Here is my new red armor. I made everything but the helm and chainmail (and the sword I'm holding of course). I only got to wear it for the last day of the Mi Ren Fest last year so I hope to get a lot of use out of it this year.
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm74/Black_Armor/redwithsword.jpg
Dude. That ROCKS. Huzzah!
whoa. that's badass.
Incredible work! I think you need to be posting over in Arms and Armor though. Most those "tuff" guys don't come in here... ::)
Kudos Black, that is amazing :)
Wow...I feel like I should splash holy water on you or something ;D
Regards,
CB
VERY nice leatherwork! :)
Wow! :o That's very impressive! You'll have no shortage of people wanting to take your picture! ;)
(http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i231/LittleCasino/Smileys/notworthy.gif)(http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i231/LittleCasino/Smileys/notworthy.gif) (http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i231/LittleCasino/Smileys/notworthy.gif) (http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i231/LittleCasino/Smileys/notworthy.gif)(http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i231/LittleCasino/Smileys/notworthy.gif)
Thanks!
I posted this on another thread and the moderator said I should put it here so here it is. This is my new costume. I made everything except the helm and chainmail. This picture was taken at one of the sword booths at MIRF in Holly, MI. I only got to wear it for the very last day of last year's ren fest. It still needs some adjustments and will hopefully be even better this year. I'd love to see other people's armor too so post a pic if you can!
http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm74/Black_Armor/redwithsword.jpg
Hope this is better.....
(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm74/Black_Armor/redwithsword.jpg)
Here is my black armor, which was my first attempt at making leather armor. The only thing I made on this one was the chest/back, upper legs and kilt. I am in the process of re-making it so it will be a lot thicker and more like the red one.
(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm74/Black_Armor/blackarmor1.jpg)
:o :o :o
I love it!!
Your leather working is fantastic!!
BA, your work is fantastic ! i seen a person at VARF over the weekend and we were wondering how many hours is involved in a outfit like that. BRAVO ! It's beautiful. ;)
Very nice! I especially like what you did with your boots!
Nice work, looks heavy.
did you do the boots to? or are they more like really ornate covers?
Lady Joyce- I would say I probably have around 200 hours into the red one because I wanted to make as much of the costume as I could. I didn't have any pre-made patterns and had to kind of design it as I went. Since I didn't really know what I was doing it took me a while to figure out and a wasted a bit of leather from making mistakes.
Black Smith- The feet you see on the red one are actually boot covers and are extensions of the greaves. There is a strip of latigo leather that holds the foot part onto the greaves and sort of makes a hinge so that they flex with my foot when I walk. I got the idea from someone I met last year at the MiRf who had something similar. He goes by Robert of Armstrong on the message boards. Hopefully he'll check in here and post a pic of his armor. It was really nice.
Thanks for the props, Black Armor, or is it now Red Armor? Either way, I am now green with envy over your new creation. It is awesome!! The best is that you were able to make it yourself. I don't know where you got the time, nor the patience.
And of course I'm happy to post a photo of my pride and joy. I think you know the one, it is one of my favorite photos:
(http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc164/RobertArmstrong/2007Ohio-MichiganTrip027.jpg)
I'm at Michigan on the weekend of Aug 17th.
Then I'll see you there. I'm planning on being there both days and in costume if I can. I tore up my shoulder jumping a fence at work and will probably have to have surgery. Hopefully I will be recovered and able to bear all that leather and chain on my shoulders. I am optimistic.
Wait until you see my new scale!!!
Metal or leather scale?
Good news, my shoulder is just broken and won't require surgery. Doc said it should heal fine and
won't require surgery so I'll be healed in time to don the armor August 16th.
I'd definitely wear the red because it's new, but also at Halloween too because you look like one of the devil's minion in that one. The black is good for if you garbed as a traditional viking warrior. Very good work.
I can't believe you just said "Good news, my shoulder is just broken."
I am replacing the chain maille with a metal scale hauberk, it should be ready. The biggest problem is going to be the weight. The chain is around 45-50 pounds, but the scale is going to be heavier, around 80-85 pounds. I'm going to have to hit the stairmaster wearing it just to get used to being in it for extended periods.
Wow, 80-85 lbs in just the scale?! And then you're adding the leather on too? Then you're going to have over 100 lbs in the whole costume right? I thought my stuff was heavy. That's insane!
That is really heavy . . . what is the gauge/thickness of steel you are using?
OMGarsh! All these pics and talk of armor and maile has made me... tingly! I LOVE the new armor, Black Armor. Heck, I even like the old stuff a bunch! I think I got some odd "guy chromosome" cause armor and blunt force trauma totally do it for me.
I'll be back later for more uh... research.
*cold chill and schoolgirl giggle*
The scales themselves are 1 3/8" long, 7/8" wide and 25 thousandths of an inch thick, and are leaf-shaped.
(http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc164/RobertArmstrong/scalesmall-al.jpg)
They weigh over 5 pounds per thousand, and there are at least 7 thousand scales in the hauberk. This is going to be true maille, though, not scales attached to fabric or leather. That means that the scales are held together with rings. So there will be around 16 thousand rings that were originally going to be a battle ready hauberk themselves, 16 gauge, 5/16" rings, in an oriental 4 into 1 pattern, with the hole in the ring being the "1".
I have a headache just thinking about it. Don't be surprised if you see me wearing it and I am sweating a little.
[quote The biggest problem is going to be the weight. The chain is around 45-50 pounds, but the scale is going to be heavier, around 80-85 pounds. I'm going to have to hit the stairmaster wearing it just to get used to being in it for extended periods.
[/quote]
Forget the Stairmaster. I think you should go on a strict schedule of swimming for your workouts, wearing this new scale of course...
Now that would be a workout.
L. Dale Walter
(Has lots of armor, charges 100% more when he has to wear it)
You need to get to the faire early so you can get a parking spot close to the entrance.
Quote from: Black Armor on June 26, 2008, 09:48:42 AM
You need to get to the faire early so you can get a parking spot close to the entrance.
And a nice shady spot to sit by noon.