"Captain America, how exciting!" TWS TFA Rescue USO and Ultimates WW2

Re: "Captain America, how exciting!" Now Ultimate

Crusaderman2004 said:
That is looking great! If you don't mind, what's the process for dyeing the jacket? I was just looking at the dye today and really want to do this as well. Love all that you've done.
Click to expand...

For redyeing:
Fiebing's 121 Medium Brown
Amazon.com: Fiebing Company Leather Dye Med.Brown 4 Oz: Pet Supplies

91% isopropyl alcohol.

Cotton rounds.
Amazon.com: Delon 100% Cotton Rounds - New and Improved Premium Quality Softer Edges - 800 Rounds: Beauty

Use the cotton round dabbed with alcohol to clean and wet a single panel of the jacket. While still wet, Apply the dye using the wire dobber provided with the dye.
Wipe the dye with a second dry cotton round.
If required reapply dye to darken or eliminate streaks.
Repeat for each panel until jacket is complete.

On croschbach's advice I had a second bottle and still came up short. The long panel on the sleeve and two center panels on the back are unfinished. I have a third bottle on the way but missed the next day deadline.

I did this in the bathroom so I could better control the humidity and temperature plus had a vent fan in the ceiling. The tile floor could resist the stains and easy clean up.

The dye instructions say to use their leather cleaner as prep and rubbing alcohol for clean up. I used Isopropyl for both since I had a bottle for cleaning my airbrush.

I do have some yellowish finger tips right now.

I plan to rub the jacket down and give it a wash with saddle soap to reduce the chance of dye transfer in the future.

Did read about using Scotchguard spray or warm water and white vinegar to set the dye.

Don't know if it is required or what will work. This is a first try. Just don't want my shirt or webgear to change color. Plus this is going to be for general wear.

Also, I know my dye job is darker than Logan's jacket and may be more a color like the Howard Hughes "Aviator" jacket.
 
Re: "Captain America, how exciting!" Now Ultimate

Not much happened after running out of dye...except finishing the test pep.

 
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Re: "Captain America, how exciting!" Now Ultimate

Fly, thanks so much for the tutorial on the dye! More than I could've asked for. And I think that brown is perfect. I'll be interested to see how the saddle soap works.

Great job on the pep too. I'm in awe of your skills.
 
Re: "Captain America, how exciting!" Now Ultimate

Just to help out you fellow dye-jockeys... Dye will go much farther if you apply it differently.
First, you should use either latex or nitrile gloves to save your hands.
Second, cotton balls as applicators are extremely wasteful, as they absorb way more than they actually apply and only get at most 50% onto the leather. Using a sponge would be more affective even than cotton balls... but if you want a bottle to go the distance use a paintbrush. Just dip any average/mid-sized artist paintbrush into the bottle and paint it onto the leather, this puts 95% of the dye right onto the leather, and you will even have excess than doesn't absorb right away than you can keep brushing around on the leather over broader areas.
 
Re: "Captain America, how exciting!" Now Ultimate

Fly4v said:
"And here we go."

UltimateWW2comp.jpg
Click to expand...

This costume is amazing.

The only thing that I'd say would make it look cooler is some weathering on the leather parts. Make them look darker and heavily used.

Not saying the costume isn't near perfect already.
 
Re: "Captain America, how exciting!" Now Ultimate

Trallis, I hear what your saying and agree. Its just difficult for me not to shine my boots and care for my equipment. I have a pair of black jump boots that are 25 years old and in photos they also look equally unused but that is not the case. Interesting what kiwi and water can do.

In retrospect, I wouldn't use the dobber that was included with the dye. I agree makeup foam sponge or those foam brushes would have been better for applying the dye.
Knowing that at least an entire bottle will be used, I'd empty it into a more open container that would allow use of a wide brush.
The cotton rounds were not used as applicators, they were only used for the alcohol and cleaning up excess dye.
Certainly need to use gloves.

Went to the store today and bought the saddle soap and a can of Scotch Guard.

Also finished dying the jacket. This is it dyed but has not been washed, distressed, or sealed.



Took the proxxon to the remaining snaps. This opened up seven more holes. The four holes on the lapels disappeared well enough with the redye and have no impact on the weather resistance of the jacket but these seven new ones had to go.

Cut some round patches for the inside of the jacket from the belt remnant. The leather patch and the inside of the jacket both received a course of rubber cement. Waited 15 minutes and then pressed the parts together.



Once the backing was dry I used a toothpick to place a drop of rubber cement in the outside hole and then replaced the small leather rounds that were recovered from the removal of the snaps.
After the cement was dry, then used a Q-tip to blend the dye around the now filled hole.



