldn't cut a thick enough plate were they that thickness in the first place)  And once lootable vests are in the game, I'd suggest having them able to be crafted into a backing to reinforce a soft vest (perhaps turning a type II to a type IIIa, or a type IIIa to a type III in terms of protection.)  But yeah.  Other than that, I did specify that the SN42 which this idea is based off of, was able to stop .22 and lower power 9mm rounds.  It would stop .380 ACP as well given they about half as much energy as a low power 9mm.

 

It still protects against melee attacks and might reduce the bullets damage (but not shock) as well as preventing bleeding.

 

Keep in mind that any armor is somewhat heavy and bulky and should impair your movement as well as causing sounds you can't muffle (no sneaking while covered in trash can pieces).

And yeah that. Though some of the armor shouldn't really cause sound, like the leather stuff and the pillows. 

 

Any armour type improvements to the rider's jacket would be awesome. As you said there's the duct tape, and with barricading comes nails i suppose.

 

Pretty much.

Edited July 21, 2014 by Evaris

[General Zod 1114]

Invincible. 

[Evaris 61]

Invincible. 

LOL.  Just lol. 

[Lithium1056 45]

I say let's implement chainmail (which if reasonable supplies are available is fairly easy to make

[Evaris 61]

I say let's implement chainmail (which if reasonable supplies are available is fairly easy to make

Ringmail yes, chainmail (if you're trying to make real chainmail) notsomuch.  You have to weld together each of the thousands of individual rings and intertwine them if we're talking chainmail.  A master smith takes weeks to finish a single set, so... yeah.  Not so easy in the environment we're talking about.

 

But ringmail is simple and could be made simply.  You could probably take steel shower rings or something and stick them in a shirt of some sort. 

[Lithium1056 45]

Ringmail yes, chainmail (if you're trying to make real chainmail) notsomuch. You have to weld together each of the thousands of individual rings and intertwine them if we're talking chainmail. A master smith takes weeks to finish a single set, so... yeah. Not so easy in the environment we're talking about.

But ringmail is simple and could be made simply. You could probably take steel shower rings or something and stick them in a shirt of some sort.

Things required to make chainmail

1: pliers (to link your rings most popular pattern is 4-1 each single ring being linked to 4 other rings)

2: rings (usually made from a spool of high gauge workable metal)

3: a steel rod (to wind the metal around to cut your rings)

4: snips (to cut your metal)

5: time depending on the project a few hours to a few days.

Tell me again how hard this is? (Trust me I've done it)

Also it's a video game yo! So long as you have the items which is what should be hard to find. You're a button click away from crafting.

Anyone with a few minutes to spare can learn to craft chainmail. And no welder required sure it takes a hot minute to make a shirt or gloves but it's possible for anyone.

[alsmir 255]

I'm ok even with full plate armour as long as your character is out of breath after jogging 100m. Good luck getting anywhere wearing armour, unless it's just for sitting on your ass in Berezino.

[Lithium1056 45]

It's also the most logical light armour choice in a zombie apocalypse it's light breathable anti melee/bite

[Lithium1056 45]

I'm ok even with full plate armour as long as your character is out of breath after jogging 100m. Good luck getting anywhere wearing armour, unless it's just for sitting on your ass in Berezino.

1: won't matter after vehicles are implemented

2: plate? Really? Cause anyone uses that anymore, chain actually has several modern uses

3: most combat Armour today is designed to be as light and effective as possible

[alsmir 255]

1: won't matter after vehicles are implemented

2: plate? Really? Cause anyone uses that anymore, chain actually has several modern uses

3: most combat Armour today is designed to be as light and effective as possible

 

1. Get the mod. Get on the server without extra added vehicles, then come back and talk. Majority of people will have to stick to running when going form place to place.

What do you expect? Fully repaired vehicle next to you whenever you spawn?

2. I'm talking about the weight. Anything that offers any decent protection will mostly be made of metal plates. Chain armour takes a crapton of time to make so I don't think we have it in SA.

3. Topic title: "Craftable armour". Are you saying you can craft modern combat armour in a shed using some basic tools and materials?

