Backplate

Kalmaru · Post by **Kalmaru** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 12:27 pm

Hi!

My name is Edvin Kalmaru and I'm 20 years old living in sweden.
For the moment I'm creating a breastplate, and i would appreciate if you could help me with the design of the backplate.
My plan is to make a backplate wich will go over the shoulders and meet with the breastplate. I'm wondering if that's uncomfortable or not?

This is the breastplate:

http://pici.se/629274/
http://pici.se/629277/

Thanks!

AwP · Post by **AwP** » Mon Aug 16, 2010 2:39 pm

Nice breastplate, I'm a big fan of the anima style. I don't think you'd want the back to curl over your shoulder, I think you'd be better served by a leather strap. I've never seen a breastplate that curled like that, I have to assume that there's a reason for it. Maybe someone else will post that it has been done somewhere that I haven't seen, and maybe it's a good idea after all. Is that based on a specific historical piece? If so how was the historical one done?

Pitbull Armory · Post by **Pitbull Armory** » Tue Aug 17, 2010 12:04 am

Hi there, welcome to the AA. Your breastplate looks great, nice work. I used to make the tops of my breastplates and backplates go over the shoulders but it turned out to be a real pain getting the shape right. Ive found a breastplate works better if it stops below the collar bones and rests on muscle instead of bone. You can put steel over the shoulders easily if you have the person in your shop to shape it to.

Take care

Pitbull

Kalmaru · Post by **Kalmaru** » Tue Aug 17, 2010 2:30 am

Thank you for the kind words and your replies!

I haven't based this BP on a historical piece, though i looked quite much at the armour Theoden wore in LOTR

.
The dragon I painted is just for fun, I have no idea how i would attach it to the harness. I think i will just burn it in the grill for a couple of hours until it gets a nice patina.

Pitbull, that's exactly what i was afraid of, and it seems like the best idea is to just use straps. But it feels like the entire harness will get a better construction if they are attached to eachother with metal and not leather?

Sean Powell · Post by **Sean Powell** » Tue Aug 17, 2010 8:08 am

I am (very slowly) in the process of building a back and breast plate combination that connect directly to each other over the shoulder. The shaping was difficult and quite a bit of work was done with both pieces temporarily attached to each other. Considering how far you have gone with the front plate you may find making the back-plate fit perfectly to be a large challenge.

Also, I do not think your current shoulder pieces come far enough back to meet with a backplate. Are you prepared to weld extension pieces to the breastplate so they meet at the correct location?

I would recomend doing the tape and t-shirt pattern thing and then making a cardboard backplate. See if you like the look, especially at the shoulders before cutting steel.

Good luck!

Sean

Kalmaru · Post by **Kalmaru** » Tue Aug 17, 2010 8:22 am

I have started forming the back and you are right about the length of the shoulder pieces. If I want them to meet the backplate have to strech to far to make it look and fit good.

I will cut the shoulderpiece down a bit on the back and do like Pitbull suggested.

Next problem will be to make it the right shape, with the lames going on top of each other on the way down (same principle as on the breastplate and not other way around). I don't want it to be bent so it only fits Quasimodo.

Kalmaru · Post by **Kalmaru** » Mon Sep 06, 2010 8:41 am

Hi!

I have now started forming the back and so far it looks like this:
http://forumbilder.se/Image.aspx?iid=ce201033112PMc378
http://forumbilder.se/Image.aspx?iid=68201033322PMcfd1

and som progress photos:
http://forumbilder.se/Image.aspx?iid=bd201033552PMeb61
http://forumbilder.se/Image.aspx?iid=ad201033851PMa5f8

I have no idea if I should use hinges or leather straps to attach the two pieces. I think the breastplate is to heavy for hinges (made of 2 mm), but I guess it would be much more solid and durable than leatherstraps.

I am also thinking of maunting a gorget (?) (neck protection) on the breast and backplate and connect back and breastplate through this over the shoulders (sorry for my bad explenation, I will take a photo of it later showing what I'm thinking of).
I think it would look nice and it should be quite fun to do.

Edvin Kalmaru

Pitbull Armory · Post by **Pitbull Armory** » Mon Sep 06, 2010 4:16 pm

Hi Kalmaru, your metal work looks excelent so far! I wish I had your skills at 20 years old. Thanks for the pics and keep up the great work.

Take care

Pitbull

Ckanite · Post by **Ckanite** » Mon Sep 06, 2010 6:40 pm

Wow! your work is progressing VERY nicely! keep it up!

Kalmaru · Post by **Kalmaru** » Tue Sep 07, 2010 7:21 am

Thank you for the compliments!

Here are some more progress-pics. Still a lot of work left, but the shape is finally done.

http://forumbilder.se/Image.aspx?iid=24201021049PM38b1
http://forumbilder.se/Image.aspx?iid=36201021400PM53fa
http://forumbilder.se/Image.aspx?iid=08201021437PMc8f3
http://forumbilder.se/Image.aspx?iid=66201021450PM528c
http://forumbilder.se/Image.aspx?iid=5b201021535PM719f
http://forumbilder.se/Image.aspx?iid=11201021607PMeebe
http://forumbilder.se/Image.aspx?iid=7a201021653PM70d8

Edvin Kalmaru

Ckanite · Post by **Ckanite** » Tue Sep 07, 2010 6:04 pm

One question. Are you going to attach faulds to the bottem edge?

