Slowest costume build ever (Han Solo)

[ID10T]

Maybe... I haven’t checked to see how long the current record holder is.

I always wanted this outfit, and I want it to be “right”. I’ve been doing a bunch of research and collected three items so far. Only another hundred or so to go...

“green canister” on the gun belt: check. Actually I bought a bunch of them if anyone else needs one. The “sparklers” brand one didn’t look right to me- the green appeared too transparent. These look right to me. Also come with authentic wear and chips on them.

Next is the belt disc. Purchased right here! Still have no idea what it is or was, but I think it might be a speaker or buzzer unit.

Next, the pants belt. Three rows of holes but only two keepers. This is my belt I wore for years. It’s a bit worn, and too light, so I went to the local Tandy Leather and $20 on dye and supplies. I went with “chocolate brown” because I believe it is very dark brown and not stark black. If I’m wrong, I can always make it black later...

That’s it for now. I’ll add more someday

finished color. Almost black

What I started with; also the stuff I got from Tandy for the job (acetone I always have).

The leather sealer/top coat is not shown. Tonight or tomorrow I’ll feed it with pitch blend or something.

Edit- to correct spell check so sentences are intelligible and add the missing photo of the dyed, buffed and sealed belt:

 

[Dr Jones Sr]

Maybe... I haven’t checked to see how long the current record holder is.

You didn't say how long you've been working on your Han Solo costume. Some of mine have taken a long time!

With some of my costumes they continue to evolve as I'm cosplaying that character over the years.

"Close enough" becomes "90% there" becomes "screen accurate" over time.

 

[ID10T]

Well, I’ve wanted it since 1977, but just now am getting around to it. I was never satisfied with the “costume” stuff. Now I may finally be able to do it. Right.

So officially, I’m starting with these few items. The shirt will probably come from Coyle’s (he made my Indy shirt too) and the vest may as well, or from Magnoli’s. Pants may come from Amazon, boots from Soviet boots (but I want chrome leather so I have to wait for the right boot in the right size in chrome).

Holster I was waiting on final patterns that were being developed here. It never finished and I’m not a real leather worker to tease the details out enough to do it. I’d need to commission this, but I need patterns. (Metal buckles etc I can make) Or, Coyle’s again.

The blaster- I’m thinking the steel one is the way to go. I can blue it and then upgrade to real parts if they ever come along. But at least I’ll have a great ten-footer in the mean time.

droid caller will probably be resin until I find one. Gloves I’ve found a couple sources. The other two “relay” greblies I did a deep dive on and came up with apnea. I would like to identify them because they aren’t the relays currently thought to be correct. So I’ll probably end up with resin here for a while too

I’d like to get the headset used in the Falcon but they are hard to come by. Hence, bottom of the list.

The other part of the problem is I also want a Poe Dameron and the Hoth version of Hans parka outfit. Where’s all this money coming from?!?

 

[Dr Jones Sr]

Yes 1977! I saw the film in the theatre that summer, and I knew that I had to be Darth Vader for Halloween. There was nothing available at that time, so I scratch-built a costume. No internet, no videotapes, so all I had to go on was a couple photos in fan magazines.

That was all of my Star Wars costuming until 2019, myself old and grey, when I put together an Old Ben costume and wore it at one Con before COVID hit. (I was 20 years old in 1977.)

 

[ID10T]

I was seven years old. My eighth birthday was in September, but I probably saw it when I was eight too. There was a "99 cent" theater where the older films could be seen for $.99 rather than the regular price.

My dad managed the Woolco's Auto Repair shop and the regular price theater was right next door (both are long gone now). I spent a lot of time hanging around in the shop as a kid and always saw the new release posters at the theater. It was a big deal back then to go to the movies!

Once I was 16, I worked in a video store, so I saw it several hundred times (wore out two VHS copies of the original trilogy). Still have two VHS copies (that work) but oddly enough, I don't have the original trilogy in blue-ray (as I do for all the others), which I am looking to rectify. Some of the changes I did not approve of for the "special edition". When R2 gets spat out buy the (whatever) in the swamp, Luke said "it's a good thing you don't taste very good." which was removed in the SE. Off the top of my head. And the Jabba scene in docking bay 94... Walking on Jabba's tail?!? No way that would happen. That was like a fan hack edit to me.

 

[Skysurfer]

I started my Shuttle EMU in early 2000 got layed off in June 2000 and it was mothballed until recently (Jan 2020) when I exhumed it from the shipping crate I made for it when I relocated to FL in 2005, it's about 45% complete but much of the previous work I would like to redo with my current resources.
-A

 

[ID10T]

That hopefully (for me) will be longer than mine will take, but you never know. Do be sure to post pictures!!!

My big problem is the ADHD, so I get sidetracked by shiny things easily... But I think it is helpful for the creative process. The ability to see an odd bit of scrap will work well for something, can be an asset. It was also helpful when my paying job was to invent stuff- Technology development. I crossed Golf technology into combustion guns (and wrote IP for the design), among others. When your mind is exploded open, it's easy to have an open mind...

