Is Showing Off A Good To Introduce Yourself?

[Nighthawk]

Hello, all! Thought this as good a way to introduce myself as any other, so a little information about me. My family and I are historical reenactors. My son shoots a longbow and is an apprentice blacksmith. I myself am a swordsman, which is what got me interested in leather work in the first place. I fight with some really good swordsmen, and needed to armor up my forearms so my hands would be functional after a weekend of fighting! So I learned to make bracers, and fell in love with the craft from there! So here are a few samples of the things that I've been up to in my 5 months or so of leather work:

Archer's bracers for my boy:

My son's quiver:

My boy's archers cross belt:

My boy wearing his archer's cross belt:

Creative use of scrap leather:

Another pair of bracers:

Sheath for my son's tomahawk:

Belt hanger for the tomahawk. Those are my son's initials in Nordic runes stamped into the hanger.

My flask hanger:

A bracelet I made for my wife:

Edited August 17, 2010 by Nighthawk

[Nighthawk]

I recently lost a very dear friend by the name of Rick Rhombo. He was my friend, and my mentor- he was teaching me the art of leather work. A few days before he passed, he and I were working on the leather cover for my flask, and he showed me this roll of leather that he had gotten. He told me that to his eyes, it looked liked dragon scales, and that he thought it would be really cool to make a pair of dragon scale bracers from it. Well, I thought it was a cool idea, but too much in the realm of fantasy for my taste. I put that leather out of my mind until a few days later, when I got the call that he had died. After that, all I could think of was that leather and those bracers that he had wanted. So I talked to his sister, who was handling the estate, and she was more than willing to give me the leather that I needed, so long as I used it for the bracers, and kept them for myself instead of selling them or whatever. Needless to say, I jumped at that. So here are the results:

The knife sheath. Those are Ricks initials- RFR- in Norse runes. He was after all a Viking reenactor! This is the left arm bracer, designed for a right hand draw.

I decided that a dragon on the right arm would balance out the knife on the left.

This is the patch knife that I made "for a friend." I posted a picture gallery of this knife a few weeks agoon my Face Book page. Rick was the friend I mentioned in that gallery. His sister was kind enough to give the knife back.

Here they are on my arms.

The thread I use to tie the bracers comes from a project that my friend apparently abandoned. Among the many (and I mean MANY!) things that his sister gave me was a box of remnants. It looks like Rick was making a pair of moccasins and gave up on them. The threads came from those mocs. The chain mail that the bracers are sitting was made by Rick. He was teaching my son to make chain mail. His sister again kindly let my boy take that section of mail. What do you all think- a fitting memorial?

[Nighthawk]

And finally, putting a face to the screen name! This is my tend and general setup. We are in a living history association called the Renaissance Scots Living History Society. This season was the first season with a leather shop.

That's my boy to the left, in the tartan truis.

I was making a period appropriate belt bag to keep my camera in.

I mentioned that my son is an apprentice blacksmith. He made me a period stitching awl this last weekend. As soon as I put a handle on it, I'll get pictures and post them.

This is a great forum! Glad I ran across it!

[Ferg]

I recently lost a very dear friend by the name of Rick Rhombo. He was my friend, and my mentor- he was teaching me the art of leather work. A few days before he passed, he and I were working on the leather cover for my flask, and he showed me this roll of leather that he had gotten.

The thread I use to tie the bracers comes from a project that my friend apparently abandoned. Among the many (and I mean MANY!) things that his sister gave me was a box of remnants. It looks like Rick was making a pair of moccasins and gave up on them. The threads came from those mocs. The chain mail that the bracers are sitting was made by Rick. He was teaching my son to make chain mail. His sister again kindly let my boy take that section of mail. What do you all think- a fitting memorial?

I am sure your friend is looking upon you and knows he had a great friend.

Thanks for sharing. Your items are very nice.

ferg

[albane]

I enjoyed reading your post.

Your tribute to your friend was vary nice and the dragon skin bracer's are the coolest I've ever seen!

Rick Rhombo taught you well.

Thanks for posting,

[Nighthawk]

Thanks, guys! This is a very friendly forum! Great welcomes!

[Miett]

Hello Nighthawk! Absolutely love the stuff you've made--I'm new to leather working and to the forum, so it's fantastic to see what can be done, and get ideas for when I have more experience. The bracers you made as a tribute to your friend are a brilliant way of honoring his memory. Thank you for posting.

