TomBanwell

I suspect that any vegetable oil could go rancid over time, and stink. Might happen with soy. Just a thought.

I have dealt with the Hide House for over 20 years, when Rob the owner was just starting out. I have never had a problem with them. I suppose any company can have problems from time to time. I think they are a very honest business and if you keep communicating it will get straightened out. Please don't write them off as a bad apple, as I just don't believe that they would screw anyone over.

If you mean the thread is holding the hair down in an uneven manner, then you just need to take a dull needle and pull all the hair out from underneath the thread. And you should do it quickly before the hair wants to stay distorted. I've sewn sheep, cow and rabbit and they all require you to pull the hair out from under the thread or it looks bad. Whether hand sewn or machine sewn.

Hi Caroline, Wishing you the best on your b'day. I really appreciate all the help you've given me over the last few months. It's because of you I got into mask making!

Ray, looks good. Besides mentioning an Ebay store I'd suggest an Etsy store. I have found it to be much easier to set up and maintain, and buyers know these are handmade goods, unlike Ebay where anything goes. On Etsy a listing that costs 20¢ stays up for four months. I personally have had great success on Etsy. For reference my store is tombanwell.etsy.com.

In case it helps I'll let you know how I come up with the patterns. For a full-faced steampunk mask you can start with a doll's head, and add clay to it sculpted into the shape of the mask (like the gas mask for instance). Then cover it with masking tape, mark where the seams go, and cut the tape apart along the lines to get the individual patterns. Tape them down onto cardboard and trace around them. Then you need to enlarge them to full size. I scan them and work on them in Corel Draw, smoothing the lines out, adding seam allowances where needed, adding holes for rivets and buckles, etc. Most all of my work is handstitched. I space out my stitching slots as needed so that abutting pieces match. I stitch the pieces together while damp (veg tan) so that the leather can stretch or compress as needed to give smooth lines. Using this technique you can get a pattern for just about anything. For my firemaster's helmet I filled a hardhat with plaster and then shaped it using a Surform to get the crown shape, taping it up the same way to get the pattern. Hope this helps.

Thank you, Tom and Ken. I have been told before that my mind doesn't work like other people's. Heh-heh!

I put some pics of my latest helmet on my Flickr site http://www.flickr.com/photos/tombanwell/3090344296/

Really nice, Roo. Love the added on spikey things!

Nice work, and welcome to the forum.

Leatherhead Originals has done several plague doctor masks, and is located in California. He sells on Etsy. Here is an example: http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?t...tion_id=9188781

Very nice mask. Really original design. I don't know what you were planning, but I suggest you stop apologizing for it cause it is really cool!!

A fellow told he you can harden veg tan leather (like cuir boille) using vinegar and no heat. He compared it to ceviche, where vinegar is used denature fish flesh. Seems to me leather is way different than raw fish. Does anyone know if this would work?

That's just horsehair. There are more photos on my etsy site http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16841197 You can see pictures of the Con here http://flickr.com/photos/positivespace/set...57608605294268/ and http://flickr.com/photos/8638651@N07/sets/72157608548972762/

I just returned from the largest steampunk convention on the west coast at Sunnyvale, California called Steampowered Con, Oct 31-Nov 2. Pictured is my airship pilot's helmet, complete with leather goggles. Goggles and airships are a recurring theme amongst steampunkers. The helmet plate reads "Gryphon Airship". Steampunk get-togethers offer an opportunity for much creative fun. Everyone was in costume, and it was quite a sight to behold.

Wow, thanks for the close-ups. I love all your hardware! Very nice overall look!

That horse mask is once again from the artists at Bob Bassett. Art, I don't know if you were asking me or Leatheroo about the non leather parts, but mine are made of resin. I built the originals, then made a rubber mold and cast it in resin. One of the eyepieces is a camera lense, the other is from an old flashlight. The respirator piece is mostly scratch built from plastic.

Very cool, Caroline! I've been messing around with the Steampunk genre myself a bit. How much are you going to ask for it? Here's one of my gas masks: Steampunk is science fiction set in the 19th century. Think Jules Verne, when steam was king.

This was made by a couple of Russians who operate under the name Bob Bassett. More of their work is here: http://bob-basset.livejournal.com/

I've been airbrushing Resolene onto my leather masks, using a Paasche H with a #5 tip at 40 psi. It dries so fast that it often clogs up and the spray is greatly diminished. How do you all deal with this? Thanks,

I agree that heating the leather in water is better than wax. Cuir boili means literally "boiled leather", with no mention of wax.

Very nice mask, especially for a first one! I usually paint the backs of my masks with the same dye or paint as I put on the front. Definitely gives it a finished look. I use an airbrush to apply it so it doesn't take long.

Great job! I especially like the fox. I know how hard it is to figure out the pattern for something like that!

Well, that's a new one on me, but it does make sense. Thanks!

I know this was discussed several months back but I can't find it in the archives. How do you stretch a pair of shoes that are a wee bit too small? I think the leather is calfskin--it's very soft. Just soak them in water and wear them till they're dry? Or is there something else I can soak them in to loosen them up more?