The Armour Archive

I've got 22 lames done, out of the expected 250 that I'll need

I'll be posting pics later this evening or tomorow of the work; I'll be wax hardening them today unless something big comes up.

This is to be my first big armour project, and by Freyr I'll see it done!

Its made of 9-10 oz black buffalo hide--I might go on a brief hiatus soon to order more hide, as the one I currenty have is property of user Nexus, who is letting me use it, as it is our "experimental" piece.

Its not going to be the prettiest piece, as each lame is handcut and punched individually, so they're a tad different here and there, but all well within tolorences.

I might be selling it when done, might not, not exactly sure how well the market for this kind of thing is; I had a potential customer for something similar but unfortunatly he didn't get back to me on my price offer, so I'm guessing he's out. (He wanted Visby shaped scales, however.)

Well, leave any comments, tips, well wishes, and the like; I'm off to go do something at the moment.


M.

101 views and no well wishing? Wow my low popularity has taken a plunge as of late.

Well here we go...

Some of my first few batch cooling


Some more


The way its probobly going to be laced


Alternitive to lacing it the normal way, incase I want to make a "fantasy" armour.


More pics to come as I continue the project and accually start lacing them together. Each scale is was impregnated and rather stiff--I think I did a decient job; though that reminds me I need closeups.

I'll give ya some well wishes.
yay, well wishes!

you have WAY more patience than i do, i thought of making soe lamnilar, but i think lacing it would push my paience to the edge, et alone making the lamnilae(sp?) as well

Suggestion
Make a metal template piece, with the holes carefully aligned, use it to lay out your pieces
You can cut heavy leather with a coping saw, band saw (be carefull) or sabre saw (be very carefull).
Line up your plates secure them into a block, and use a coping saw to clean up any individual plate that is too far out of true.
use the metal template to either mark out your punching holes, or as a jig to guide a drill - the more regular the plates are the better this will look, and work
Best of luck with it

mordreth wrote:Suggestion
Make a metal template piece, with the holes carefully aligned, use it to lay out your pieces

That's exactly what I was thinking when I saw these pictures. It's too bad when such a time consuming project just doesn't have *that* touch to it, when it's still a very cool thing.
When you can't get your hands on a metal template, I'd suggest you make it out of carton. It just takes care of a consistent look.

heres a couple things you could do to make it all go faster.
1.use a strap cutter to cut the leather into staps that are equal widths.you can find one here http://www.tandyleather.com/products.asp?dept=205
2. cut to size using a template piece I used a belt ender to make all my points uniform.you can find one here http://www.tandyleather.com/products.asp?dept=206
3. a sharpened framing nail works better then a hole punch or drill bit I made a jig to hold a stack of 10 or so plates and a drill press to do the holes more quickly.
hope these hints help.

M. Eversberg II wrote:I've got 22 lames done, out of the expected 250 that I'll need

Would this be a bad time to point out there is no evidence of leather lamellars?

Werent some kozane made from leather then laquered?
I was also under the impression that some mongolian and tibetan lamellar was both leather and iron. I dont imagine any survived, seeing how leather rots and all, but I still think I've read where leather lamellar was indeed used. I'm still looking for the books that are packed from when we moved but when i find them I'll cite the source.

James B. wrote:

M. Eversberg II wrote:I've got 22 lames done, out of the expected 250 that I'll need

Would this be a bad time to point out there is no evidence of leather lamellars?

The Dura find contained leather lamella

Opps forgot the

I meant it as a bit of humor since he realizes how big his project is.

Very aware, James.

Interesting hole pattern.

Where's it from?

(Doing my own lamellar outta Alluminum, and discovering all the mistakes one can make)

http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/cariadoc/perfect_armor.html

Thats where I got the hole pattern from.

Animal Weretiger wrote:Werent some kozane made from leather then laquered?

