Suit Of Armour - In Stages

[spacedog]

I've been working on this for a couple months. It's my first attempt.

[MonicaJacobson]

Quite cool. I've always been intimidated by the idea of making something that's actually supposed to fit somebody.

[billybopp]

Looks good, and very very cool!

Bill

[Squirrelly66]

That's pretty cool and very well designed.

Squirrel

[spacedog]

Thanks for the replies. I will admit to being new to leather work and don't really know what I'm doing.

The buckles should have ended up on the back piece, not the front, but oh well. The back piece was

originally the same size as the front, and when I put the whole thing on it fit like a barrel, so I chopped it up and stitched and riveted it back together. All part of learning on the fly.

Here is a collection on the gauntlets I made. I found a pattern on the armour archive site for metal gauntlets. As you can see in the photos, I did use some smaller pieces of tin just for the appearance. I couldn't figure out how to make decent barbs out of leather bits. I just riveted everything right onto a leather work glove.

Edited May 7, 2015 by spacedog

[spacedog]

Well, I have to admit I'm not entirely happy with the final outcome of the helmet. It was really difficult to make the overall shape right. Numerous times I had to back track and drill out rivets and in the end I still cut it apart and sewed it back together.

I wanted it to look worn and damaged, like it had seen lots of use, but I was too heavy handed. It looked better when it was black, so I might repaint it. The mouth guard worked out okay with big teeth.

Again, it's my first attempt, but let me know what you think.

[spacedog]

I've started a pair of vambrace pieces. The pattern is from the armoury archive.

Trying to weather the pieces so they don't appear brand new was interesting.

I'm still working on the right arm and haven't figured out where I'll be attaching

the sergant badges.

[spacedog]

I've been working on some pauldrons, but they don't fit the way I hoped. So here are the greaves I made instead. I've left the back of the leg open so I don't get over heated. It's not historically accurate, but I'm just making this up as I go. The design is based off of one I saw on a Novitas thread. I haven't done a lot of stamping on this armour, but did put some on the knee.

[jkoelker]

Wow, these look incredible! I'm just coming into this hobby/craft from zero, but this inspires me more. I'm keen to make a torso piece and/or some pauldrons, but I'm having a tough time finding where to start. This site has a lot of good info, but will take time to sift through.

I'm curious, as you are also somewhat newer to leathercrafting, could you advise on maybe where you were able to find appropriate sheets of leather and how much the raw materials were? I'm trying to gauge a starting dollar amount required to get into this, and see if it's feasible.

Thanks again for sharing!

[spacedog]

Thanks! I buy leather at the tandy leather factory in town. I'm sure the more experienced people on this site would be able to say if there are cheaper places to buy, but this is the only place in the town I live in. The big sheets can be pricy depending on a lot of different factors:size, thickness, blemishes, etc. I try to buy the lower grade pieces when they go on sale for half price. The armour I'm making is supposed to look worn and damaged so holes and marks (and mistakes) don't really matter too much. If you go down to a store like tandy they have starting hobby kits of different levels. They were more than happy to help me out when I first started. I've spent a couple hundred bucks on leather and basic tools. The pieces I started with weren't quite big enough to make a torso/breast plate. I took a large t-shirt and made a pattern using smaller pieces of leather in layers.

Anyways, it's been lots of fun, except for all the sewing. I think if I start another suit of armour it will be rivets instead of sewing. It does take time and space and tends to annoy my wife and kids, but as long as I make them stuff it's all good.

[jkoelker]

Thanks for the feedback. I have a great work space away from the wife and kids so I'm thinking of setting up shop and trying a few things. I just can't seem to find where/what kind of leather I should buy to get started.

[spacedog]

Just search online for leather hides in your town, or look for a tandy store. They'll show you the different leather qualities and types, and answer your questions on prices.

This is a spaulder I'm just finishing up. I initially wanted big pauldrons, but they didn't work out very well. They might end up being a mismatched set. Spaulder on the weapon arm and pauldron on the shield arm.

[Obeliske]

Absolutely gorgeous! I'm just getting into this hobby and like jkoal I'm more interested in the torso and pauldrons/spaulders and I can't wait to start the more I look the more likely it looks like I'll be able to make something awesome! Primarily I plan on what I make to be either usable for some local larp groups or cosplay and for myself some steampunk stuff. I have to say your stuff looks amazing thank you for sharing but where did you find your patterns? I can't seem to locate any for armor and I'm positive they are right in front of me and I'm just missing them

[spacedog]

Thanks! It's been a slow process and the only patterns I've been able to find are on armourarchive.org.

The torso I made using a loose t-shirt and scrap paper. All my stuff is kind of on the fly. I make a paper version of the basic idea and adjust it to work better when I switch to leather. (And even then I've had to cut the leather after I've tried it on.) One of the threads on this site has/had patterns for leather armour, but I couldn't find a link that worked. They led to an ad site.

The best thing I've seen for making a torso piece that'll fit you is to get someone help wrap your body with plastic sandwich wrap, cover that with masking/painter's tape and then carefully cut it off. You can draw you've designs onto that and then transfer the whole thing onto leather with a bit of room to spare so it's not too tight. (I recommend you avoid sewing unless you have a machine or really, really like sewing by hand.)

EDIT: http://www.armourarchive.org/patterns/

Edited August 12, 2015 by spacedog

[Smahon03]

For a first attempt, this really does look beyond amazing! This would be a total hit at any comic convention, ren faire, or wherever. Very similarly, I use stiff paper to make all the individual pieces first before cutting the more expensive leather. I did my first project free-handed and built it on whatever support I could find (including on myself) however I just picked up a cheap manequin for my shop and I am building everything on him, and it has been much easier. Would highly recommend it.

Keep up the good work! I can't wait to see the final set put together.

[spacedog]

Thanks! I've been working on a pauldron for the shield arm, but it's taking quite a while. I've also gotten side tracked making a purse for Mrs. Spacedog's birthday. Not sure if I'll post it since it's "not my bag". (Friggin' turquoise dye has me shaking my head)

Anyways, here is a pic of one piece of the pauldron. This is the paper trial. More to come eventually.

[Khann]

How thick is that leather you're using??

[spacedog]

I used about an 8-9oz leather on the front body which was layered. At certain points I was sewing through 3 layers.

The gorget was thicker, 11-12oz I think. The back is a single layer of 8oz and the plates are 11-12oz.

On the arms and legs I used 11-12oz on the elbow and knee cap and 8oz on the rest.

The pauldrons have been on hold during some home reno.

EDIT: the badges that the belts slide through were thin, 5-6oz maybe.

Edited August 30, 2015 by spacedog

[spacedog]

Well, I'm not entirely happy with the pauldron I've made, but here it is anyway. I went thoroughly over the top with the idea, and it is huge. Mrs. Spacedog likes it, so I'll be moving on to the tassets and belt next.

[spacedog]

I forgot to take more pictures this time. The tassets just follow the same style as the breastplate or gorget. I mounted them to a wide belt and ran a thinner adjustable belt outside of that. The buttflap is pigskin. I'm going to have a loincloth in the front and a sporran/cod piece over that. Running close to my deadline when I plan on wearing the whole shebang, so wish me luck.

[spacedog]

I didn't finish the sabaton in time, but that's okay the whole thing turned out pretty well.

So here is the final entry. I don't have the gauntlets on, and I'm holding the weapons and belt.

Thanks for following along.

[jkoelker]

Jeebus! Amazing work, I've been inspired and just picked up tools and some veg tanned leather to get started on my own projects. Well done!