Japanese Armor...
Japanese Armor...
Well since I have no chance of winning This, I thought that I might try my hand at it. So first thing is first. Where to start? Anyone knonw of any comprehensive sites with armor how to's, studies, pictures, nudity? wait scratch the last one. I appreciate all the help you may have to offer. =)
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Minamoto
- Archive Member
- Posts: 182
- Joined: Sat Nov 10, 2001 2:01 am
- Location: Milwaukee, WI USA
- Contact:
If you're looking for information on building japanese armour i would recommend starting with Baron Effinghams website.
http://www.geocities.com/sengokudaimyo/katchu/0.Home.html
Joe
Minamoto no Akira Yoda
Minamoto Armouries
www.scaarmor.com
http://www.geocities.com/sengokudaimyo/katchu/0.Home.html
Joe
Minamoto no Akira Yoda
Minamoto Armouries
www.scaarmor.com
Minamoto! The man I wanted to speak with. I loved your armor on e-bay. I had a question or six. How do you start the whole process? Patterns made out of paper? How about the lacing? What do you use for lacing and where can I obtain the un-obtainable? I can't find any info on it anywhere. Is leather pretty protective when using it in japanese armor?I'm sure there will be more questions. but, man that armor is sweet...now if only had about $700 lying about...
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Kyle Wiegers
- Archive Member
- Posts: 128
- Joined: Fri Aug 03, 2001 1:01 am
- Location: Lincoln Nebraska, USA
Well, I won't speak for Minamoto, but I will say how I went about it.
First, Effingham's site really is the place to start...and finish. It doesn't get much better than his site.
Second, yes, you start with tagboard (thin cardboard) patterns before you move onto metal.
Lacing is either shoelaces (in bulk spools from the factory), or nylon ribbon. The real stuff is silk, but silk stretches when it is wet, not to mention being a biological product is apt to be eaten by insects. It doesn't wash that well.
I would make a harrate if I were to do my first one. They only wrap around the front of your torso leaving the back unprotected, but if all you want is armor to have and not to fight in this ought to be good. It would be for me.
[img]http://www.geocities.com/sengokudaimyo/katchu/GRAPHICS/illos/makeDo/haraate1.jpg[/img]
[This message has been edited by Kyle Wiegers (edited 01-18-2002).]
First, Effingham's site really is the place to start...and finish. It doesn't get much better than his site.
Second, yes, you start with tagboard (thin cardboard) patterns before you move onto metal.
Lacing is either shoelaces (in bulk spools from the factory), or nylon ribbon. The real stuff is silk, but silk stretches when it is wet, not to mention being a biological product is apt to be eaten by insects. It doesn't wash that well.
I would make a harrate if I were to do my first one. They only wrap around the front of your torso leaving the back unprotected, but if all you want is armor to have and not to fight in this ought to be good. It would be for me.
[img]http://www.geocities.com/sengokudaimyo/katchu/GRAPHICS/illos/makeDo/haraate1.jpg[/img]
[This message has been edited by Kyle Wiegers (edited 01-18-2002).]
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Minamoto
- Archive Member
- Posts: 182
- Joined: Sat Nov 10, 2001 2:01 am
- Location: Milwaukee, WI USA
- Contact:
Like Kyle Said, check out The good barons website it has all the information you need to know and he knows alot more about Japanese armour the I do. I'm sure he could point out over a dozen mistakes on my harness thats up for auction right now. As for lacing again its on the barons website, i belive he recomends a product called sew perfect as the best. From what ive seen Bulk roll shoelace is probably the best bet for the cash concious, in fact Kyle, do you mind if i ask you where you got yours? ive been holding off making more japanese armour untill i could find a supplier of bulk roll shoe lace. btw was that a pic of the armor you made? if so it looks like a very nice rig.
as far as protection level goes, the harness that is up for auction is light. I used it only for events and regional fighter practices. My next haress will be out of leather but from a 12-14 oz weight instead of a 10oz weight. I also Always wear at least a thin gambeson to help absorb some of the force.
