Thanks for the reply. Actually, your explanation is not so crazy. And I also think there was more than 1 case. Regarding my determination of the case length, I should explain myself, so for what it is worth, below is my reasoning…
I examined the images in asavage’s post #8 in the thread titled “Léon: The Professional”. I blew up the 1st image in the 3rd row since that gives the most perpendicular view of the lock plate on the case front. That is what I used to determine the shorter length. Yes, I realized that this could be a different case, so I looked at the other images in the post for a reasonableness check.
The 2nd image in the 1st row shows Jean Reno’s hand as he is beginning to open the case. I realize the actor is 6' 3" tall, and might have huge hands, but the pistol in his left hand makes me think not. I stand at 5' 11".
In the 1st picture, 2nd row, we see Reno’s arm from elbow to wrist just above the now opened box. Although his arm is not in the same plane as the opened box top periphery, is is fairly close, and taking the rough length of the arm from the elbow to the wrist and rotating it to be parallel to the length of the open box, it takes up about 90% of the box length. (my estimate, of course). That same arm length would be a little shorter if it were actually in the plane of the box top periphery, though I think not too much. For myself, I know the distance from my elbow to the tip of my middle finger is about 18" (which is how the cubit is usually measured, and, interestingly enough, the typical value for it given is also 18", from my research).
The 3rd pic in the 3rd row shows Reno’s hand on the front of the case, and it actually makes the case look smaller to me.
Looking at the 3rd pic in the 2nd row,I get the impression from the images that the vertical case supports are closer to 1/2" than 5/8". If so, the case width is closer to 16 1/2" when adjusted from the 20 1/2" length.
Somewhere in time, I came across a pic of the 1/6 scale action figure case near an extended tape measure, and I estimated the case length at 15" from that. But of course it is a replica in a smaller scale, and I don’t know its pedigree. Also, the tape measure was not very close to the case, and the entire pic was oblique to the camera.
I know this all doesn’t sound terribly scientific, but I present it as food for thought.
Regarding the Skivertex, I think the moleskien is a good choice. When I mentioned the canvas covering, I was thinking of an artist’s type of canvas, or even a little finer. Looking very closely at the 1st image in the 3rd row, I can make out the fraying through the “paint” on the lid, and I can see fibers running vertically and parallel to each other. I think this is a genuinely older case, the interior of which has been modified for the movie. In older times, they would have glued the canvas to chip board pieces. In post #24, brandomack indicates the canvas and chip board combo. He also indicates green suede for the interior, though I cannot confirm. Could be a felt. Given the case wall thickness of say, 1/4", such a layered approach of its construction makes sense. When I look at the last image of post 8, but not the fraying areas, I can almost make out a weave pattern…it comes across more like bumps, much like the moleskien pattern you indicated, which is why I think it is a good choice.
Yeah, I know about gun law discrepancies. At first, I was considering the chip board approach, but I think a thin plywood box structure would be cheaper and more durable. It could still come out just as thick as the prop case, so I figure, why not?
I don’t know if we’ll ever get dimension confirmation for the case. If the pedigree of the 1/6 scale action figure case is good, then that could be an acceptable basis. It would be nice for someone who has this to chime in with its dimensions.
Ultimately, if you are building it to fit your stuff, then it needs to be sized to that.
Mark