So the caribou is basically a gray color. Are you saying you did a wash of brown acrylic? What did you use?
Chief Jim Hopper Costume and Props Thread
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So the caribou is basically a gray color. Are you saying you did a wash of brown acrylic? What did you use?
Dr Jones Sr
Sr Member
I went to a hat shop which had a Stratoliner in Caribou which I was able to see both in the awful fluorescent light in the shop, and at the window in natural daylight.
The colour was wonderful and complex, not "grey" or "brown" per se, but closest to "taupe" a colour midway between grey and brown. It's exactly how the Hopper hat looks in some scenes (particularly indoor shots) while in outdoors light the Hopper hat usually has an olive tinge. I'm sorry I missed seeing an actual prop hat in person, though the indoor fluorescent lighting of the museum would mean that I wouldn't know much about the hat's actual colour anyway.
(EDIT: I ended up getting a Stratoliner in Caribou which as best I can reckon is close.)
By the way, which belt are you fellows going with? S1 or S2?
S1 is a common Garrison Belt style, usually seen in 38mm (1.5 inch) in black.
S2 is a different, also common, Garrison Belt style seen in 38mm (1.5 inch) with a square buckle and 44mm (1.75 inch) with a rectangular buckle.
Hopper's appears to be the latter.
This closeup from S2 shows the belt more clearly. Things I noted 1) the leather has been aged from its original colour 2) the belt lacks scribe-lines at the borders 3) there's a crudely punched extra hole past the last original hole, as if Hopper had lost weight at some point and had to make the belt smaller.
Also note that the holster looks different, perhaps, from the S1 holster.
Update Halloween 2020: Just in time for Halloween I quickly put together the Season 2 belt.
Here's my replicas of the S1 and S2 belts:
The colour was wonderful and complex, not "grey" or "brown" per se, but closest to "taupe" a colour midway between grey and brown. It's exactly how the Hopper hat looks in some scenes (particularly indoor shots) while in outdoors light the Hopper hat usually has an olive tinge. I'm sorry I missed seeing an actual prop hat in person, though the indoor fluorescent lighting of the museum would mean that I wouldn't know much about the hat's actual colour anyway.
(EDIT: I ended up getting a Stratoliner in Caribou which as best I can reckon is close.)
By the way, which belt are you fellows going with? S1 or S2?
S1 is a common Garrison Belt style, usually seen in 38mm (1.5 inch) in black.
S2 is a different, also common, Garrison Belt style seen in 38mm (1.5 inch) with a square buckle and 44mm (1.75 inch) with a rectangular buckle.
Hopper's appears to be the latter.
This closeup from S2 shows the belt more clearly. Things I noted 1) the leather has been aged from its original colour 2) the belt lacks scribe-lines at the borders 3) there's a crudely punched extra hole past the last original hole, as if Hopper had lost weight at some point and had to make the belt smaller.
Also note that the holster looks different, perhaps, from the S1 holster.
Update Halloween 2020: Just in time for Halloween I quickly put together the Season 2 belt.
Here's my replicas of the S1 and S2 belts:
Attachments
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Dr Jones Sr
Sr Member
Here's the Don Hume 216 4" I got cheaply on Ebay. I couldn't find a tan one, but there were loads of black ones, so I got one of those and painted it (first dark brown, the drybrushed with orange-ish brown)
(This is the "before" photo of that holster)
The screen holster
EDIT: After this post I got an actual Tex Shoemaker 35A, which I think is the closest model to the show holster.
Here's the Don Hume 216 (black, I painted it brown) and the Tex Shoemaker 35A for comparison.
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TheDavisBros
Active Member
Awesome! What did you use for the paint and how did you apply the paint?
Dr Jones Sr
Sr Member
Ordinary Liquitex acrylic paint. In my experience it adheres well to vinyl and leather.
I just painted on the first coat (Burnt Umber) with the paint at normal consistency as it comes from the tube, maybe thinned with water a tiny bit as needed if it's too thick.
Then, when the first coat was completely dry, a drybrushed pass with a mix of Raw Sienna, Cadmium Yellow Medium, and Cadmium Orange.
Same as with these inexpensive Funtasma vinyl boots, which came a plain ugly brown. Two different mottled undercoats with different shades of brown, and a tan drybrush pass for wear and dust. I've worn these boots at quite a few Cons and so far the paint has stayed put.
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Dr Jones Sr
Sr Member
Just a heads-up, it's much better to buy the "khaki" Dickies in person than online!
Since my Flying Cross screen-accurate pants are on backorder and a Con is coming up quick, I went to a shop today to buy Dickies.
