Hello gentlefolk.
I'm building a dream costume of mine. I've put most of the work on the back end here, and left myself with too little time (6 weeks) to build the majority of the costume. It's entirely possible that I can do this, but I'll be pressed.
So for those unfamiliar, here's the inspiration.
Brynden Blackfish
The build has several elements which I'll break down by status. This will be my master list during the build and I'll edit this post with my intention, and the outcome as it comes.
Boots:
Let's start nice and simple. I already have boots that will work. Boots complete!
Shirt/Pants/Gambeson:
The plan is a short sleeve, knee length gambeson - Ordered a sleeveless knee length Gambeson
Very dark green shirt (almost black) - Purchased some black waffle cloth, 95% complete. Need to hem the bottom and it's done.
Black peasant pants, Ordered - two week turnaround
Sigil:
If you take a look at the photo, you'll see a sigil of a fish, painted black, in the center of his chest. This may be rough. I looked into getting the stuff to resin cast, and given everything else, there's no way I'll have time to carve out and resin cast the tully crest. I'm hoping I can find someone who can make me one at a reasonable cost (reference my WTB thread, if interested) but I'm very interested in hearing ideas. Are there better options than resin casting the sigil? Both as far as time to make, and cost to produce? I don't really know what my options are.
Update: Bought resin casting stuff. Going to take a whack at it.
Chainmaille:
Short Term - Butted Chainmaille sleeves (completed, pictures to come) attached to the inside of the leather armor
Long Term- Wedge Riveted haubergeon (to purchase) or U-dome riveted haubergeon (to make) depending on finances/time
Shout Out to SmilingOtter for keeping a brother in mind. I have a half sleeve dome riveted shirt enroute. It's not my dream (still want to make a U riveted gambeson at some point, but that'll be a several year project that I haven't started on. This is a great piece to cover me in the intervening time.)
Update: Medium term accomplished. I have received my dome riveted shirt (not haubergeon length) which will keep me for a good amount of time. Will replace when I can (long term)
Leather Armor (fish scales):
Here's the prize. The whole thing, really. All the rest is just details compared to this.
So obviously this is the part I need to get moving on. I've set up all of the ground work, got all the materials and tools, and I've made a proof of concept. I've just been sitting on the project for like 3 months.
So the intent here is making a clearly ahistoric piece of armor as historical as possible, so I'm making this armor from extended lamellar plates. The plates will be oriented the opposite way lamellar normally is, with a tab hanging off the bottom, which will obscure the plates below it.
I know that may not be very intuitive, or clearly explained, so lucky for me, I've got pictures.
Tools and materials:
I found someone who was selling 1.5 inch wide leftovers from his belt making business. Every one is long enough to make at least 1 lamellar plate, some long enough for two. I've upgraded my mallet to a proper maul and things are moving much quicker.
30 pounds of belt scrap:
Should be plenty. It's a LOT of leather.
The cutting process:
My end cutter is 1.5 inches wide, same size as the leather. I'm using a "Master Mold" for the guide both for length and hole punch
Some cut and punched plates:
The top and bottom holes are offset so it looks more like fish scales and less like lamellar plates
Proof of Concept:
Once there's lace running through, the tabs will be pushed off of the scale under it, giving it more volume. Otherwise, the scales (after some alteration, getting the holes lined up correctly) look like they're work exactly as intended.
As far as dyeing them black, I plan to use vinegaroon (an ancient recipe for staining leather black). It's a great process, and I suggest anyone who does leather work look it up. Completely historically accurate, simple, and cheap to produce (and a better result than black dye, less messy, and easier to care for).
The process is essentially two ingredients. White vinegar (or urine, if you believe the tales), and rust (most easily achieved with steel wool, right out of the package) together in a mason jar for a few days and it's ready. If you plan to use it, look up recipes, and how to stabilize the leather afterwards. The vinegaroon changes the Ph balance of the leather, so you need to dip it in water, dry immediately, and oil immediately to normalize it. It's a process.
The reason I love vinegaroon, though. Is because it doesn't dye the leather. It doesn't add anything to the top of it, it chemically changes the composition of the leather, which interacts with the tannins I guess, and the change in composition manifests by showing up black. What this means is that it's not a thin layer of color. If you cut the leather in half, it's black all the way through, so scratches and wear wont discolor the leather. Sorry about the in depth explanation, it's just fascinating to me.
I hope you like following along as much as I'm enjoying making the thing!
And if anyone will be at CONvergence in Minneapolis this summer, maybe you'll see me!
Deadline: 4th of July weekend. (God, only six weeks!)
