Newbie - My First Items

[daveydude]

Hey folks - just started making stuff in leather & wanted to show my first attempts. I've had lots of experience making LARP weapons over the years but never really ventured into leather so much, so figured I'd give it a go.

The bracers were my first ever go at tooling, and while they're far from perfect I learned a lot while doing them - mainly that my bevelling tool wasn't right for the job. I've since acquired a new set of bevellers with lovely sharp edges which give a much cleaner finish, and I've learned that modelling spoons are awesome for cleaning up tool marks.

Second project was the gorget, for which I used a pattern found online: http://homepages.par...ent/sca/gorget/

I think it was intended to be made in metal with a foam liner, but I used a fairly heavy veg tan & really struggled with the joints. I would have preferred to stitch them rather than use rivets but couldn't quite figure out how to do that.

I also have a work in progress - one of Tom Banwell's "Ronin" respirators for which he kindly provides a pattern. I'm doing this in the same leather I used on the bracers & finding it great for sewing. No idea what I'll use it for, but I'm really enjoying making it, which is reason enough I guess

Enough talk, other than to say this forum is amazing!

[hivemind]

The bracers, is there foam under the black garment leather?

[daveydude]

The bracers, is there foam under the black garment leather?

The black leather is wrapped around a piece of the same leather & glued down at the back.

[Angster]

Excellent work for your first attempts. Keep it up with the tooling, I think you're on the right track. I love the rugged look even if it is a by-product of your learning the craft. Again, great job!

[OrchidNoir]

Those are going to look incredible on the battlefield or in court.

On the beveling, it looks to me like you are trying to go to fast, not allowing enough overlap from one impression to the other, hence the lines in it. Granted I'm just getting back into this after many years out. But I find that if I overlap my impressions by about half I don't get anywhere near as much of that to try to clean up.

That being said, I would be more than proud to wear these or have one of my family wear them out to game in battle or at court.

The Gorget has glorious form, I know people that have been trying to get results that nice out of leather armor contsruction for a couple of years.

[daveydude]

Excellent work for your first attempts. Keep it up with the tooling, I think you're on the right track. I love the rugged look even if it is a by-product of your learning the craft. Again, great job!

I appreciate that - thanks I know what you mean about "ruggedness" - of course that was totally intentional

[daveydude]

Those are going to look incredible on the battlefield or in court.

On the beveling, it looks to me like you are trying to go to fast, not allowing enough overlap from one impression to the other, hence the lines in it. Granted I'm just getting back into this after many years out. But I find that if I overlap my impressions by about half I don't get anywhere near as much of that to try to clean up.

That being said, I would be more than proud to wear these or have one of my family wear them out to game in battle or at court.

The Gorget has glorious form, I know people that have been trying to get results that nice out of leather armor contsruction for a couple of years.

Thanks for the beveling tip - I'll try that technique next time. As I mentioned earlier, I've found that running along the bevel with a modeling spoon can cover a multitude of sins - but of course I'd rather have a smooth bevel to begin with!

The form on the front of the gorget comes 100% from the curves in the pattern so I can't take any credit for that. I did wet and shape the back of the neck a little though.