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Post by Huer-Ta on Oct 7, 2013 20:09:49 GMT
I'm trying my hand at my first set of bracers. I just finished the first one up, I'd love to get some feedback on it. I used 2 pieces of 4oz veg tanned leather glued together as I understand that most bracers are made of 8-9 oz leather and I don't have any handy. I'll post up more pics once the second one is all done. Here's the first one for now:
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Post by LastGodslayer on Oct 7, 2013 20:42:14 GMT
That looks great! I can tell you had some trouble with the grooved pattern, but it just looks so cool!
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Post by Huer-Ta on Oct 8, 2013 4:07:07 GMT
Thanks! Yeah I struggled a little with some of the curves, but thankfully it doesn't look too bad in person I drew the pattern out on a sheet of paper and then traced it onto the wet leather. Every now and then my hand would slip...oops.
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Post by StevenJ on Oct 8, 2013 5:16:35 GMT
The only thing I'd really suggest is not to use pop rivets for armor of any kind ever. Always go with copper rivets for anything for armor. Yes I know they are expensive but when a pop rivets pops when least expected, well you'll understand . Very nice job!
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Post by Huer-Ta on Oct 8, 2013 20:11:19 GMT
Thanks! I'll keep the rivet suggestion in mind for future projects, I did not know about that. I just used the rapid rivet set they sell at Tandy Leather. I'm trying to decide if I want to add some lining or padding to the backside of these...
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Post by StevenJ on Oct 8, 2013 21:13:23 GMT
Tandy has copper rivets also. You'll need a setter for it and a small anvil along with a ball peen hammer and a cutter to cut off the excess. Basically you shove the rivet through where it needs to go. Then you lay the copper washer on the top of the rivet. You use one side of the rivet setter with the giant hole, and hammer the washer as far down as it will go. You then use wire cutters to cut the rivet about three or four millimeters above the face of the washer.
You then use the domed side the setter to hammer over the rivet and dome the rivet. This was how riveting was done historically for armor with either copper or soft mild steel. I would not use mild steel as if you later need to undo it it is a nightmare. Copper will hold tightly as long as the rivet doesn't start to bend while riveting. Copper rivets can be hard to remove also but thankfully you can drill through them rather easily with a drill press if it came down to it.
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Post by Huer-Ta on Oct 9, 2013 17:40:46 GMT
That does sound much more secure. I'll definitely be picking up some of those as I want to try my hand at some other types of leather armor. Thanks again!
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Post by Sir Thorfinn on Oct 9, 2013 23:05:30 GMT
Do you plan to harden the leather? Or are they strictly costume?
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Post by Huer-Ta on Oct 10, 2013 13:37:33 GMT
It's more costume than anything, but I wouldn't be opposed to trying to harden the leather. Or is that something I should have don before dyeing? The bracers are pretty solid though, but wife punched them while they were on my arm and she felt it a lot more than I did. I wonder of the layer of glue between the two pieces of leather had anything to do with that? In all honesty, I never even thought about hardening the leather, so now it's off to Google to learn how to do it
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Post by StevenJ on Oct 10, 2013 16:09:07 GMT
I've never done this but this is what my friend told me in regards to hardening leather. You should buy an old crockpot from good will and a bunch of candles. wait until the candles are bubbling in the crock pot and dip the leather in. This should harden it instantly. You can even do this with hardware installed. KI'd do this on a test piece first to be sure. This is what my friend told me.
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Post by Huer-Ta on Oct 14, 2013 14:52:30 GMT
Yep, I read about the candle method. Turns out I needed to harden before dyeing so I reckon my next leather project will be hardened first I think I'll go with the hot water method though. This set of bracers is all done, I'll have to snap some pics later. Until then, here's a WIP shot of a set I'm doing for the wife:
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Post by Huer-Ta on Oct 22, 2013 15:27:48 GMT
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Post by LastGodslayer on Oct 22, 2013 22:22:15 GMT
Wow! Like in "how much would that cost me" wow... Terrific job! And I gotta say I agree that the missus' bracers are a bit nicer.
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Post by Huer-Ta on Oct 23, 2013 13:26:22 GMT
Thanks! I went with a pretty simple design on mine since I had ever done something like this before, but it really suits me so it kind of worked out. I got a little braver with the wife's set and really went to town on the tooling, haha. Plus the shape of her are much more elegant methinks As far as making you some, I'm sure we can figure something out. I'm an amateur so I'd work pretty cheap, maybe some kind of trade
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