Resurrecting old armor

[pmeagher]

I've been lurking for a bit, and saw a regular poster. I hope he takes these posts in good humor as I am restoring some of his old work.

Background:

I purchased a set or armor for a song, mostly for the clam shells, as I had egg (nothing wrong with egg) and was moving to pole-arm (talhoffer).
So I picked up the set, for a song.

The guilty will remain name-less, but for a hint - everything is purple.

The set was used for 20 years, and then sat in a basement for 10 years.

Rust removal is mandatory.

I purchased the set with the intention as household loaner gear, (and to steal the gauntlets )

I no longer have the helmet, the new "owner" is padding and strapping the gorget (never pass up a learning opportunity).

So I will show you the progress on the stuff I do still have. Arms, Legs, and a coat of plates.

Hopefully during war I will take a photo of the helm & the praying mantis mark. As it will be there.

So the helm is not Mac's work.



So here's where we begin.



And after a bit on the wire wheel - let the wheel do the work!



It did not come out as well as I hoped, so I will be trying a new product (for me) on this: Evapo rusthttp://www.harborfreight.com/http-www-h ... -html.html

Stay tuned & We'll know how it goes



Uh oh!



This arm has seen better days.



Much better.



A bit of pitting, but the rust is gone.



Not too bad.



Masked to paint the inside.

Stay tuned for more.

- Pete

Thescorre
House Three Swans

** All pictures taken with iPotato**

[Konstantin the Red]

Welcome and well come to the Archive, Pete, pmeagher.

Restoring old harness from the early 1980s that still has enough to it to pass with the Marshallate is a mitzvah. Bless ya for it!

Every now and then we see projects like this. Sometimes they emerge from the darkness of an auctioned-off storage cubicle, with a somewhat out of his depth eBay seller trying to unload it. Well, if he finds a buyer, more power to him. Sometimes the darkness they emerge from is somebody's garage where he retired his old kit to.

Sometimes the restoration effort is very laborious. How 'bout that Evapo-Rust, eh? Very highly regarded around here. Very good for fixing up crudded riveted mail too. We also like Ballistol, Simple Green on mail, Naval Jelly (particularly for spot stabilizing of rust and pitting), Rust Reformer for the inside of helmets and armor pieces if they have rusted a little. The last makes a great primer too. WD-40 we like some, but less; it has its minuses but it's a lot better than just leaving it.

[pmeagher]

Every now and then we see projects like this. Sometimes they emerge from the darkness of an auctioned-off storage cubicle, with a somewhat out of his depth eBay seller trying to unload it. Well, if he finds a buyer, more power to him. Sometimes the darkness they emerge from is somebody's garage where he retired his old kit to.

Sometimes the restoration effort is very laborious. How 'bout that Evapo-Rust, eh? Very highly regarded around here. Very good for fixing up crudded riveted mail too. We also like Ballistol, Simple Green on mail, Naval Jelly (particularly for spot stabilizing of rust and pitting), Rust Reformer for the inside of helmets and armor pieces if they have rusted a little. The last makes a great primer too. WD-40 we like some, but less; it has its minuses but it's a lot better than just leaving it.

Thanks! Simple Green makes me sneeze. I don't know why. But anywhoo. Naval jelly is ftw! My friend (Phil) has an extant hauberk from Ireland - 1590. And preserved it by removing the rust with naval Jelly, and a preservative recommended by the museum.

http://www.amazon.com/Corrosion-Technol ... GW9K06H98Y

He's not SCADian yet - just add water

[pmeagher]

Mac: Your secret is now safe



Hearing protection + wire wheel is a good idea



the other elbow cop - this will get a splinted vambrace added to it. Sorry no before photo.



Painted the inside



The gauntlets

Stay tuned for more.

- Pete

Thescorre
House Three Swans

** All pictures taken with iPotato**

[Mac]

Well, Pete..... This is certainly a surprise!

I have not been keeping up here lately, and just noticed this thread. I started in from the last post and scrolled rapidly through the pics with a growing sense of deja vu The shape of the elbow wings looked eerily familiar, but I fought down the thought... When I got to the pic of the point of the elbow it seemed the resemblance to my old work was genuinely uncanny. When I got the the pic of the vambrace with my name on the inside, I could no longer exist in a state of denial, and had to go to the top of the thread and read it all.