I'm building a dream costume of mine. I've put most of the work on the back end here, and left myself with too little time (6 weeks) to build the majority of the costume. It's entirely possible that I can do this, but I'll be pressed.
So for those unfamiliar, here's the inspiration.
Brynden Blackfish
The build has several elements which I'll break down by status. This will be my master list during the build and I'll edit this post with my intention, and the outcome as it comes.
Boots:
Let's start nice and simple. I already have boots that will work. Boots complete!
Shirt/Pants/Gambeson:
The plan is a short sleeve, knee length gambeson - Ordered a sleeveless knee length Gambeson
Very dark green shirt (almost black) - Purchased some black waffle cloth, 95% complete. Need to hem the bottom and it's done.
Black peasant pants, Ordered - two week turnaround
Sigil:
If you take a look at the photo, you'll see a sigil of a fish, painted black, in the center of his chest. This may be rough. I looked into getting the stuff to resin cast, and given everything else, there's no way I'll have time to carve out and resin cast the tully crest. I'm hoping I can find someone who can make me one at a reasonable cost (reference my WTB thread, if interested) but I'm very interested in hearing ideas. Are there better options than resin casting the sigil? Both as far as time to make, and cost to produce? I don't really know what my options are.
Update: Bought resin casting stuff. Going to take a whack at it.
Chainmaille:
Short Term - Butted Chainmaille sleeves (completed, pictures to come) attached to the inside of the leather armor
Long Term- Wedge Riveted haubergeon (to purchase) or U-dome riveted haubergeon (to make) depending on finances/time
Shout Out to SmilingOtter for keeping a brother in mind. I have a half sleeve dome riveted shirt enroute. It's not my dream (still want to make a U riveted gambeson at some point, but that'll be a several year project that I haven't started on. This is a great piece to cover me in the intervening time.)
Update: Medium term accomplished. I have received my dome riveted shirt (not haubergeon length) which will keep me for a good amount of time. Will replace when I can (long term)
Leather Armor (fish scales):
Here's the prize. The whole thing, really. All the rest is just details compared to this.
So obviously this is the part I need to get moving on. I've set up all of the ground work, got all the materials and tools, and I've made a proof of concept. I've just been sitting on the project for like 3 months.
So the intent here is making a clearly ahistoric piece of armor as historical as possible, so I'm making this armor from extended lamellar plates. The plates will be oriented the opposite way lamellar normally is, with a tab hanging off the bottom, which will obscure the plates below it.
I know that may not be very intuitive, or clearly explained, so lucky for me, I've got pictures.
Tools and materials:
I found someone who was selling 1.5 inch wide leftovers from his belt making business. Every one is long enough to make at least 1 lamellar plate, some long enough for two. I've upgraded my mallet to a proper maul and things are moving much quicker.
30 pounds of belt scrap:
Should be plenty. It's a LOT of leather.
The cutting process:
My end cutter is 1.5 inches wide, same size as the leather. I'm using a "Master Mold" for the guide both for length and hole punch
Some cut and punched plates:
The top and bottom holes are offset so it looks more like fish scales and less like lamellar plates
Proof of Concept:
Once there's lace running through, the tabs will be pushed off of the scale under it, giving it more volume. Otherwise, the scales (after some alteration, getting the holes lined up correctly) look like they're work exactly as intended.
As far as dyeing them black, I plan to use vinegaroon (an ancient recipe for staining leather black). It's a great process, and I suggest anyone who does leather work look it up. Completely historically accurate, simple, and cheap to produce (and a better result than black dye, less messy, and easier to care for).
The process is essentially two ingredients. White vinegar (or urine, if you believe the tales), and rust (most easily achieved with steel wool, right out of the package) together in a mason jar for a few days and it's ready. If you plan to use it, look up recipes, and how to stabilize the leather afterwards. The vinegaroon changes the Ph balance of the leather, so you need to dip it in water, dry immediately, and oil immediately to normalize it. It's a process.
The reason I love vinegaroon, though. Is because it doesn't dye the leather. It doesn't add anything to the top of it, it chemically changes the composition of the leather, which interacts with the tannins I guess, and the change in composition manifests by showing up black. What this means is that it's not a thin layer of color. If you cut the leather in half, it's black all the way through, so scratches and wear wont discolor the leather. Sorry about the in depth explanation, it's just fascinating to me.
I hope you like following along as much as I'm enjoying making the thing!
And if anyone will be at CONvergence in Minneapolis this summer, maybe you'll see me!
Deadline: 4th of July weekend. (God, only six weeks!)
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(Also, if your screen name is a Serenity reference, you get bonus cool points.)
