I've been slowly working on "something" for my husband. He says he doesn't want a full scale shirt, but something more along the line of a single shoulder/arm piece. The scales are heat colored stainless steel - the scales color vary from purple to a brass color so no two scales really look alike. It's different and I think it's gorgeous.
(http://i494.photobucket.com/albums/rr310/Airanwen1/IMGA0648-1.jpg)
Here's a close up of the color.
(http://i494.photobucket.com/albums/rr310/Airanwen1/IMGA0649-1.jpg)
Right now it covers my husband's shoulder fully and drapes down his arm slightly.
Okay, that's two threads in a row now. You get him a leather helm, now you are knitting him a scale shoulder piece as well? See my thread in this section "My new Scale Maille armor". I can't believe how lucky your husband is.
I did see your thread and your scale is gorgeous! Definately something to be proud of and show off. I LOVE the feel of scale...perhaps one day when I'm feeling really brave I'll make something for myself.
And yes, my husband is a very spoiled boy. :)
WOW, that looks GREAT!!!
I am VERY jealous!
Where did you get the scales? Where can I learn how to do that????
I purchased the scales, split rings and the split ring tool from TheRingLord.com. Right now - much to my dismay - they are no longer producing the heat colored steel I purchased. They are offering heat colored nickel plating but it's more cartoony colorish for my tastes. As for learning how to do it - I'm proud to say I'm self taught. I saw a set of scalemaile and I wanted to learn how to make it...so I bought the scales, rings and tool and I just started playing and practicing. Took me a while to figure out how it all went together. :)
UGH I could die. My kids spilled something...not sure what...some horribly sticky substance on my scales and didn't tell me about it. Whatever it was ate away the heat colored beauty of my scales, and The Ring Lord isn't making the heat colored stainless steel scales anymore.
:'(
it will be extra work, but you can color scales yourself if you want. lay some scales out on a cookie sheet and put them in the oven at 400* until they are the color you want. that will leave the metal softer, but I'm assuming your husband won't be heading into full armored combat anytime soon.
I'll give that a try, thank you.
And no, the armor is just for decor, no combat. :)
its been awhile though since I've used an oven to heat treat metal, so you might want to start out with only a few pieces and experiment a bit first before putting a whole bunch in there.
I already had that in mind, although it seems we're out of foil to cover my cookie sheets. I'm half tempted to just buy a whole new set of scales and buy more split rings and start over with another type of metal. Even if I do restore the color I'm still out of luck since The Ring Lord isn't making anymore (unless I can get the heat coloring to work and have it match my other scales...then I can just buy more basic steel and color my own.)