It's taken a few hours, but I remember now, that very sheet of 18ga. The guys at Finger Lakes Fabricating had ordered it in for me, and my name and the order number were on it in paint pen. That stuff's a bugger to remove, so I left it. I guess I should have removed it....

These arms and gauntlets must date from about 1984 or thereabouts. I might still have the templates. If so, they might be dated.

The gauntlets are one of the first pairs of "fingulated" mittens I ever made. I was not long after this that I got a welding rig and began welding the cuffs on. The fact that they are gaping at the knuckle is shameful, but not surprising. There were some teething problems with the design that took a bit of working out. That first lame also intrudes into the knuckle space too much on the early models; so be aware and pad accordingly.

Did you get the leg armor as well? I think it was the usual "Myrkfaelinn Munitions" style with lame-less articulation.

I presume that the purple-leather covered coat of plates is naught but tatters at this time.

So... who made the helmet? It's pretty attractive from the eyes up. I would be pleased enough to be able to say I made it back then, but I didn't. Last time I saw A. S. in armor, he had a great helm...one of my MKVs, I think.

It makes me wonder what else of my old stuff is still out there.

Mac

[Signo]

Sometimes they come back.

[Ernst]

Naval jelly is ftw! My friend (Phil) has an extant hauberk from Ireland - 1590. And preserved it by removing the rust with naval Jelly, and a preservative recommended by the museum.

Noooo!!!!!!

[pmeagher]

Well, Pete..... This is certainly a surprise!

I have not been keeping up here lately, and just noticed this thread. I started in from the last post and scrolled rapidly through the pics with a growing sense of deja vu The shape of the elbow wings looked eerily familiar, but I fought down the thought... When I got to the pic of the point of the elbow it seemed the resemblance to my old work was genuinely uncanny. When I got the the pic of the vambrace with my name on the inside, I could no longer exist in a state of denial, and had to go to the top of the thread and read it all.

It's taken a few hours, but I remember now, that very sheet of 18ga. The guys at Finger Lakes Fabricating had ordered it in for me, and my name and the order number were on it in paint pen. That stuff's a bugger to remove, so I left it. I guess I should have removed it....

These arms and gauntlets must date from about 1984 or thereabouts. I might still have the templates. If so, they might be dated.

The gauntlets are one of the first pairs of "fingulated" mittens I ever made. I was not long after this that I got a welding rig and began welding the cuffs on. The fact that they are gaping at the knuckle is shameful, but not surprising. There were some teething problems with the design that took a bit of working out. That first lame also intrudes into the knuckle space too much on the early models; so be aware and pad accordingly.

Did you get the leg armor as well? I think it was the usual "Myrkfaelinn Munitions" style with lame-less articulation.

I presume that the purple-leather covered coat of plates is naught but tatters at this time.

So... who made the helmet? It's pretty attractive from the eyes up. I would be pleased enough to be able to say I made it back then, but I didn't. Last time I saw A. S. in armor, he had a great helm...one of my MKVs, I think.

It makes me wonder what else of my old stuff is still out there.

Mac

I'm glad you didn't remove the paint pen. I've seen your very encouraging posts for the new armorers. "You can do this." And even if it is sometimes uncomfortable to look at old work. I thought it would be good for us beginners, and hobbyists to see that we all start somewhere.

I'm happy that you remember that sheet of 18ga. Memory is funny, when working with our hands things rapidly become a part of us.

The "fingulated" mittens still work great. The original leather gloves are still intact! With a few tears, and will have to be replaced in another year or so.

I have the leg armor, that is the last project. I have some functional legs that are being used instead. An early experiment in plastic (oven racks make interesting marks).

The coat of plates is ok. It could still be worn, however there is some fatigue where the shoulder seams are riveted, that could induce armor failure. My thought was to repair it, so the fighter is more worried about his opponent, than his armor.

I'll post some pictures tonight, of the before status.

The MKV has found it's new home in Boston. But will be returning to service at war this year. That was the second piece I restored, unfortunately the iPotato ate the photos.

I will take pictures at war.

The other helm is almost done. The evapo-rust experiment was largely successful.

I'll post some photos for forensic analysis. But as there are no marks, its maker may be lost forever to the annals of history

- Pete

Thescorre
House Three Swans

[Mac]

I did a quick search of the templatorium to see if any of the templates for this guy's armor still exist. As far as I can tell, the only thing I still have is the template set for the gorget. It's a typical "Myrkfaelinn Munitions" style gorget. It will have had a hinge on one side and either a buckle or a keyhole and stud on the other. The hinge may not have been a hand made one at that time. It will originally have had a layer of "ensolite" glued in.


