Two elephant arm guards I just finished

[dhaverstick]

I made these two arm guards for a couple in Florida. They don't bowhunt but they compete in SCA archery tournaments. The Society for Creative Anachronisms is a group of folks who role play living during the Renaissance Era. I met the husband, Eric, several years ago when he was on a traditional archery forum looking for a bow string. I told him I'd make him one and we struck up a friendship. For Christmas this year, he and his wife, Kelly, decided to give each other one of my arm guards. I told them that all they needed to do was pay for the leather. Both arm guards are made from elephant hide and are trimmed in deer. The lace hooks were carved from deer antler and everything was sewn by hand using artificial sinew.

Darren

[CaptQuirk]

Really cool! Did you carve the lace hooks too?

[Windrider30]

Very nice though honestly still on the fence about using elephant hide.

[dhaverstick]

Yes, I carved the lace hooks out of deer antler I've got laying around.

I have mixed feelings about using elephant hide too. However, these were remnants that had the CITES bracelet on the stuff so I figured they were on the up and up.

Darren

 

[Crashresq]

Those are beautiful.  Nice design idea using the deer antler for the hooks, use what ya got :).  While like you, I wouldn't condone harvesting an elephant for its hide, if it has been done "legally", then I would use it if available - it is some beautiful leather.