There were piles of Dickies in "khaki". Thing is, there were three distinct colours of "khaki"
1) a colour very close to the Silver Tan of my Flying Cross shirt. That's what I bought.
2) a colour very slightly more yellow/ochre than #1, you have to look close to tell them apart.
3) a colour that's much more yellow (almost greenish-yellow) and look terrible with the shirt.
If somebody ordered "khaki" Dickies online they might get any of the three... and there are probably more!
I had the same issue with the pockets on the Flying Cross wool shirt: velcro and buttons sewn onto the flaps not the pocket.
I think it is an easy fix to relocate the buttons onto the pocket, and there is already what looks like a button hole, I don't see any need to resew it or open it up.
Without the button there it will look fine. I may remove the velcro, or at least one side of it.
I think I am going to sew the patches rather than iron them, the ironing process is a bit nail biting (I did it on my Longmire shirt but I think sewn on will look better for Hopper).
The Commission Credentials chief badge (as the Longmire badge) pins are spaced too far apart for the badge reinforcement on the flying cross shirt.
I'll send them some feedback - the spacing on the police shirts seems pretty standard. I'll just poke some extra holes through.
One of the public safety companies cancelled my order for the name tag, I need to see whats up with that.
I will post pictures of my "grey" caribou Stetson. I still have mixed feelings on it.
I think it is an easy fix to relocate the buttons onto the pocket, and there is already what looks like a button hole, I don't see any need to resew it or open it up.
Without the button there it will look fine. I may remove the velcro, or at least one side of it.
I think I am going to sew the patches rather than iron them, the ironing process is a bit nail biting (I did it on my Longmire shirt but I think sewn on will look better for Hopper).
The Commission Credentials chief badge (as the Longmire badge) pins are spaced too far apart for the badge reinforcement on the flying cross shirt.
I'll send them some feedback - the spacing on the police shirts seems pretty standard. I'll just poke some extra holes through.
One of the public safety companies cancelled my order for the name tag, I need to see whats up with that.
I will post pictures of my "grey" caribou Stetson. I still have mixed feelings on it.
Dr Jones Sr
Sr Member
Progress report:
1) got my hat flanged.
2) received my Flying Cross pants, the most SA pants available AFAIK. They're super. I ordered them from Galls. They're super comfortable and fit great.
3) got the belt sorted. I went with Season 1. It took looking through loads of vintage belts on Ebay to find one with the closest buckle in the right width, came on a canvas belt which I had to cut off and discard, then I put it on a pre-distressed new belt which I did some extra distressing to.
4) got boots.
Here's everything except for the boots, watch, and wristband
EDIT: Here is my updated costume as of October 2020. Differences are a Stetson Stratoliner in Caribou, a Tex Shoemaker holster, and a chopped-down Rick Grimes airsoft revolver.
1) got my hat flanged.
2) received my Flying Cross pants, the most SA pants available AFAIK. They're super. I ordered them from Galls. They're super comfortable and fit great.
3) got the belt sorted. I went with Season 1. It took looking through loads of vintage belts on Ebay to find one with the closest buckle in the right width, came on a canvas belt which I had to cut off and discard, then I put it on a pre-distressed new belt which I did some extra distressing to.
4) got boots.
Here's everything except for the boots, watch, and wristband
EDIT: Here is my updated costume as of October 2020. Differences are a Stetson Stratoliner in Caribou, a Tex Shoemaker holster, and a chopped-down Rick Grimes airsoft revolver.
Attachments
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Dr Jones Sr
Sr Member
My shirt had the stitching done around the pocket buttonholes, but the buttonholes weren't cut. I moved the buttons onto the pocket and cut open the buttonholes (very carefully with a sharp hobby knife) then I buttoned the pockets shut for a while so that they got that look of having been buttoned. Hopper hardly ever has his pockets buttoned, though.
In the long shots the soles are the natural color, in that shot they are black.
You can buy the Vibram Cristy in either color on eBay to upgrade your boots, but the color difference from the above closeup has me confused. If you look at most of the long shots in Season 1, and the 1/6 figures, they show a natural color sole.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vibram-Chr...hash=item3ad50a5142:m:mhePHnhWZdrzUBB1-7K7RtA
I just found some used Red Wing Heritage Mocs, 8" with natural sole, I will just need to take the color to be a bit more brown than orange.
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pinder91
Sr Member
That is lighting and wear playing tricks on you. The sole is definitely not black in that scene.