The template is dated "March '85", but not all of his armor was built in one campaign. The note "16-16 1/2" is the wearer's neck circumference. The lines are almost certainly the tracings of a smaller gorget from which this template was developed. Although they are not indicated, the hem allowances will have been included in this template. Notches to make an unhemmed bit on each end of the back plate for the underlap will have been cut in as needed before the hems were turned.



Mac

[James Arlen Gillaspie]

Oh, Lord! Now I'm having anxiety attacks about my early pauldrons showing up! I simply cannot understand what I was thinking when I made those things...

[Mac]

We all have some projects in our past that we hope have passed quietly into a landfill.

There are two that I dread the zombie return of more than any others.....

....Number one is my first attempt at a cuirasse. It was a breast and back made in segments like Churburg 13, but with no compound curvature whatsoever. It was not mounted on leather, but rather its 19ga plates were riveted tightly, the underlaps having been notched and bent. Even the coat of black paint did not keep people from calling it "the Great Pumpkin.
....The second is a suite of dragon-winged knees, elbows, pauldrons, gauntlets, and helm that I made for a certain Lord of Melniboné . The helm featured hinged wings that could be locked out to the sides, or fold over the face to become the visor. A removable spike could be threaded into the hole in the top of this onion shaped spangen (!) helm to complete the effect. I am sure it is all still out there... somewhere... waiting for the moment when the forces of Chaos are strong enough.....and it will reappear like some soul sucking grim reaper.

Mac

[Greylond]

The second is a suite of dragon-winged knees, elbows, pauldrons, gauntlets, and helm that I made for a certain Lord of Melniboné . The helm featured hinged wings that could be locked out to the sides, or fold over the face to become the visor. A removable spike could be threaded into the hole in the top of this onion shaped spangen (!) helm to complete the effect. I am sure it is all still out there... somewhere... waiting for the moment when the forces of Chaos are strong enough.....and it will reappear like some soul sucking grim reaper.

Most epic thing evar.

[Kristoffer]

The description got me so excited I would pay to see that helmet! Anyone out there who wants to take my money?

[pmeagher]

Legs!





The poor things!





30 year old "ensolite". Yum!



The ensolite didn't survive here

The infamous purple coat of plates:





tearing at the shoulder



Tearing at the sides.

Mac: Are those roofing nails?



The inside



More 30 year old ensolite!



A makers mark!

Mac, I'm confused. Now for posterity: Were you playing around with a candle and a Mantis? Or are these someone else's that have been attached?

- Pete

Thescorre
House Three Swans

** All pictures taken with iPotato**

[pmeagher]

The helmet:



It's like Christmas! OK... maybe your parents were better at wrapping.

I used the paper towel + saran wrap method here - saves on material.



The paper towel makes an interesting pattern

Note: it will dry out, and the paper towel will glue itself to the piece. Rinse in water before attempting to unwrap. (Take the plastic wrap off first)

Before & after pictures:



Before



After



The new owner won't be ashamed to take the field .





Oooh! Shiny! Yeah there is some pitting.... but loaner gear, am I right?





Forensic pictures. For science! These hammer blows are definitely not Mac's.



I couldn't quite get all of the rust off the edge.

I could, cut off the rivets, and remove the bar grille. Then buff off the rust with the wire wheel. Or... not.

I'm going with not.

[Sean Powell]

A makers mark!

Mac, I'm confused. Now for posterity: Were you playing around with a candle and a Mantis? Or are these someone else's that have been attached?

- Pete

Thescorre
House Three Swans

** All pictures taken with iPotato**

Most likely the candle from the Dominion of Myrkfaelinn. Maybe be from before the laurel wreath was added or maybe simplified to make an easier makers mark bust most likely and 'if found please return to' sort of mark.

Sean

[Konstantin the Red]

Yeh, them laigs're pretty villainous all right. And they'd STILL do okay as munition/loaner, and the more so if somebody pulls 'em apart and inserts lames above and below the cop. Particularly once the suspension points get shifted from front to lateral/fore-lateral.

The basc is cleaning up nice. If I were owning the basc I'd go after smoothing the grill welds with a rattail file. That one easy step does an amazing job of prettification.

