Tutorial- wet-formed leather vambraces

[Vitus von Atzinger]

I decided to do a tutorial after I had already done the first step, but you will get the idea fairly easily.

Step One-
Take paper towel and wrap it around your forearm. Hold it in place with several strips of duct tape. After you have taped ALL over your forearm with about four layers of tape, take a marker and mark the top edge of your forearm.

If you did it right you will barely be able to slide the tape-cast off of your arm. Take a pair of scissors and cut the taped cast in half, going down the left and right sides like a vambrace does.

Then, take each half of the tape cast and press it completely flat against the table. Here is a pic of the top of the flattened tape cast.

[Vitus von Atzinger]

Remember, you only have to make one tape cast because one side (of each of the two patterns) will be for the left arm, and when you flip it will be used for the right arm.

Take the two flattened pieces of the tape cast and trace them onto posterboard.

[Vitus von Atzinger]

Now, taking the pattern for the TOP of your forearm trace and cut out two pieces from a piece of saddle skirting. Remember, one side of the Top Pattern is for your left arm and the flip side of the patterm is for your right arm- ala mirror image.

Wet the cut out (Top) pieces of the vambraces.

I don't know why people soak a piece of leather for hours and hours, getting it so wet that it behaves like a wash rag. Literally five-ten minutes under water and the leather should be ready for the forming process.

Take out each piece and generally form it on top of your arm. Don't worry about extra room for a linen shirt yet- just sit in direct sunlight and squeeze the pieces on your arm until they sort of look like this.

[Vitus von Atzinger]

Leaving the vambraces in the direct light, go do something else for five minutes (like paint a coffee table).

Every five minutes come back and form the leather pieces to each of your forearms. After squeezing the piece, put it back on the table in the direct, burning sunlight.

Do this until the piece JUST BEGINS TO DRY AND STIFFEN.

Then, go and get your secret weapon of choice- a leatherworking tool I have never seen or heard of anyone (besides yours truly) ever using--

WOODEN SPOON.

[Vitus von Atzinger]

Using Wooden Spoon, begin to roll back the top edge of your vambrace. If the piece is too wet it will try to malform a bit. Keep going back and forth between spooning and forming the piece to your arm.

You roll back an edge by holding one end of the piece against your chest, and, putting your fingers behind the edge on the bottom of the piece, gently pull over the edge as you rub the stick along the "bend". Go back and forth with only moderate pressure. Be patient and persistant.

[Vitus von Atzinger]

More spooning.

[Vitus von Atzinger]

Even more spooning.

[Vitus von Atzinger]

Positioning your fingers in the right place while spooning is the key. Keep messing with it and you will see it start to roll up.

Every couple of minutes sit it back in the direct sunlight for a few minutes and then start doing it again. You can see the edge roll at the top of the vambrace starting to form.

[Vitus von Atzinger]

Also roll out the edge near the crux of your elbow.

[Vitus von Atzinger]

This is MOST IMPORTANT.

Just as the piece starts to really dry is when it is most reasonable to shaping, In this picture you can see the left vambrace is in the sweet spot, and the right vambrace is still a bit wet.

The spots where you burnish with the spoon will change color.

[Vitus von Atzinger]

More tomorrow.

[Gryffinclaw]

Very nice.

[Halberds]

Threads like this are my favorites.

Thanks.

Hal

Ps: What the hell did you do that coffee table?
It looks like a hippie VW buss.

[taluntheb]

Wooden spoon... Genius. And here I thought I was clever because I used a drum stick. (Vitus, you may appreciate this, I got the drumsticks from the drummer for The Business...)

Do you mind if I hand out copies of this, properly attributed, to a few fighters I've been trying to help get armored up?


Talun Mac Dubhagain

[Vitus von Atzinger]

Wooden Spoon is superior to drumstick...even an Oi drumstick.

[Agnarr]

Vitus,

You are fucking awesome for this tutorial.

Thanks!

[Payn]

Great write up, but what is this "sun" you keep referring to?