[OdinUK]

Great work, this is the kind of thing that Im interested in. Ill have another look after work!

Did you make the long bow?

By the way, your son has excellent taste in music - Iron Maiden !

[Nighthawk]

Hello Nighthawk! Absolutely love the stuff you've made--I'm new to leather working and to the forum, so it's fantastic to see what can be done, and get ideas for when I have more experience. The bracers you made as a tribute to your friend are a brilliant way of honoring his memory. Thank you for posting.

4 months unemployed, a good teacher, and lots of hard work is what it takes. Lot's of trial and error. With my friend gone, this board has taken his place, at least as far as learning about leather goes. The tutorials are excellent!

Great work, this is the kind of thing that Im interested in. Ill have another look after work!

Did you make the long bow?

By the way, your son has excellent taste in music - Iron Maiden !

Bow making is the next thing I plan on learning. I wish I made that thing- it's killer.

Oh, and my boy is a third generation Maiden fan. Have you heard their new album? Came out a week ago, and it's badass!!

[OdinUK]

4 months unemployed, a good teacher, and lots of hard work is what it takes. Lot's of trial and error. With my friend gone, this board has taken his place, at least as far as learning about leather goes. The tutorials are excellent!

Bow making is the next thing I plan on learning. I wish I made that thing- it's killer.

Oh, and my boy is a third generation Maiden fan. Have you heard their new album? Came out a week ago, and it's badass!!

Yes, I have it. Another good one. I saw them live in Dublin the other week. I'll PM you something you might like:)

[albane]

Pm?

Jip Iron Maiden news ,share it here.

( or you can pm me as well ) ( that's my way of snooping in on the scoop ) lol

Yes, I have it. Another good one. I saw them live in Dublin the other week. I'll PM you something you might like:)

[Big Steve]

Outstanding workmanship.. nuff said, keepit up, i lost 2 good friends this year both bikers (not through bike accidents ) i know what you are going through, good look with the bow making.

Regards, Steve.

[scottishshoemaker]

Nice work and story keep up the good work. Just a pity yor a Maiden fan:lol:

[douglais]

Hey Nighthawk, welcome aboard. I love reenactment, too, and I see that you're doing what I do also...making almost all your own stuff! It's the only way to get it all without breaking the bank, but it seems to take years to get around to everything.

Where are you located? Looks like Florida? I'm in Illinois, and always looking for new reenactor friends.

Daggrim

[Cuhail]

Hey Nighthawk, welcome aboard. I love reenactment, too, and I see that you're doing what I do also...making almost all your own stuff! It's the only way to get it all without breaking the bank, but it seems to take years to get around to everything.

Where are you located? Looks like Florida? I'm in Illinois, and always looking for new reenactor friends.

Daggrim

Ha! Another new guy from IL! Douglais, do you have a gallery of your work? I'd love to see some of your helmet work!

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Nighthawk-

Nice work, OP! I'm glad you had a mentor to guide you as well as he did, and good on ya for the tribute! I guess I can show off one in my introduction to ya. Here's my Windlass Irish sword with a custom oak grip and custom scabbard. Wood-core with leather overwrap.

(Jeez! I hope that doesn't mess with the page size! I didn't realize it'd be that big!)

The leather I use is provided by the closest thing to a mentor I have- My boss at the Faire booth! LOL!!!

Very cool projects!

CuhailB)

[Bard Skye]

Ha! Another new guy from IL! Douglais, do you have a gallery of your work? I'd love to see some of your helmet work!

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Nighthawk-

Nice work, OP! I'm glad you had a mentor to guide you as well as he did, and good on ya for the tribute! I guess I can show off one in my introduction to ya. Here's my Windlass Irish sword with a custom oak grip and custom scabbard. Wood-core with leather overwrap.

(Jeez! I hope that doesn't mess with the page size! I didn't realize it'd be that big!)

The leather I use is provided by the closest thing to a mentor I have- My boss at the Faire booth! LOL!!!

Very cool projects!

CuhailB)

Very nice. How did you get the ridges? Are they in the wood, or raised from the leather?

[Bard Skye]

What do you all think- a fitting memorial?

A *most* excellent memorial, my good sir!

And lovely work as well.

I've been putting all of my own gear together as well. Takes time, but it's worth it. I'll have to post some of my things for your approval. (or dis-approval <g>)

Skye