Maybe a bit of drift-pinning to restore the curvature to the bars at eye level, port side? They're flattened in compared to the slightly convex bars a-starboard.

There's always chemistry for the stuff you don't wirebrush. And Rust Reformer to prime the interior. You want to preserve its inside in depth, you go lightly rusted metal/Rust Reformer (following its directions so you don't react the whole canful)/rattlecan primer/Rust-Oleum spraycan top coat. Interior will be rust free until the skull cracks from fatigue.

http://myrkfaelinn.aethelmearc.org/

[Ld Thomas Willoughby]

I use paint stripper wheels chucked in my drill press for rust removal.

[Konstantin the Red]

His deal was there're sheltered places he's not going to get his wheel/brush to, all about the edges of the grill.

It's rather a lesson to the rest of us that we'd not want to overlap the bargrill over the helmet metal very much except on a hinged visor/grill-visor, hm? A fixed grill should work just fine with only a frame, if there is one, overlapping the helmet's edges, and work all the easier and better with three points of fastening, port, starboard, and centerline. I like it; it's as elegant as it is strong.

The asymmetrical skull with the differing curvatures for port half and starboard half shall be lived with. Another good lesson for us gnewbs.

[pmeagher]

Yeh, them laigs're pretty villainous all right. And they'd STILL do okay as munition/loaner, and the more so if somebody pulls 'em apart and inserts lames above and below the cop. Particularly once the suspension points get shifted from front to lateral/fore-lateral.

The basc is cleaning up nice. If I were owning the basc I'd go after smoothing the grill welds with a rattail file. That one easy step does an amazing job of prettification.

Maybe a bit of drift-pinning to restore the curvature to the bars at eye level, port side? They're flattened in compared to the slightly convex bars a-starboard.

There's always chemistry for the stuff you don't wirebrush. And Rust Reformer to prime the interior. You want to preserve its inside in depth, you go lightly rusted metal/Rust Reformer (following its directions so you don't react the whole canful)/rattlecan primer/Rust-Oleum spraycan top coat. Interior will be rust free until the skull cracks from fatigue.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
His deal was there're sheltered places he's not going to get his wheel/brush to, all about the edges of the grill.

It's rather a lesson to the rest of us that we'd not want to overlap the bargrill over the helmet metal very much except on a hinged visor/grill-visor, hm? A fixed grill should work just fine with only a frame, if there is one, overlapping the helmet's edges, and work all the easier and better with three points of fastening, port, starboard, and centerline. I like it; it's as elegant as it is strong.

The asymmetrical skull with the differing curvatures for port half and starboard half shall be lived with. Another good lesson for us gnewbs.

The inside of the helmet has been painted. Albeit with generic flat back auto primer.

I'll let the new owner know about the rat-tail file option - to clean up the welds. Good idea.

Great point about the over-lapping bar grille. Hopefully someone with better skills than I can take away from this.

- Pete

Thescorre
House Three Swans

[Konstantin the Red]

Yeah, some rattlecan paint at least; better than bare metal with glue and Smurf blubber stuck in. That multicoat option is for passivating ANY oxidation that may be happening out of sight.

Taking a semi-educated guess, I suspect a movable, hinged visor/grill wants fairly substantial overlap onto the helmet, and a fixed, frame-type bargrill wants only the frame to sit on the helmet's metal, if that. It could be held right off the metal on the flat-stock metal tabs.

A low-pro fixed grill would fit the flat-stock interiorly and flush riveted if you want it readily convertible, with the ends of the bars flush fitted, welded to the flat stock in notches taking the ends of the bars by about a quarter inch for lots of weld marrying flat-stock to bar end, the bars stepped to continue smoothly from helmet exterior to the bar itself at the helmet's edge, thus to continue smoothly from helmet edge to centerbar to the other edge of the face.

Did a little calculating once, adding the thickness of 1/8" flat bar stock to 14ga helmet metal -- hmm, there was only a tiny bit of the diameter of 1/4" round stock in the grill that needed a step filed into it to fit flush to the helmet's steel. Well, now, thinx I, wasn't that interesting! Almost all of the 1/4" rod's metal is still there making up the structure and strength of the grill.

