The Armour Archive

Cat

Here's a couple pics...the brown ones hadn't been put together yet, but you can see the shape.

Cat

I hammered mine into a dishing form, just like the steel versions. Soak the leather for about 20 minutes, let dry for about an hour or more, then start dishing. If it's still too wet, let it dry a little longer. Oh, and line your dishing form with thin leather because the steel will turn the grain s...

Cat

Good luck! Watch out for those Paypal fees though - they're gettin' a bit hefty.

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Jason, It's good to see you back! I thought I wrote that earlier, but it looks like I didn't - I apologize. I don't have an exact price on this yet. When I get it finished, I will look over everything and figure up the costs and labor. I'm going to estimate these will be in the $175 to $200 range. (...

Cat

Thanks guys. Aaron, Yes, this one turned out to be a fairly complex pouch. I figured it would be just from looking at it, but I had no idea how much stitching I was in for. It makes getting it done similar to wading through waist high thick mud. I think you guys are right about the deerskin. I think...

Cat

Guys, thanks SO much for your kind comments and your support! Kilkenny, thanks for double checking that for me. It sounded wrong to me when I first figured it, and frankly I was hoping I was wrong. If I was wrong and it was less than that, then I wouldn't have to charge what I'm planning on charging...

Cat

It's entirely possible I miscalculated. Here's the numbers. If you don't mind, would you check these and see what you come up with? I want to make sure I'm tallying everything up as accurately as I can and I probably did it wrong. There are two different types of pattern pieces cut from the elk. I w...

Cat

Well, I've got a price in mind, and I think it's safe to say that I probably won't be selling too many of these. I need to go back and re figure the costs of everything before I finalize it. So far, it looks like there's about 5 square feet of elk skin used, and about 40+ yards of thread. Not to men...

Cat

Thanks very much! Man, those knop buttons are PERFECT! That's exactly the kind of thing I was looking for. I needed something that looked just like those, but I'd never seen them before and had no idea they existed. I will certainly keep those in mind for the next one, although they are pretty price...

Cat

Ok, the grommets are in. What do you think? This is still not a whole pouch yet, but it's getting closer. And I'm getting tired of stitching. I'm estimating about 50 yards of thread will be used for this. I went through a 25 yard spool like it was nothin', have started on the second, and used a good...

Cat

Thanks so much guys! I will be sure to post pics when done, and this will be going up for sale then as well. Alcyoneus, What you're saying makes sense. I could do that on this one if the tube were a bit longer. As it is, these could stand to be a bit bigger in order to fit properly. I think these we...

Cat

Thanks so much! That means alot to me! To me, having a museum ask me to make something would be like the ultimate badge of achievement (although I can almost guarantee I STILL wouldn't be satisfied with my work). Some day maybe - I hope. That would certainly be a great honor. Don't know if I have &q...

Cat

This is awesome!

The chair in the pic looks great!

I do not even want to know how much all that walnut cost. Youch...

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See, that's what I thought it looked like too. So I'm NOT crazy! Do you know for sure that grommets (in the modern sense of the word) were used on armour at the time? If so, I think it's reasonable to say, given the "evidence" in the pic, that's it's possible they could have been used on f...

Cat

A pic of the original.....

Cat

I'm working on a new pouch design, based off of a 16th century piece, and was wanting to get your opinions on something. On the original, there appears to be grommets installed in some drawstring holes. It's possible that it's just a washer type piece sewn over the hole, but I can't see any stitchin...

Cat

Thanks for the help guys! I've decided not to do the casting. I made a workable mould and poured a test piece, but they are going to be too heavy. These are going to be for a pouch, and I'm thinking these will add a couple of pounds to it, which I don't think I want. Just one was heavy and I need 9 ...

Cat

I LOVE the hammered look on that buckler! Fantastic! Great job on the vams too!

More pics more pics more pics

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The stuff I'm using is lead free solder, although I don't know the specific alloy. One of the molds will be a 2 piece mould (basically a "cap" with the pour hole in it, the other will be open at the top. Maybe I should carve in a few extra air vents on the 2 piece one? The reason I am hesi...

Cat

Strongbow, I've only done this a couple of times, and solder was what I used, so it really didn't occur to me to use something else. (Attended a class at an event and learned how to do it.) Is casting pewter much different? What would I have to do differently compared to solder? Can I still use plas...

Cat

The soldering iron trick sounds promising. Do you think the iron will burn the plaster and start making a hole where it touches the bottom? If not, I may try that. I dunno, maybe this isn't even really an issue. The piece will be about 5/8" wide at the top, and maybe 5/8" long from top to ...

Cat

I'm assuming the mould blanks are plaster of paris, but I didn't make them. I have used some of them already, but just simply poured the molten solder in. I have yet to try heating the mould itself. Of the ones I have used, I was only able to get 3 or 4 castings out of them (in one case I only got 2...

Cat

Ok, I need to cast a piece out of solder, and I'm afraid the bottom half of the pour will cool and harden before the top fills up. I will be using a plaster mould, and was wondering if I can sit the mould in a skillet, heat the skillet and mould up, and then pour the stuff in while it's still sittin...

Cat

Here's a better closeup of the "baubles" I'm looking for.

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Thanks for the responses guys. I am attaching a pic of the things I am looking for. It's pretty blurry, but it's all I've got. Hopefully you can see the little metal thingies. To me, they don't look sewn on, but the pic is not real clear. It looks like the acorn buttons probably wouldn't look right,...

Cat

It's possible they're modern, but there's a pouch I am working on that's based off of a 16th century example that has what looks like metal eyelets (grommets?) over drawstring holes in the pouch. I can't tell if they extend down into the hole like a grommet or not, but I also don't see stitching hol...

Cat

Does anyone know where I can get historical looking eyelets? You know, the metal rings that come in 2 pieces which get placed in a hole in fabric and then hammered together. I've got some from the fabric store but they look cheapy and modern. Also, I am looking for some decorative....baubles for lac...

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Are you suggesting that money bags migrate?

Looking forward to seeing this done!

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Yes, it would be a 1 to 1 sized pattern. I've been messing with one of my failed patterns (yes, I said "one of" ) and I may have it figured out. After trying a few times, I got real discouraged, but something just "came to me" and the pinned up fabric version looks promising. I f...

Cat

I need a pouch pattern, and am looking for someone to make it for me. I can't pay in cash, but instead I would pay by making one of these pouches for you. (It's 16th century) It would be made from elk skin with veg tan accents, and will be hand sewn. If this is not acceptable compensation, I am open...

Cat

Ahhh...you meant tunnel stitching. That was what I thought they may have done, but I can't see how they could get their hands in there to do it. If they were stitching around a form, I think it would be almost impossible to stitch from the back side (the side that's facing the form). Even if they st...

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Brian,
Thanks for the tips and kind comments! I could not figure out how they got that wavy edge, and what you mentioned makes alot of sense!

I've got lots of new tricks to try now.

I'm excited about experimenting. (Just wish I had time

).

Thanks again!
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Very interesting...Yes, I could glue the outer leather around the inner piece on the botoom half of the case, but the lid portion doesn't have an inner layer that I'm aware of. The top of the case that James pictured has a wavy edge along the lines where I would normally stitch mine. I don't recall ...

Cat

You people are gonna push me to do somethin' silly...I can feel it in the air......Must resist the urge to take on yet another project......

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Justus,
Any bit of advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!
Cat

16th century pouch - grommet or no grommets?

Quick question about solder casting

Looking for historical looking eyelets/decorative baubles

Looking for experienced pattern maker