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hivemind

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Posts posted by hivemind


  1. Alternately, get some beeswax, then get a used crock pot from goodwill, put the wax in, when it's fully liquid, start stuffing scales in. Leave each one in until it stops bubbling, then remove it with some tongs, and give it a little shape with your hands (wear gloves, they're hot), then let them cool. Hard like wood. Don't leave them in long enough to scorch, experiment with scrap first.


  2. Just finished this. Like always, it's made to the customer's dimensions, and my wife-size mannequin is swimming in it. :)

    15oz vegetable tanned leather, Fiebing's medium brown dye, Master spray shine finish. Nickel plated brass hardware and latigo strapping. The lion on the chest is a belt buckle that I ground the belt bits off of the back of, and soldered on a couple copper rivets. The design is the customer's, I'd never have made armor that closes in the back, but hey, his drawings didn't show any closures on the front or sides, sooo....

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  3. Jason's advice is sound. Use Chicago screws on the edges, loose enough to allow movement, and a floating joint in the middle to allow them to move there. You can also use copper rivets and burrs instead of Chicago screws, just put a galvanized steel washer between the leather layers, and another under the burr, and don't set the burr all the way down. This is the method I use on my articulated elbows and knees.

    If you're going to sweat a lot in this, there's really nothing you can do to keep it from losing shape other than wax it. You'll need to be constantly vigilant after a long day in it to mold it in shape again when you take it off. This is the problem with wet molding such thin leather for armor - it's much easier to mold, but won't hold it's shape well under use.

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