Welding makes a slick centerbar of flat bar stock for the grill. You don't really have to drill the flat stock to pass rods through if you have an angle grinder: the bars lie in notches a quarter inch deep along the outside curve of the centerbar, and are welded into place. Very strong and very slick, particularly after file cleanup. Give the top of the centerbar a half twist and you've a tab to drill and rivet at top center. Make that extension long enough going up the basc's brow and you can sketch the look of a visor lock even in a fixed-grill, and you have the hole location for installing a centerhinge visor should you ever upgrade the fixed-grill basc into a Klapp.

[Mac]

A makers mark!

Mac, I'm confused. Now for posterity: Were you playing around with a candle and a Mantis? Or are these someone else's that have been attached?

- Pete

Thescorre
House Three Swans

** All pictures taken with iPotato**

Most likely the candle from the Dominion of Myrkfaelinn. Maybe be from before the laurel wreath was added or maybe simplified to make an easier makers mark bust most likely and 'if found please return to' sort of mark.

Sean

Now we are probing back into the dim recesses of memory. I certainly used the candle mark to indicate Myrkfaelinn municipal property. At some time, all the steel armor in the loaner closet was thus marked. I have a dim recollection, however of having originally used that mark to denote all munitions quality stuff from the shop. I remember stamping those shoulders; I just don't remember why.

Mac

[Mac]

Upon seeing more pics of that bascinet, I feel compelled to take back my earlier comments about it.

It turns out to have only one angle from which is "looks good from the eyes up".



....from other angles.... not so much.



There's a lesson in photography here.

Mac

[Mac]

Mac: Are those roofing nails?




- Pete

Thescorre
House Three Swans

** All pictures taken with iPotato**

Yes. Yes they are.

Let me point out that even after something like thirty years they have not turned the leather under the heads into green goo like their overpriced copper brethren are wont to do.

Mac

[pmeagher]

Yes. Yes they are.

Let me point out that even after something like thirty years they have not turned the leather under the heads into green goo like their overpriced copper brethren are wont to do.

Mac

Great point! Is there something else you'd recommend when joining plates to leather?

I can go the roofing nail route again. They don't look bad, and they work.

Also, if you don't mind. What's the best way to remove them? I was going to cut them off with a dremel cutting wheel & then use a punch.

[Mac]

For joining leather to steel it's really hard to beat the humble roofing nail. They have a very good head-to-shank ratio and the irregular outline is very authentic looking.

They are unfortunately not without a couple of drawbacks.....
---They are quite hard. This means that you must cut them so that they barely protrude (if at all) from the hole in the plate. These days, I would recommend a shallow countersinking of the hole, and then cutting the rivet/nail so that it is essentially flush with the inside of the plate. If the hole is sized correctly (ie a close fit) a few light taps will expand the shank into the countersink. The necessary length will come from the head gently compressing the leather.
---They frequently have a ridge on the underside of the head. This is a tool mark from the "gripper" of the heading machine. You can flatten this ridge out by dropping the nail into a "header" and giving it a whap with a hammer. The header can be a loose fitting hole in any old piece of bar stock. A "proper" header (hardened and tempered etc.) would be nice, but not worth making for a few nails.
---They are galvanized. This is not all bad. Zinc is the best thing going for rust prevention. You will notice that the only nails that are rusted are the ones whose heads had been in contact with the arming garment. That is to say that they suffered many hours of abrasion in a 100 degree saline solution. The nails on the outside of the coat of plates are still in pretty good shape.

Some folks will wrinkle up their noses at the idea of condoning the use of a thing that is zinc plated, but few of them can actually tell the difference between zinc and tin. Just tell 'em all that they are tinned, and feign ignorance when they complain.

Mac

[wcallen]

The only thing I don't like about roofing nails is that they seem to have gotten pretty cheap sometime since I used them a lot. I have had several where the heads just pop off. That is annoying. Other than that and the flashing that you have to bash with a header like Mac recommended, they are great for attaching leather to steel. They are much closer to what I find inside old armour than most other things that are actually available for sale these days.

And they do seem to have changed over to a more "bright" and even galvanizing sometime in the last few decades. They really do look a lot like they are tinned.

Wade

[Sean Powell]

---They frequently have a ridge on the underside of the head. This is a tool mark from the "gripper" of the heading machine. You can flatten this ridge out by dropping the nail into a "header" and giving it a whap with a hammer. The header can be a loose fitting hole in any old piece of bar stock. A "proper" header (hardened and tempered etc.) would be nice, but not worth making for a few nails.

