My not-so-budget Jack Sparrow build

[Mojo_Turbo]

Both Empire and CB have the wrong buckles.

CB are way too small - better for a child
Empire is a recaster and uses inferior metals

ACME is the only retailer of SA buckles.

Check the wiki for advice

 

[Rens]

I got the CB buckles. They are okay. More of a stop-gap solution until I can afford ACME's. They aren't accurate (particularly the baldric buckle). And they are small (but I'm only 5'7", so it's not as obvious).
my 2 cents

Risu, your costume looks great and don't let the elitists get you down. Also, your boots are very enviable

 

[.:MirrorminD:.]

Gotta agree with Mojo, ACME buckles are hands down the best for SA

Risu - the costume looks great!!

 

[Mojo_Turbo]

I was there at Disney that night, I wish I had seen you.... you look great

 

[Jodo]

Aye, that you do mate!

Sorry to hear the other Jack's weren't very nice....Seems to be a strong trend in CJS costuming.....

 

[Gearsofhalo]

this is REALLY well done! amazingly put together! great attention to detail!

 

[Shylaah]

As an addendum, I really want to thank Shylaah for all her help. If it weren't for all the tips she gave me I wouldn't have gotten anywhere.

Also, I was unsurprised by the other Jacks I encountered in the park. Jack Savvy and the others that I saw with him were all perfectly polite and friendly, but the others I bumped into really did fit the rude and snobbish stereotype I had been warned by others to expect. I don't know if they're on this forum, but come on guys, don't be like that. Feel free to talk about the flaws in my costume after I leave, but don't be a total ***hole and make fun of a guy you don't even know to his face. Despite those couple of guys, it was still a great time.

I'll keep updating this thread periodically as I finish up the costume. I'll be starting on the hat soon and the waistcoat will be done once I get the nerve to sit down for a few hours and finish it. A Zizzle pistol and Disguise sword are also on their way to me, which I'll be repainting and making a real leather scabbard and handle for.

Well, you did the hard part--the WORK! Everything looks great! The boots look phenomenal!!

Sorry to hear your night was a little tainted by the Snob Hill bunch! There's at least one in every crowd, don't worry 'bout 'em. If they didn't feel you were a threat to becoming as great a Jack as they think they are, they would have just ignored ya!!!

Can't wait to see the tricorn and the pistol and sword done up. Keep up the great work!

Shylaah

 

[saiofwrath]

Very good with the turnout Risu. Only short-term thing I'd recommend is cut the goatee braids down but about a half inch, maybe less, they just seem to be a bit too long however. Other than that, you're outfit is coming along great. Jack is definitely a process, and your progress is coming along wonderfully.

 

[AJLoCascio]

I'm glad to see, despite me being a bit of a tool towards the beginning of this thread, that you managed to pull something off really impressive!

And if you were at Mickeys thing on the 8th then I definitely bumped into you ( I was walking about with Joan Jett). And I don't think I was snobbish - I'm always delighted to see another Jack in person.

Well done mate!

Moony

 

[Capn_Jack_Savvy]

Oi Risu! It was good meeting up with you mate especially considering we both live in the same bloody port!

Sorry you encountered some $^% Jacks. I truly hope they weren't anyone in our group because I don't think you will find a finer group of pirates in the area. Good men good pirates.

Continue and charge forward on your costume mate. Unlike others you are scratch building yours and that makes it more prouder to gear up! Hope to see you in future events!

Like the El Capitan Theater for the premiere of Tron: Legacy but as Captain Jack with a twist!!! This is to bring in the official Pirates Of The Caribbean - ON Stranger Tides official trailer.:love

 

[Risu]

Haha, I don't think I'll be gearing up for Tron, I want to be able to just sit down and enjoy it.

Mooney, I don't think I saw you. I think I only bumped into a total of maybe 6 Jacks all night.