Otto von Teich · Post by **Otto von Teich** » Wed Sep 08, 2010 4:40 am

Well done! You should try to get in touch with Ralph Snel. I think he could be alot of help to you on this if he has the time.

Kalmaru · Post by **Kalmaru** » Wed Sep 08, 2010 9:06 am

No, I haven't planned to do a fauld, i fold the back- and breastplate at the bottom instead. It would probobly look cool, but I don't have enough steel at the moment.

Aaa, yes if he had the time it would be great! I think there is an armouring forum like this (but a LOT smaller

) in sweden aswell, and maybe I can get in touch with him there. Thanks for the info!

Kalmaru · Post by **Kalmaru** » Sat Sep 11, 2010 7:29 am

Have worked a bit on the folds around neck and armpits:

http://forumbilder.se/Image.aspx?iid=9d1201022753P8bf5
http://forumbilder.se/Image.aspx?iid=151201022826P9964
http://forumbilder.se/Image.aspx?iid=ca1201022911P1127

Have a nice weekend!

Edvin Kalmaru

Ckanite · Post by **Ckanite** » Sat Sep 11, 2010 2:26 pm

Very nice rolls there! I can't wait to see the thing done!

Kalmaru · Post by **Kalmaru** » Sat Sep 11, 2010 2:39 pm

Thank you!

This is what I am planning for the harness:

http://forumbilder.se/Image.aspx?iid=091201093700Peee4

I will attach the gorget on the harness, so it's not separate (front on breastplate and neck on backplate), and use a rivet constuction of some sort to attach the two pieces instead of straps. Is that a good or crappy idea?
I think it would look quite nice and then I don't need straps on the top.

Ckanite · Post by **Ckanite** » Sat Sep 11, 2010 3:40 pm

I like the idea of the attached gorget! however I would recomend using straps for the shoulders, at least for the time being. You could always go back and attach a pair of solid shoulders later, but for the intrest of your sanity...

sir nigel darby · Post by **sir nigel darby** » Sat Sep 11, 2010 11:06 pm

Your work is really, really nice

I would suggest using straps to hold the front to the back. Resaon is you have leather sitting on your shoulder, not steal biting into it and it gives you an amount of adjustability and a place to attatch spaulders/pauldrons. I think you should make the gorget should sit on top of the breastplate and cover all the straps with the gorget. Nice work though

Nigel

Kalmaru · Post by **Kalmaru** » Sun Sep 12, 2010 4:50 am

I must say I have a real hard time choosing what to do!

I am really tempted to do a gorget, but I guess you are right about, it wont be as comfortable as leather straps.

I will star making one, test if it sits good under the harness or above, and decide when it is done.

Thank you for your replies, I will upg with pics in a day or two.

Edvin Kalmaru

Ckanite · Post by **Ckanite** » Sun Sep 12, 2010 10:12 am

You better! Im eager, very eager to see your work!

Kalmaru · Post by **Kalmaru** » Thu Sep 16, 2010 9:57 am

Here is the gorget:

http://forumbilder.se/Image.aspx?iid=4e6201044226P1eb2
http://forumbilder.se/Image.aspx?iid=446201044430Pde43
http://forumbilder.se/Image.aspx?iid=406201044506P21d6
http://forumbilder.se/Image.aspx?iid=276201044547Pc41b
http://forumbilder.se/Image.aspx?iid=476201044619P33da

It was really hard to do it, and I'm not super pleased with the result. I think I hurried to much through it.
I want it to have a rough look but it seems a little univen in the shapes from some angles.

Soon I will blacken the cuirass and link photos of it.

Cheers!

Edvin Kalmaru

Ckanite · Post by **Ckanite** » Thu Sep 16, 2010 11:55 am

WOW! NOW I'm jelous.... That is beautiful! I want one... :shock:

Kalmaru · Post by **Kalmaru** » Fri Sep 17, 2010 9:14 am

Thank you!

In the next one i will begin in making the neck and throat pieces and then do "breast and back", think the lines would be more even and fit better together.

Have a nice weekend!

Kalmaru · Post by **Kalmaru** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 6:44 am

Hi!

Have blackened the breastplate. I now just need to blacken the back, rivet them properly and attach straps. I don't know if I should grind the folds so they look nice and shiny?

http://forumbilder.se/Image.aspx?iid=2b8201014445P1ad8
http://forumbilder.se/Image.aspx?iid=3f8201014117P4f7c
http://forumbilder.se/Image.aspx?iid=208201014204P7a10
http://forumbilder.se/Image.aspx?iid=a88201014241Pf4de
http://forumbilder.se/Image.aspx?iid=e08201014356Pc0c8
http://forumbilder.se/Image.aspx?iid=0b8201014357P8355

Halberds · Post by **Halberds** » Sat Sep 18, 2010 10:54 am

Jolly well done.
I certainly enjoy the progress pics.
Welcome to the Archive.

Hal

Ckanite · Post by **Ckanite** » Sun Sep 19, 2010 4:32 pm

That looks seriously scary dude! good job!

Kalmaru · Post by **Kalmaru** » Mon Sep 20, 2010 9:56 am

Thank you and thanks for all the support!
Next time it wont be this kind of armour though, then it will be something "prettier", and not black and buckled.
But it was great fun to do it, just beat the plate like a maniac over a wooden stump and then blacken it, no grinding or polishing.

Edvin Kalmaru