This weekend will be wash and seal the jacket, then attach the free running ends of the cuffs.
 
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Re: "Captain America, how exciting!" Now Ultimate

love how the jacket turned out well done..Superb job on the build moving alot quicker then my build. on your helmet whast size font and which font did you use?

Chris
 
Re: "Captain America, how exciting!" Now Ultimate

Chris, its not a race and you will have your Hero costume before me. Once the POW Rescue is done, the helmet and round shield will proceed slowly. I have a request for something not Captain America.

For the PEP helmet, its going to be cobbled together. The back and side of the helmet is 1.641248 the eye mask is 1.56 minus the nose bridge.
The first scale pure had too much space around the cheek and nose.
1.56 is perfect around each eye and will sculpt the nose bridge with glass tape to fill the gap.
 
Re: "Captain America, how exciting!" Now Ultimate

Mid-Saturday Update. Other than spending the morning rubbing the jacket with saddle soap, a pleasant surprise arrived with the mail, a piece of cowhide for the patch pocket.



Quickly stitched the pocket and flap....


and then dyed it to match the jacket.


The jacket is currently being distressed in the washing machine.
 
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Re: "Captain America, how exciting!" Now Ultimate

While the machine,a mixture of white vinegar and warm water, is chewing on the leather, went back of a full accounting of the costs.

The finished jacket in total cost 126.20 USD, 104.78 in materials and 21.42 in shipping.

Himalaya Leather Jacket HL-223
$50.00 shipping $14.00

Cowhide Light Brown
$9.95 shipping $3.00

(3x) Fiebing Leather Dye Medium Brown
$23.94 shipping 0.00 Amazon Prime!!!!

Natural Cotton Thread 876 yards Oak Tan
$6.21 shipping $4.41

Kiwi Outdoor Saddle Soap and Bottle of Scotchguard
$14.95 No shipping, local purchase.

Time will tell if this was money well spent...... at least I have tan hands.
 
Re: "Captain America, how exciting!" Now Ultimate

the pocket looks genius!! looking forward to the finished coat and for that price its a bargain!
 
Re: "Captain America, how exciting!" Now Ultimate

Don't forget to count your time... that could add $200 to the cost depending on what you calculate your time at work. ;)
 
Re: "Captain America, how exciting!" Now Ultimate

This is such an inspirational thread that I am about to start this project when I finish summer exams! Nice work dude!
 
Re: "Captain America, how exciting!" Now Ultimate

THEMAN said:
Don't forget to count your time... that could add $200 to the cost depending on what you calculate your time at work. ;)
Click to expand...
Not even close.
But that brings up the standard formula of time, money, and skill. Need more from two to compensate for the lack of the third.

DJman, hope that this helps. Feel free to ask any questions, after exams that is.

WASHING MACHINE UPDATE: After half a day in the machine only one internal patch came off. All the smaller external hole plugs stayed in place. None of the stitching failed.

Only things remaining are attach the ends of the cuffs, patch pocket, and pocket flap.... and I guess make a liner, if so inclined.
 
Re: "Captain America, how exciting!" Now Ultimate

Found a good source photo for the M-3 fighting knife in the auction catalog. It is not listed as the Cap's but as Allied Equipment.

 
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Re: "Captain America, how exciting!" Now Ultimate

Fly4v said:
While the machine,a mixture of white vinegar and warm water, is chewing on the leather, went back of a full accounting of the costs.

The finished jacket in total cost 126.20 USD, 104.78 in materials and 21.42 in shipping.

Himalaya Leather Jacket HL-223
$50.00 shipping $14.00

Cowhide Light Brown
$9.95 shipping $3.00

(3x) Fiebing Leather Dye Medium Brown
$23.94 shipping 0.00 Amazon Prime!!!!
Click to expand...

Is the dye Behaving on the jacket? i've been lectured TIME and TIME AGAIN by Tandy leather factory employees that you can't use leather dye on leather that already has a finish on it, i.e. any chrome-tanned leather. I've refrained from trying it because I've always been told the dye just won't soak into the leather and will perpetually rub off on anything it touches.
 
Re: "Captain America, how exciting!" Now Ultimate

That is why it spent half a day in the washing machine with the water and vinegar mixture.
I took a white t-shirt to the outside of the jacket this morning and nothing transferred.
Since the jacket is not completely dry, I have yet to spray the Scotchguard.... That may make a mess the two main ingredients are acetone and isopropal alcohol.

The dye has also set on the patch pocket. The issue with the pocket is you can really tell that it is a different piece of leather.



I don't think I am going to sew it on....maybe just attach it with double sided fabric tape when in "costume".
 
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