Lamellar first row construction

"What was a I thinking" moment: this is going to take a long time. I've started constructing the first row. The overlapping lames have been cemented together and all that remains is punching about 60 holes, stitching the lames together and at the same time stitching row 1 to row 2. Cutting the shapes and dying them was not very time consuming, but the construction phase is slow!
Pictured here are the last two rows of the front of the breast plate. The top row is piece of tooled 9 oz leather, the bottom row is the overlapping lames.

Antiquing Leather Lamellar

Huge breakthrough today! Here are the secrets to leather with an antique finish: 1) water based earth tone dye, worked in pretty good and excess wiped off 2) gently bend and twist leather while it is drying to prevent stiffness and open up additional leather grain 3) darker water based dye 2nd coat 4) a darker stain (not dye) worked in to the grain thoroughly then excess wiped off the higher surfaces and polished to a satin sheen 5) a vegetable acid polish applied with a sponge (think faux plaster walls) 6) a moisturizing polish finish to restore the leather's pliability. Steps 5 and 6 are omitted from this image.

Lamellar Dye

I learned a couple of things about leather dye last night. I am using an alcohol-based dye that tends to cause leather to stiffen. Stiff leather won't be an issue if I plan to boil the leather in bees wax, but for clothing this will be a problem.

To keep leather soft and flexible use a water-based dye and manipulate the leather a few times while it is drying. Also: before dying use a leather bleach, let that dry, then dampen the leather with a spray bottle or damp sponge. After the dying process is complete apply a leather oil to increase flexibility.


I'll use water-based dyes for the remainder of the lamellar colors. Luckily I had opted for a varying earth tone pattern, so it shouldn't be a problem if I switch dyes half way through in applications of first, second, and third coats.

Is there too much variation in the colors now? I think the differences in color needs to be more subtle: noticeable but not eye-catching!

Lamellar Front

I can't decide if I like the middle ground between clothing grade 6oz leather lames and 12oz armor grade lames. The 9oz strap leather I've used may turn out to be a bastard hybrid ill suited to any use! If so, I can always use this as the back piece. Next task is figuring out how to sew these rows of lames to a suede backing, with vertically overlapping rows. Twelve stitching holes per lame, 72 lames, 3 holes per minute: I better fire up some some reruns and settle in for a long night of hole punching!

Leather Lamellar

There's a really cool looking lamellar styled vest I've seen that uses hour glass shaped leather plates. It's a spin on traditional lamellar that uses a lighter weight leather without any metal plates or scales. The vest I will attempt will have slightly thicker leather so that it can be hardened, and the plates will overlap more to increase the average thickness to about 1/4 inch. Here's the start of the bottom row of scales that will be stitched to a suede backing and the row above. If this turns out well I might try a different version with even thicker lames!

Leather Gorget

After transferring the pattern to the 9oz leather, I cut the shapes out with a utility knife. The front piece had much smoother cuts and I seemed to struggle with the back piece, but I can't remember any difference in technique. Each piece was edged, then dampened and embossed, hammered then shaped and punched for arming straps. After dry a coat of yellow dye, followed by Ox Blood, followed by British tan. Once the Bees Wax arrives I can start experimenting with the cuir bouilli process.

Leather Gorget Pattern

I'm going to try to make a gorget for each spaulder set with 8/9oz leather, tooling and colors to match. I've got a decent metal sample to start with.
I'm starting to like the way the distressed Oxblood spaulders turned out.

Spaulders: Oxblood with a British Tan wash

Base coat of Yellow, dried one hour, Oxblood dried one hour, and a quick British Tan wash. I'm not quite getting the shadow effect I had hoped for in the hammered pattern. I may need to hit hammer harder!

Northwest Apricot Wheat Ale

Five pounds of 2 row malted barley, 5 pounds of malted red wheat, and .5 pounds Carapils were mashed at 158F for 45 minutes, sparged to a total volume of 6 gallons then boiled for 1 hour with 1oz Mt Hood hops, and .5oz Cascade at flame out for an ending volume of 5 gallons. After cooling the wort was fermented with Weyenstephaner Bavarian Hefeweizen yeast for two weeks, then the beer was transferred to secondary fermentation on 1 pound of Oregon Apricot puree for a period of approximately 6 months. Finally the beer was transferred to keg and force carbonated for 3 weeks at 52F. Fruity with an earthy, floral finish! Next time I will secondary on Apricot puree for only 3-4 weeks because the 6 month secondary fermentation has produced a dry, sharp flavor.

Leather Spaulders: Version Two

I haven't even set the rivets on my first pair of spaulders yet, but I was eager to apply what I had learned in my first attempt. I've also added a hammered appearance to each leather lame by getting each piece damp with a sponge, setting a small ball peen hammer on the leather, then tapping the hammer into the leather with a rubber mallet.
Over all this set appears much cleaner than the first set. I think I will use a lighter shade of brown stain and go for a more weathered look.
Unfortunately I have learned that the leather should be 12-14oz thick, and the first two sets I have made are only 8-9oz thick. Anyone want a costume piece?

Leather Spaulders: Version One

Version one is almost compete. I added some ivy embossing around the edge, as well as a sharp line blank border.

1. Using a hand held embossing wheel works much better on leather that has been dampened with a sponge. Use a metal straight edge and work your way slowly along the length in a back and forth manner, roughly 2 inches forward then 1.5 inches backwards, to get a deep embossed pattern.
2. Don't try to cut the straight border lines or bevel the edges of wet leather -- it should be dry.
3. Use a light coat of stain, let it dry, and follow with a darker coat of stain for an aged look.
   

Leather Spaulders

And so it begins...

This is my first foray into the land of leather and I'm hoping to reproduce a pair of Legolas style spaulders from LOTR as my first piece of sport armor.