[General Zod 1114]

3. Topic title: "Craftable armour". Are you saying you can craft modern combat armour in a shed using some basic tools and materials?

Careful there, we already have people posting here how they can make just about anything from scrap. 

Edited July 23, 2014 by General Zod

[Lithium1056 45]

1. Get the mod. Get on the server without extra added vehicles, then come back and talk. Majority of people will have to stick to running when going form place to place.

What do you expect? Fully repaired vehicle next to you whenever you spawn?

2. I'm talking about the weight. Anything that offers any decent protection will mostly be made of metal plates. Chain armour takes a crapton of time to make so I don't think we have it in SA.

3. Topic title: "Craftable armour". Are you saying you can craft modern combat armour in a shed using some basic tools and materials?

1: no I expect to be in a T-shirt, jeans, athletic shoes, with a flash light when I spawn

2:why not doesn't take a crapton of time to fix a broken leg in SA just a 4 second animation

3: yes I can craft modern melee armour in a shed with basic tools. With the right materials could prolbably craft something that would withstand 9mm and below welcome to the future bubba

[General Zod 1114]

 

3. Topic title: "Craftable armour". Are you saying you can craft modern combat armour in a shed using some basic tools and materials?

 

 

Careful there, we already have people posting here how they can make just about anything from scrap. 

 

 

3: yes I can craft modern melee armour in a shed with basic tools. With the right materials could prolbably craft something that would withstand 9mm and below welcome to the future bubba

 

Well that was fast. 

[Evaris 61]

Things required to make chainmail

1: pliers (to link your rings most popular pattern is 4-1 each single ring being linked to 4 other rings)

2: rings (usually made from a spool of high gauge workable metal)

3: a steel rod (to wind the metal around to cut your rings)

4: snips (to cut your metal)

5: time depending on the project a few hours to a few days.

Tell me again how hard this is? (Trust me I've done it)

Also it's a video game yo! So long as you have the items which is what should be hard to find. You're a button click away from crafting.

Anyone with a few minutes to spare can learn to craft chainmail. And no welder required sure it takes a hot minute to make a shirt or gloves but it's possible for anyone.

 

If we're talking "real" chainmail, with the full protection of such a set, yes, you need to have each ring be welded or riveted.  Sure, you can make a look-alike set with what you suggested, however it will not be as effective as real chainmail. 

 

 

1: no I expect to be in a T-shirt, jeans, athletic shoes, with a flash light when I spawn

2:why not doesn't take a crapton of time to fix a broken leg in SA just a 4 second animation

3: yes I can craft modern melee armour in a shed with basic tools. With the right materials could prolbably craft something that would withstand 9mm and below welcome to the future bubba

 

2.  Fair enough.

3.  Well that's not that hard, quarter inch steel will do that.  Or a cast iron stove door.  Just saying.

[alsmir 255]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well that was fast. 

 

 

Can't wait for vehicles to be implemented to read all the complains "I could totally build a car from a scrap if I had engine, some wheels and  metal parts"

[Lithium1056 45]

If we're talking "real" chainmail, with the full protection of such a set, yes, you need to have each ring be welded or riveted. Sure, you can make a look-alike set with what you suggested, however it will not be as effective as real chainmail.

2. Fair enough.

3. Well that's not that hard, quarter inch steel will do that. Or a cast iron stove door. Just saying.

Wow didn't realize "Ye' olde smiths" had welders and such as early as the 4th century?

No seriously common made mail is just as resistant to old mail. It's efficient against melee and such, will deflect an arrow or two and stop a bite. No machines or smelt needed. Honestly "I find your lack of faith disturbing" it's just effective as "real" chainmail because it is chainmail. People often think chainmail is over armour and it's not nor was it it was used in conjunction with leather and other armours as added protection. My point is with a spool of metal and a pair of pliers anyone with the skill/will to craft a set of nail could do so and achieve decent protection against bites and melee attack. Obviously it's only as good as the material used and not designed to withstand repeated attack. It's not like I'm suggesting mithril(sp?) here