Mac

Or throw them back in the box and grab a different nail. The flash won't make a difference on sheet-rock or shingles. Maybe I got lucky but only 1 in 10 had flash. Not even worth drilling a hole compared to the time to drop aside and grab a new one.

Sean

[pmeagher]

Wow! Mac, Wade, Sean. Thank you . Roofing nails it is!

[Ckanite]

Ya know, I've never considered fixing that seam thingy on them before. I just save those ones for when I'm working on thicker steel projects as opposed to leather or aluminum...

[HugoSteinhardt]

pmeagher,

I would recommend removing the rivets from the bar grille. two reasons! first getting in there to get the rest of the helm cleaned up would be visually awesome and help its longevity. Second, and possibly more important, this helm has 30 years on it, 10 of which it sat rusting in the basement. I would recommend removing the rivets for cleaning and applying new rivets so you know the grille is held in place well.

This is just my opinion, i would do it to a helm i got from a similar situation. I also don't have it in hand and can't feel the helm. I'm also paranoid and would not like the grille to separate or loosen mid combat xD you never know until you get it in combat.

[pmeagher]

pmeagher,

I would recommend removing the rivets from the bar grille. two reasons! first getting in there to get the rest of the helm cleaned up would be visually awesome and help its longevity. Second, and possibly more important, this helm has 30 years on it, 10 of which it sat rusting in the basement. I would recommend removing the rivets for cleaning and applying new rivets so you know the grille is held in place well.

This is just my opinion, i would do it to a helm i got from a similar situation. I also don't have it in hand and can't feel the helm. I'm also paranoid and would not like the grille to separate or loosen mid combat xD you never know until you get it in combat.

Thanks! Good advice. The Helm isn't Mac's -or any other maker of note. So I'm not worried about preserving a muni-grade helm for posterity. There are flaws in it's construction as previously stated, and is loaner gear.

I also picked up two more helms from a nice poster on a Craigs listing (two years on Craigs list - no hits - not stolen). And plastic cop, and muni arms. Add a stainless gorget. So I'm no longer worried about the lack of loner helms.

Sorry for the confusion.

The rest of the kit is Mac's. Due to the level of his skill, and notoriety - it is only proper that I show due respect. And he cared enough to roll the edges where the armor might bite, and the quality of his hammer blows.

I will endeavor to do my best to preserve his kit. That's kinda the point of this post.

And to demonstrate where Mac came from.

I thought that was important, to demonstrate humble beginnings, to a certain amount of notoriety over a life time.

The care, and excellence he demonstrates, even in a kit from his start. Can show the journey of a craftsman.

This I think illustrates his point...

That we can all do this.

[pmeagher]

I did a quick search of the templatorium to see if any of the templates for this guy's armor still exist. As far as I can tell, the only thing I still have is the template set for the gorget. It's a typical "Myrkfaelinn Munitions" style gorget. It will have had a hinge on one side and either a buckle or a keyhole and stud on the other. The hinge may not have been a hand made one at that time. It will originally have had a layer of "ensolite" glued in.


The template is dated "March '85", but not all of his armor was built in one campaign. The note "16-16 1/2" is the wearer's neck circumference. The lines are almost certainly the tracings of a smaller gorget from which this template was developed. Although they are not indicated, the hem allowances will have been included in this template. Notches to make an unhemmed bit on each end of the back plate for the underlap will have been cut in as needed before the hems were turned.



Mac

Here's the finished piece, buffed out and painted. Waiting for strapping and padding.



Here's a detail of the hinge, and mark.

- Pete

Thescorre
House Three Swans

** All pictures taken with iPotato**

[Duane W]

Mac - I think you're safe on the great pumpkin armour. The last owner hasn't been seen in two decades and at that time he wore it very rarely. As to the dragon - winged onion top - I think the Lord of Melnibone of whom you speak hasn't been seen for at least a decade and a half. The basinet that you made me , that is a contemporary to the dragon winged spectacle is still in service , thought it is starting to look its age. BTW- I didn't think the great purple one's neck was that small. Go figure.

Take care,

D-wayne

[Mac]

Why, looky thar'! It has a hand-made hinge. These may be one of my first "real" hinges. They're not very nice, but then again the hems aren't very smooth either.



That mark appears on armor from my "second period". I changed over to something with more of a nod to authenticity after a few years.

Mac