The Armour Archive

I want to make a pair of leather Bazubands.

What weight leather should I use? Where should/can I get it? Ive looked at tandy and a couple other sites, but am hesitant to order online without knowing for sure what weight I need.

The plan is to cut out the pattern, tool the leather, form it around an approximation of my arm, water harden it, adjust leather around form, then dye it. Is this the correct order of doing things?? Should I also use a sealant of some type?

I am new to the idea of making leather armor, but like the idea and feel of the bazubands when I have borrowed them.

Thanks in advance for your help!

It is my preference to dye before hardening as the hardening changes the way the leather accepts dye pretty significantly. Paint after hardening, as the heat can mess up acrylic paints.

I finish mine with a dip in acrylic floor polish. Very shiny, cost effective, water resistant and generally in line with at least one commercial leather finish (Resolene) for a lot less money.

I recommend saddle skirting in the 13-15 oz range. Some prefer sole bends.
I would not recommend anything lighter.

Thank you sir!

I looked at your website and am very impressed! Thank you for your advice. I assumed that the water hardening process would mess up the dye job.

Again, thanks.

Once the dye has dried in the leather, it is pretty goldang water resistant. Even when an amateur puts it there. Any dye coloration that leaches out when you moisten it before the hardening basically wasn't attached to the leather and would have bled out anyway.

One caveat on the dye front that I had forgotten. If you are using the "Eco-Flo" dyes, which are water based, I strongly recommend you do a test piece or two before going forward on your project.

My experience is with oil and spirit dyes, I haven't worked with the water based dyes on any hardened projects and I don't know how they will behave in the process.

I do mine in the following order:

Cut out
Tool
Shape (I use a wooden blank - see photo)
Harden (I put the blank in the oven with the leather piece)
Dye
Rivets & strapping

I made my own pattern by looking at different ones out on the web. I plan on refining my pattern a bit to get a more uniform curve at the elbow for my next pair.

Wow, thanks for all the advice. I probably wont get into this project until after Pennsic (I have enough going on as it is) but when I do, I will definately post my progress here.