Sort of, rawhide was used in place of leather. Small difference, I know, but significant when you consider the whole piece over all. Also kozane IMHO should not be considered lamellar, since the plates are firmly laced and laquered into "bands" that are very rigid... (well, up until the lacquer cracks)

-Takeda

Animal Weretiger wrote:Werent some kozane made from leather then laquered?

Sort of, rawhide was used in place of leather. Small difference, I know, but significant when you consider the whole piece over all. Also kozane IMHO should not be considered lamellar, since the plates are firmly laced and laquered into "bands" that are very rigid... (well, up until the lacquer cracks)

-Takeda

Well the important thing is, I didn't claim this is "historical" at any point, so I should be fine from being torn asudner for my lack of "proof" this exsisted.

Key is, I'm the maker, and I am making this (just like my 24ga decoration spaulders :p)

You'd have to be high to undertake such a project!


Idëval

Nah should be too hard overall.

I'll assume that's a shouldn't be too hard.

And I agree.
I was just ribbin' ya, man.
You know, for that ridiculous comment
about marijuana that you left in the Willie
Thread.

Have fun with the project, and post as many
progress pictures as you can.
Thanks!

Idëval

Ah...so yes thats going to leak over to other threads...and influence opinions. Well, I think its probobly time I packed up and moved to a different forum anyways; my welcome is well overspent.

Thanks for the tips and tricks you've all tought me, and the myth's that've been dispelled, definatly valuable information.

M.

M. Eversberg II wrote:Well, I think its probobly time I packed up and moved to a different forum anyways; my welcome is well overspent.
M.

Yeah, you're probably right.


Idëval

Idëval wrote::D You'd have to be high to undertake such a project!


Idëval

now THAT was funny

Ya know we'll wand photo's of the progress and you fighing in the final product right?

(hint, hint)

-Ivan who-thinks-his-project-ain't-so-bad-after-he-saw-the-photo's-of-it

(I'm lookin' good!)

M. Eversberg II wrote:Ah...so yes thats going to leak over to other threads...and influence opinions.

Off topic, while being off topic, is still a part of this community. How you represent yourself anywhere here is going to influence opinions not just in other threads here but in life as well. Odds are that somewhere down the line you will be in the same place at the same time as many of the other people here and when they meet you, if they put the person together with the poster, will mean that they already have opinions of who you are and what you stand for. The good news is that somewhere in the next 5-20 years you will actually grow up and realize what is going on around you. I know that sounds harsh and that you won't believe me when I say that I honestly didn't mean that as an insult, but it's true. When I was your age, I was very serious about my belief structure. It meant everything to me and I knew that it wouldn't change ever. It did. Much of it still matters to me, all of it helped make me who I am, but the things that I am truly passionate about have completely changed. It's called growing up.

TakedaSanjuichiro wrote:

Animal Weretiger wrote:Werent some kozane made from leather then laquered?

Sort of, rawhide was used in place of leather. Small difference, I know, but significant when you consider the whole piece over all. Also kozane IMHO should not be considered lamellar, since the plates are firmly laced and laquered into "bands" that are very rigid... (well, up until the lacquer cracks)

-Takeda

I disagree. From what I understand Japanese kozane are just as much lamellar as any other style, being plates laced together without a backing. I could be wrong, but this is my understanding.

You'd have to be high to undertake such a project!

Not at all using the methods I listed I was able to make all my plates in a single afternoon.
lacing them together took no longer then my W.M.A. 22 guage stainless plates.

Stahlgrim wrote:

You'd have to be high to undertake such a project!

Not at all using the methods I listed I was able to make all my plates in a single afternoon.
lacing them together took no longer then my W.M.A. 22 guage stainless plates.

Idëval wrote:I'll assume that's a shouldn't be too hard.

And I agree.
I was just ribbin' ya, man.
You know, for that ridiculous comment
about marijuana that you left in the Willie
Thread.

Stahl,
I was ribbing him.
I don't think it's that hard of a
project at all. Very simple, although tedious.


Idëval