[Agnarr]

Great write up, but what is this "sun" you keep referring to?

Something we horde because we find red skin appealing.

[Amanda M]

I also want to save this as a pdf and post it on the Girls' Club if you don't mind.

I wish I had seen this before I already dyed my damn vambrace leather 2 days ago. >_<

[Steve S.]

I nominate Sir Vitus for teh Order of teh Laurel.

Steve

[Seved Ribbing]

This perfect for what I am looking for...but...my mom used to hit (discipline) me with a wooden spoon when I was a kid. Looking at the pics with the [shudder] wooden spoon makes me want to crawl under my desk and suck my thumb.

[Vitus von Atzinger]

I am not kidding here. That very wooden spoon in the pic was used to whap me by my mom in the early 1970's.

[Jonathon More]

I am not kidding here. That very wooden spoon in the pic was used to whap me by my mom in the early 1970's.

my mom busted many wooden spoons on my ass in the 70's.... yer mom was nice not to whap you that hard. of course, I was prebably more deserving

[AriAnson]

Apparently it is time to make a giant wood-grain spoon and sport a gigham dress and wig to strike fear into the hearts of my foes.

[Baron Alejandro]

Vitus,

Have you ever pondered doing a plaster wrap cast instead of a duct tape one? Plaster tape is cheaper than duct. Plus you can tack the leather onto a plaster last.

Also, scabbard tutorial, if you please, Sir.

[Jonathon More]

what weight and type of leather are you using? and are you going to harden it when it's done? this is exactly what I need to make arms for the boy, I was going to post here asking for advice on hardened leather vambraces, and look what was already here! Thanks Vitus!

[Kilkenny]

what weight and type of leather are you using? and are you going to harden it when it's done? this is exactly what I need to make arms for the boy, I was going to post here asking for advice on hardened leather vambraces, and look what was already here! Thanks Vitus!

He refers to saddle skirting. That's a veg tanned leather typically sold in 11- 13 or 13 - 15 oz sides. The molding techniques V is using won't work on any but veg tanned leathers.

[Vilhelm550]

And just yesterday I was looking at my leather stock and contemplating a new leather vambrace project..need light, thinner ones for use with my recently finished Whonew Wisby-style monster-gauntlets.

Sir Vitus, you da man! Look forward to more of the tutorial!

[Gryffinclaw]

This perfect for what I am looking for...but...my mom used to hit (discipline) me with a wooden spoon when I was a kid. Looking at the pics with the [shudder] wooden spoon makes me want to crawl under my desk and suck my thumb.

Same here and hot wheel tracks.

BTW the tutotial is great and I would also like to post it the the local group site if permissable.

[Vitus von Atzinger]

You cannot make a young person understand how much being hit by a section of Hot Wheels track hurt.

[sha-ul]

I am not kidding here. That very wooden spoon in the pic was used to whap me by my mom in the early 1970's.

your mom did that too

[Sigurd Fjalarson]

Awesome tutorial! With some low profile elbow cops you got a pretty swanky armour to hide under sleeves.

Vitus,

Also, scabbard tutorial, if you please, Sir.

Yes please!

[Steve S.]

What I like most about this "tutorial" is it is highlighting a suspicion I have had for a long time and am just now finding true in practice.

Armour should fit well. I have found that much of the sense of cumbersomeness of armour comes not from the weight of the armour but from armour that just doesn't fit well.

Steve

[Jonathon More]

You cannot make a young person understand how much being hit by a section of Hot Wheels track hurt.

and how! there was nothing worse than that F%^&*&N orange hot wheels track!


Killkenny- thanks, that answers my queation perfectly. I have never done leather armour at all other than C.O.P.s (totally different) and latigo straps. I probably would have used some the black latigo we bought that Amy has been making turnshoes from.

[Peikko]

...I got the drumsticks from the drummer for The Business...

OK, I'm jealous too

I miss Oi! Not much being played in these parts nowadays.