Holster: the brown is a little dark (they don't have any lighter options) but otherwise a good match:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/S-W-4-K-Fr...-fits-Leather-Holster-Right-Hand/332403921660
(it isn't snapped to the belt loop, once it is snapped the draw angle will be correct)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/S-W-4-K-Fr...-fits-Leather-Holster-Right-Hand/332403921660
(it isn't snapped to the belt loop, once it is snapped the draw angle will be correct)
Dr Jones Sr
Sr Member
IMHO a rather different holster design, that Ruger holster is the swivel sort, the strap arrangement is different etc.
Still the closest mass-produced holster that I've seen is the Don Hume H216.
And better yet Don Hume makes (or made) just the right colour. I've just not come across the right one on Ebay yet, an H216 in that ginger or russet brown, 4 inch barrel, and right handed.
The main problem with the Don Hume holster is the strap itself, straight rather than having the pointy tab at the snap-end like the screen holster.
The main problem with the Don Hume holster is the strap itself, straight rather than having the pointy tab at the snap-end like the screen holster.
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My main criteria was a Jordan holster with basket weave in brown, that would take a 4" K frame.
The swivel and swivel stop-snap will be covered by the gun itself, so that's a non issue.
Which just leaves the color and strap as being the remaining issues - it was close enough for me.
Just a reminder on the Don Hume, it needs to be the model number plus #1 4"
(#1 is for K-frame S&W, 4" is barrel length)
I should also say, there are no Don Hume 216's 4" #1 basket weave on eBay right now in any color.
At least these other new ones (from "policeholsters") are in ready supply on eBay.
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Dr Jones Sr
Sr Member
Ah, I see.
Our local Cons are all banning guns of any sort, even water pistols and Nerf guns, so I hadn't considered what a holster would look like with a gun in it.
Mine will have a donut in it, at most!
Also for me what gun would fit in the holster I wear isn't a consideration... there's never going to be one, in all probability... so I'm only concerned with the look of the holster.
[EDIT: From what I can understand from reading the Wondercon weapons policies, replica guns will be allowed]
Here's a very close match for the Hopper holster on Ebay now, a Don Hume in basketweave for a 4" barrel, but in dark brown:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Do...832138&hash=item282b52495e:g:cYUAAOSwCU1Yngwz
Our local Cons are all banning guns of any sort, even water pistols and Nerf guns, so I hadn't considered what a holster would look like with a gun in it.
Mine will have a donut in it, at most!
Also for me what gun would fit in the holster I wear isn't a consideration... there's never going to be one, in all probability... so I'm only concerned with the look of the holster.
[EDIT: From what I can understand from reading the Wondercon weapons policies, replica guns will be allowed]
Here's a very close match for the Hopper holster on Ebay now, a Don Hume in basketweave for a 4" barrel, but in dark brown:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Do...832138&hash=item282b52495e:g:cYUAAOSwCU1Yngwz
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That's a nice looking holster -- I'm not sure it will fit the S&W 66 etc. But if you don't put a gun in it, it doesn't matter!
I was just taking about that with my daughter, I was either going to make a papier-mache butt handle or put a banana in there for the next con we go to.
justageorgiaguy
New Member
Hey folks,
I'm the guy who sells the Hopper name badge on Etsy, and I really appreciate you sharing it on here. Based on this thread, I have added Austrailia shipping. If you ever need anything, feel free to reach out. I started with the name badge when I made my Hopper costume for our Stranger Things yard in 2016 and I'm glad that it has helped fellow Hoppers. Here's the video of our yard, we even had a Hawkins van:
Thanks!
I'm the guy who sells the Hopper name badge on Etsy, and I really appreciate you sharing it on here. Based on this thread, I have added Austrailia shipping. If you ever need anything, feel free to reach out. I started with the name badge when I made my Hopper costume for our Stranger Things yard in 2016 and I'm glad that it has helped fellow Hoppers. Here's the video of our yard, we even had a Hawkins van:
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Dr Jones Sr
Sr Member
Very cool! What a lot of work to do all that. I didn't quite see, does the alphabet on the wall spell out R U N ??
And I love the group of flashing lamps, looks just like the show.
Now about the watch: Thanks again to those who identified the watch. After not seeing any men's Atlantis 100 watches on Ebay for less than around $50, suddenly one came up with a $10 BIN and I grabbed it. It's in perfect condition, well it looks great, I have yet to put a battery in and see how it works. (EDIT: it runs great!)
And I love the group of flashing lamps, looks just like the show.
Now about the watch: Thanks again to those who identified the watch. After not seeing any men's Atlantis 100 watches on Ebay for less than around $50, suddenly one came up with a $10 BIN and I grabbed it. It's in perfect condition, well it looks great, I have yet to put a battery in and see how it works. (EDIT: it runs great!)
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