oh and also, I usualy draw out most of my patterns on tag board first, heartier then papper and only 36 cents for a big 2ft by 3ft section at walmart. but for that harness all i did was draw out rectangle with a square on the back of the leather. i had taken my measurements with the gambeson on and then i just divided that number up by the number of sections i wanted. (both verticly and horizontaly) so while i have a pattern for the kabuto and somen there no pattern for the actual DO. the Kote i just took some measurements of my arms and hand drew a patter on the cloth cut it out, sewed in some cotton batting in some areas to pad it lightly and then hand sewed the plates on. The Hiadate, same thing but i never got around to sewing on the armoured plates. thats the funny thing about that armour i never actualy full finished it, as i had planned on putting plates on the Hiadate & making Suneate for it. ah well. The pattern for the hakama i obtained from period patterns i believe. its the company that makes patterns one usualy sees at SCA events. I ordered it off their website. The Gambeson pattern was obtained by taking apart an old Gi top from my teeneage tae kwon do days. since i had long left TKD for Jujutsu & Ninpo i no longer had a need for a 10yr old white Gi that said DA Yuns TaeKwonDo on the back.
I just ripped it apart at the seems and used the pieces for a pattern. I'm planning to do the same with an old pair of Tabi I have, as soon as i get the motivation to start my new harness i plan on making some armoured tabi to go with it. Now if i can only get veg tan to take white dye properly i'll be able to be true to my vision of my new harness. last attempt at dyeing leather white went poorly.
Joe
Minamoto no Akira Yoda
Minamoto Armouries
www.scaarmor.com
[This message has been edited by Minamoto (edited 01-18-2002).]
as far as protection level goes, the harness that is up for auction is light. I used it only for events and regional fighter practices. My next haress will be out of leather but from a 12-14 oz weight instead of a 10oz weight. I also Always wear at least a thin gambeson to help absorb some of the force.
oh and also, I usualy draw out most of my patterns on tag board first, heartier then papper and only 36 cents for a big 2ft by 3ft section at walmart. but for that harness all i did was draw out rectangle with a square on the back of the leather. i had taken my measurements with the gambeson on and then i just divided that number up by the number of sections i wanted. (both verticly and horizontaly) so while i have a pattern for the kabuto and somen there no pattern for the actual DO. the Kote i just took some measurements of my arms and hand drew a patter on the cloth cut it out, sewed in some cotton batting in some areas to pad it lightly and then hand sewed the plates on. The Hiadate, same thing but i never got around to sewing on the armoured plates. thats the funny thing about that armour i never actualy full finished it, as i had planned on putting plates on the Hiadate & making Suneate for it. ah well. The pattern for the hakama i obtained from period patterns i believe. its the company that makes patterns one usualy sees at SCA events. I ordered it off their website. The Gambeson pattern was obtained by taking apart an old Gi top from my teeneage tae kwon do days. since i had long left TKD for Jujutsu & Ninpo i no longer had a need for a 10yr old white Gi that said DA Yuns TaeKwonDo on the back.
I just ripped it apart at the seems and used the pieces for a pattern. I'm planning to do the same with an old pair of Tabi I have, as soon as i get the motivation to start my new harness i plan on making some armoured tabi to go with it. Now if i can only get veg tan to take white dye properly i'll be able to be true to my vision of my new harness. last attempt at dyeing leather white went poorly.Joe
Minamoto no Akira Yoda
Minamoto Armouries
www.scaarmor.com
[This message has been edited by Minamoto (edited 01-18-2002).]
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Kyle Wiegers
- Archive Member
- Posts: 128
- Joined: Fri Aug 03, 2001 1:01 am
- Location: Lincoln Nebraska, USA
Well, Spankster just just posted again on the forum specifically asking about where to buy lacing.
Shoelaces
www.lacesforless.com
I didn't use shoe laces myself. I'm using nylon ribbon that I bought from a sewing store in my city.
No, that harratte isn't mine. That picture is from Effingham's site. I would put up pictures of my project, but they're currently upgrading the servers of the site I use.
[This message has been edited by Kyle Wiegers (edited 01-19-2002).]
Shoelaces
www.lacesforless.com
I didn't use shoe laces myself. I'm using nylon ribbon that I bought from a sewing store in my city.
No, that harratte isn't mine. That picture is from Effingham's site. I would put up pictures of my project, but they're currently upgrading the servers of the site I use.
[This message has been edited by Kyle Wiegers (edited 01-19-2002).]