need help with costume armour project!

[LILYC]

Hello!

This is my first query and to be honest my first time on one of these forum' thingies, but this one seems extroadinarily useful!

I am planning on making a red leather bodice, which will be moulded in a fibreglass mould for a lot of fine detail, being pressed out of the hide. I have seen this process done when i worked for a costume armourers, but never did it myself. i was also not told the 'secret ingredient' chemical they add to the water when soaking before putting into the mould. this is to stop it twisting when taken out.

Does anyone know what this could be?

I am planing to use a 3 or 4 mm leather, which will be dyed red, with gold leaf detailing. It is based on the cover of an Ursula le guin book called 'Tehanu' (penguin edition).

As i live in england i doubt anyone could help me out on where i could go to buy some leather. looking on ebay seems a little tedious.

I also saw a burnishing liquid (for the edges) which i was told was made out of Remit (a enzyme which grows in stomach's) but that is only sold in somewhere called Crazy Horse in America, this could be the wrong name but if anyone has heard of something like that then id love to hear where i can get hold of them. as i am used to using this burnishing fluid.

If, while casing, i only use tepid water, and not boiling. when moulding, how much will the leather shrink? i cant afford to buy too much or not enough.

Also, does anyone know of where i can get the tool which is used for pushing leather into tight spaces in moulds, without harming it? it is a straight bar with a sphere about 8mm wide on the end. with a wooden handle.

On a completely differant note. I have recently found about 50 very old (but in great condition) Cobra skins, about 50cm long and 20cm wide, at least! does anyone have any good ideas on what i can use them for? My parents bought them in India a long, long time ago and i want to make use of them.

Any help would be AWESOME!

Thanks!

[traveler11]

Hello!

This is my first query and to be honest my first time on one of these forum' thingies, but this one seems extroadinarily useful!

I am planning on making a red leather bodice, which will be moulded in a fibreglass mould for a lot of fine detail, being pressed out of the hide. I have seen this process done when i worked for a costume armourers, but never did it myself. i was also not told the 'secret ingredient' chemical they add to the water when soaking before putting into the mould. this is to stop it twisting when taken out.

Does anyone know what this could be?

I am planing to use a 3 or 4 mm leather, which will be dyed red, with gold leaf detailing. It is based on the cover of an Ursula le guin book called 'Tehanu' (penguin edition).

As i live in england i doubt anyone could help me out on where i could go to buy some leather. looking on ebay seems a little tedious.

I also saw a burnishing liquid (for the edges) which i was told was made out of Remit (a enzyme which grows in stomach's) but that is only sold in somewhere called Crazy Horse in America, this could be the wrong name but if anyone has heard of something like that then id love to hear where i can get hold of them. as i am used to using this burnishing fluid.

If, while casing, i only use tepid water, and not boiling. when moulding, how much will the leather shrink? i cant afford to buy too much or not enough.

Also, does anyone know of where i can get the tool which is used for pushing leather into tight spaces in moulds, without harming it? it is a straight bar with a sphere about 8mm wide on the end. with a wooden handle.

On a completely differant note. I have recently found about 50 very old (but in great condition) Cobra skins, about 50cm long and 20cm wide, at least! does anyone have any good ideas on what i can use them for? My parents bought them in India a long, long time ago and i want to make use of them.

Any help would be AWESOME!

Thanks!

Hi Lilyc'

as for the secret chemacl that was added it was probably amonua I have set of the of patterns for a molded leather angle and the intsructions sugest it and as for finding learther ther is a leather factory in northhampton the phone# is 0800-085-6765

I'm starting to work out the pattern for a tooled leather corrset so you may be able to help me with fitting the cups

later travisg

[LILYC]

Hi Lilyc'

as for the secret chemacl that was added it was probably amonua I have set of the of patterns for a molded leather angle and the intsructions sugest it and as for finding learther ther is a leather factory in northhampton the phone# is 0800-085-6765

I'm starting to work out the pattern for a tooled leather corrset so you may be able to help me with fitting the cups

later travisg

hi thanks for that tip! to be honest im abit of a novice myself. have you thought about making a plaster cast of yourself? its quite simple to do, but i dont know how well you can mould leather into that. be nice to see some pictures while you make it!