Anyways, thanks for the compliments everybody. I'm trying to find a good mold for my hat dome, thinking of checking Michael's for a styrofoam ball with an 8-8.25" diameter. Any advice on what to use to harden a ball of foam? I've heard stuff like resin can melt it, and that wouldn't do me any good.

 

[AJLoCascio]

Haha, I don't think I'll be gearing up for Tron, I want to be able to just sit down and enjoy it.

Mooney, I don't think I saw you. I think I only bumped into a total of maybe 6 Jacks all night.

Anyways, thanks for the compliments everybody. I'm trying to find a good mold for my hat dome, thinking of checking Michael's for a styrofoam ball with an 8-8.25" diameter. Any advice on what to use to harden a ball of foam? I've heard stuff like resin can melt it, and that wouldn't do me any good.

A shame I missed you then!

And styrofoam will get icky and probably get crushed liek crazy. Check out this thread:

Keep To The Code :: View topic - Creating Jack's hat from scratch

 

[Risu]

I already know the whole process, no worries there, I just haven't had any luck finding the right size bowl (26" circumference) for my head. At this point I'm trying to find alternative solutions to the bowl problem.

 

[pinder91]

Aren't most hat blocks made from wood? Essentially that's what you'd be doing. Maybe that would be an avenue to pursue.

 

[Risu]

If I knew anybody with wood working tools I'd have them make me one.

 

[Risu]

On the way back from another errand I spotted an Ikea, so I decided to check it out. I went as a kid once, but otherwise hadn't been in one before. I was pretty impressed. Found a good metal bowl no problem for only $5. Brought it home, soaked some 2-3 oz. leather in very warm water and pulled it down over the bowl. Instead of doing it on a board like what was recommended, I decided to wrap the edges over the mouth of the bowl and tuck them in. About 5 minutes of stretching and smoothing out the wrinkles, and it's nearly done.

I just have to dunk it in some simmering water for a few seconds, bowl and all, and let it sit for a minute or two to make it completely rigid. Then trim.

 

[mizestang]

Risu...Well, I finished the boots. I think they turned out good for what I had to work with. I ended up putting a strap of leather over the tongue to cover the sides a little. I haven't figured out how to keep them upright when off though. Any ideas? For now, I will just strap them underneath the bell to keep them up when on. Also, what did you do to weather them again?

Let me know what you think.
Chris

 

[Risu]

Not too bad. I kept them up by stuffing them full of socks while I was working on them. Unfortunately, it took all my socks, so it's not a good long term solution. I've heard rolling up a ton of newspapers to make fake legs works well.

 

[Capn_Jack_Savvy]

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If you haven't done so yet DO NOT DIP YOUR LEATHER INTO SIMMERING HOT WATER! Remember that the leather is skin and it will react to the heat by (1) turning very brittle when exposed to the heat, and (2) cause all the tannins to leach out leaving you with a very spotty surface.

Use medium hot water that comes out of the faucet. That should do the trick. You really don't need to use anything more than what you already have because it is the stretching of the leather that gets the bowl smooth.

Speaking of bowls which bowl did you end up getting from Ikea? What is the circumference of the bowl? Do you have a link?

 

[Capn_Jack_Savvy]

Hat blocks are not really too hard to make. They definitely have to be very hard material AND be sealed with some type of sealant so that when wet molding your hat the wood doesn't soak up the water and start mildew process. I have also seen it where the hat block was wrapped tighly in a plastic bag while molding.

I have seen people make hat blocks out of wood, plaster, metal.....

Hat block making is not too difficult but the problem is that it will be custom to your size head. All you need is a nice piece of wood without knots in it. Say a piece of 2 inch by 12 foot wood. You can cut that piece down into rectangular pieces. Stack them and wood glue them together...hold with clamps on each layer.

Now comes the fun part! Shaping your hat block. You will most likely need a band saw to get the curvature but I have heard stories of people cutting and shaping using a hand saw, Dremel tool, and lots of sandpaper and patience.

Scan YouTube for "Wood Hat Block Making." There are alot out there.

YouTube - Hat Block Making