Just picked this up on eBay UK (for less than a tenner posted) which should serve as a pretty solid base. Probably going in over by head on this one, but hey, learn by doing!
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planning to slice into it for the lacing, re hem either side and take an eyelet punch to it. I think some black shoe polish should be able to graduate the colour up from the bottom, and black motorcycle trousers should be close enough. This will have to wait till my Deathstroke is finished for November's Birmingham Con, but it's always good to have something to go to next...