Samurai armor

[JediSauja]

I don't have the materials yet to start my armour build, (planning foam PVC / Sintra and a ton of hockey laces) so I figured I'd work on the clothing underneath.

Hence my samurai costume. I'll post a quick run down.

Hakama

 

[JediSauja]

Then I made a nagajuban and a kimono using this pattern as a basic guide:





Progress at that point:

 

[JediSauja]

Made a kaku-obi and a tasuki to complete the look.
Thing is crazy long.

I was happy with this.


Until I found this:


They don't even wear a hakama under the armour! It's a Kobakama, or short hakama with laces that tie the hem below the knee!

Then I found they don't where a kimono, it's a gusokushita, a kimono with tapered sleeves. and they don't wear a kaku obi, or use a tasuki under the armour.

So nothing I've done so far has any use for the armour.

Sigh.

At least I have more to do until I get the PVC.

 

[JediSauja]

Okay. This is kind of a brain dump.

All of my materials are either here, purchased and shipping or at least a reliable source identified.

• 5 different fabrics (here)
• Hard hat (here)
• Sintra 3mm (here)
• Chainmail rings (shipping)
• Worbla (shipping)
• Laces 3 colours (source identified)
• Plastidip (source identified)
• Jute rope (shipping)
• Tabi / socks (shipping)

Revised build list (top to bottom):

1. Kabuto / helmet (hard hat, plastidip, sintra, laces)
2. Menpo & Tare / half face armour and throat guard (Worbla, sintra, laces)
3. Juban / under kimono tapered sleeves (light beige cotton)
4. Gusoku shita / kimono tapered sleeves (heavy black cotton)
5. Manchira / armoured vest (not sure yet, needs more research)
6. Do & Kusazuri / curass & hip covers (sintra, laces)
7. Sode / shoulder armour (sintra, laces)
8. Kote / armoured sleeve (thick black poly-blend, sintra, chainmail)
9. Haidate / thigh armour (thick black poly-blend, sintra)
10. Kobakama / short hakama pants (dark floral poly-blend)
11. Kyahan / shin cover (heavy black cotton)
12. Suneate (thick black poly-blend, sintra)
13. Waraji / sandals (jute rope)

This is by far the most complicated costume I've ever build. The pirate has a lot of pieces, but many were just modified thrift store finds.

My brain is all over the place. I need to treat each piece as a project and focus on them one at a time, instead of constantly mentally working on the whole costume.

Luckily I have all this time at home to fill!

 

[JediSauja]

I may be overthinking this.

 

[JediSauja]

The logical place to start is with what I know. Sewing. There are 4 items that require only sewing. Juban, Gusoku, Kobakama and Kyahan.

I started with the Juban and Kimono. Made good progress. Should finished them up today and start the kyahan and kobokama

 

[GasmanR]

Here is a site which you may find useful.

Sengoku Daimyo

sengokudaimyo.com

Hope this helps.

Chris

 

[JediSauja]

Yeah, most of the projects I've looked at as reference use that site. Tons of great info.

Made more progress today on the "easy" stuff. The irony is that most of this will be invisible under the armour
Juban and Gusoku are done.

Fitting test. Passed

Cut the pieces of the Kobakama

Just need to add the hem and drawstring at the shin. Mocked it up with fake kyahan (flat samurai)

 

[JediSauja]

Finished the kobakama today, just need the shin covers (kyahan), tabi socks and waraji sandals to complete the base layer.

.

The started working on mockups for the menpo


I'm very nervous about the menpo I've never worked with worbla before. Nor have I ever sculpted anything remotely like this.

So I'm just gonna jump in with both feet and see what happens.

 

[JediSauja]

This is gonna be harder than I thought.

 

[JediSauja]

...

 

[JediSauja]

Following the disaster of the menpo mask, I was pretty low. Luckily I go my 1/4 inch manila rope so I made the waraji.

I followed this tutorial

The manila is solid and resistant, but very stiff. If I can find some hemp rope around 6mm I might take another crack, but these fit the bill.

 

[JediSauja]

Made some progress on the Kabuto, and more importantly the maedate.


I get the laces this week so I should be able to do the final assembly by the end of next weekend.

More importantly, I needed a worbla win. I've started the second attempt at the menpo, but decided to take a crack at the maedate.

My katana has dragonflies on the saya so I figured I use that as the theme of my armour. I wanted a unique maedate, not just horns, so I decide a worbla dragonfly would be perfect.

So etched out the basics shape on a piece of 1/2" wood (seen above) and hit it with a jigsaw. Then mocked up the wings with EVA foam:

Redid the tail in EVA because I thought I might add some texture and I wanted a tighter curve for the tail than the wood allowed and started wrapping the body in worbla with some huge bulbous eyes:

Then I went to town on the wings:

And finally, gave it a coat of gold acrylic.


I'm calling it a win. I can't wait to see it with all the lacing done.

 

[JediSauja]

Okay!

Completed my first (non-sewing) piece!

Laces arrived yesterday and I got started assembling everything:


Then I cleaned up the loose ends and mounted the maedate:


Feels good to have the first really challenging piece done. Needed the boost of confidence that I might just be able to pull this off.

 

[JamesM242]

WOW! Impressive work, JediSauja! Keep it up - looking really good!

 

[Gonturan0]

Noice. The dragonfly look's real nice, and I like the fabric pattern you picked out for the kobakama. I'm curious as to how the final product will look.

 

[JediSauja]

Me too. In my mind's eye it looks epic, but as the saying goes: no plan survives first contact with the enemy. The enemy being my limited skill.

But I have patience and enthusiasm, and am more than williing to live with mistakes and call them "character".

 

[JediSauja]

...I like the fabric pattern you picked out for the kobakama.

I lucked out at Value Village (local thrift store chain), dark fabric with tight floral or paisley patterns are so hard to come by.

 

[JediSauja]

A little bit intimidated by the next step

 

[DazzlerFan]

I’ve been meaning to post and say this has been a fun project to follow. It’s really coming together.

I watched Seven Samurai last night and it made me think of this thread.

Keep up the great work!