 

[ID10T]

OK! Well, I sold a Fischrscope on eBay last night, so I have funds to move forward.

I ordered a droid caller and belt greeblies from eBay seller propsplus (if you're here, thanks!) I've been watching them for a while, and the genuine Kobolds are just too expensive for me, and this plastic one looks really well detailed. Some other offerings are not very good, but this one looks good to me.

I'll only use the "power cells" of the belt kit, as I have the other stuff "real" but until I can figure out what those power cells actually were, I'll go with plastic.

Looking into pants at the moment, as well as the holster/belt. Another eBay sale and I should be able to get the shirt and vest from Todd's!

 

[ID10T]

By the way: anyone with a real Kobold caller that would like to post pictures I can use for painting my caller, it would be appreciated.

I dug out my model tackle box and will use buffing metalizer for the aluminum top.

Any help is appreciated!

 

[Inquisitor Peregrinus]

This guy is my go-to for all things holster-y. I haven't gone through his shop recently, but he's got a variety of options for DL-44 holsters. To avoid having your eyes cross, maybe ask him which he recommends as most ANH-Han-Hero-accurate.

 

[eethan]

By the way: anyone with a real Kobold caller that would like to post pictures I can use for painting my caller, it would be appreciated.

I dug out my model tackle box and will use buffing metalizer for the aluminum top.

Any help is appreciated!

here is a close up on a real kobold for you:

 

[ID10T]

This guy is my go-to for all things holster-y. I haven't gone through his shop recently, but he's got a variety of options for DL-44 holsters. To avoid having your eyes cross, maybe ask him which he recommends as most ANH-Han-Hero-accurate.

I am looking at his Poe Dameron holster currently. Good to hear a first-hand recommendation as well!


"here is a close up on a real kobold for you:"

SWEET! Thank you. I can get those threaded inserts painted as well now. I wasn't sure about those.

Is the quarter-turn key on the other side silver or black? (where the smooth bit attaches to the wrinkle bit). I'm guessing black, but wanted to check.

And is the text bright white, or more creamy colored? I may do bright white and then add brown to the corners to knock it down a bit.

Sorry if I'm being a pest...

 

[eethan]

there you go:

and the text is aluminium, it might be machined after the paint I guess:

 

[ID10T]

Much appreciated! Thank you very much for the help!!

 

[Inquisitor Peregrinus]

I am looking at his Poe Dameron holster currently. Good to hear a first-hand recommendation as well!

Oh, yeah. I'm planning on one of those at some point, as well as some Rebel pilot stuff for a friend's costume. I have his ANH Merr-Sonn holster, his SE-14R holster, his E-11 holster, his binders holster, and I'm having him do a custom rig for one of his Westar-35 holsters for another friend. I also eventually want his Celebration Luke rig. And I'm also having him do a custom shoulder rig for my Mauser. *lol* When I say "go-to", I definitely mean it.

 

[ID10T]

Yeah, but you’ve got him so busy he doesn’t have time for me!

Edit- I have the correct air fittings inbound from the UK for the Dameron holster if you need them.

 

[ID10T]

Back to the kobold... I tried painting the lettering with my 10x brush... and made a mess. I need a smaller brush. A plastic toothpick wasn’t picking up enough paint.

After that failure I moved on to the top and bottom. Airbrush pickup tube was clogged... fixed that and the spraying went well enough. But the paint didn’t bond well to the smooth areas of the caller, and when I buffed it, a lot of it buffed off. I may need a base coat of gloss white or something under the metalizer.

But, where it stuck, it looks damn good. So I’ll develop a technique to make it work. The bottom ring and base stuck so I matte cleared them

Picture is before buffing.

 

[ID10T]

This shiny thing distracted me, or I might have got more done on it.

 

[Inquisitor Peregrinus]

Are you using the Testors metalizer? Most metalizers (Testors, AlClad, etc.) like to go on over smooth plastic. RustOleum's Professional Grade spray paint is the best thing I've found for this, because it has ground up ABS dissolved in suspension. When the paint cures, you've basically coated the thing in shiny ABS plastic.

Also, I found spraying down an adhesive sealer coat before the metalizer helps it adhere without clouding it, as it does if you spray it on after (the way manufacturer's recommend, for some daft reason).

Yeah, but you’ve got him so busy he doesn’t have time for me!

He's only working on one thing for me right now, calm down.

I have the correct air fittings inbound from the UK for the Dameron holster if you need them.

Oo! You have extras? Absolutely! That would be wonderful.

 

[ID10T]

Yes, I’m using the old Testors stuff, and yes I’m getting 20 of the air fittings. Shipping was so high I had to get more to make it worth while. It seems a lot of characters from Rogue One, and the new trilogy, use these fittings. Once I have them in hand, and work out the true cost, I will have a few to spare.

The area where I’m having trouble is on the smooth area of the caller. The bottom face and adjacent knurl seem to have done fine. I could spray matte clear first I suppose.

I need a good technique for filling the logo too. It is shallow cut and all that adjacent texture is not helping me.