Belegarth

by **Forkbeard** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 4:48 pm

Thats right you round eye bastards!
The Helmet only need symbols and polish.
THe Kote need to be dyed(why didny I dye the plates first? Shut the **** up!).
The top of the chest and back are done along with the shoulder straps. 95 scales are made and shaped. Thats about half of what I need.
****.
Asians are patient people.
FB

by **Báthory** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 4:52 pm

Props. That looks **** awesome.

by **Tobia Blackthorn** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 5:29 pm

Very nice! I can't wait to see the full thing!

by **Thorondor** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 5:30 pm

Looking good! Can't wait to see the chest plate when it's finally finished.

Oh, don't forget to die the scales first

by **Fangesta** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 6:45 pm

Thorondor wrote:Looking good! Can't wait to see the chest plate when it's finally finished.

Oh, don't forget to die the scales first

AWWWW he beat me to it!!!

NICE helm!! much better than the one I saw that looked like a leather baseball cap sewn together to 'look' samurai

by **Black Cat** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 7:02 pm

Now all the Oni needs to complete the look is a kanabo.

by **Orazio Valori** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 7:21 pm

Reminds me of Umbra:

by **randy** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 7:28 pm

That looks truely amazing!

by **Derian** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 7:46 pm

I want to see more pictures of the articulation on the hands. That's **** rad.

by **Kael Prime** » Mon Mar 07, 2011 10:22 pm

That looks **** sweet, as always amazing job.

by **Forkbeard** » Tue Mar 08, 2011 11:01 am

Not very helpful.
The gauntlet parts are all sewn to soft leather. I'm wearing gloves with them, but I sewed rings to each finger so I don't have to in extreme heat.
FB

by **datiji** » Wed Mar 09, 2011 4:34 am

excellent interpretation on the kote... can we get a pic of the inside of the arm while they are being worn?

by **Roland Demox** » Thu Mar 10, 2011 2:43 am

Fork your armorsmithing is like porn fo realz

by **Tiberius Claudius** » Sat Mar 12, 2011 2:28 pm

This really is awesome. I wish I had your skills....or the money to purchase your skills.

by **Forkbeard** » Thu Mar 17, 2011 11:10 am

Here's the Do. Or **** torso.
Scales are horrible. The only thing worse is chainmail.
Thank god its done. The rest of the suit is plates.

I might put one more row of scales on when I add the tasset-thingys. I have them, but no more lacing until the **** store gets more.
AAAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHH!! This has taken like 30 or 40 hours. Makin the pattern, cutting scales, rounding edges, marking holes, punching holes, drilling the holes the could not be punched(about 2/3), dying the goddamned things, lacing, **** up a little, lacing agian, and more, and more. Oh, and making the custom molded peices on myself. Mary made the back peice fit me. Thanks Baby.
I'm going to detail and paint this to match the helmet, adding alot of symbols and stuff to both. Probly slightly modified unit symbols.
Should I do the tassets and the shoulders mostly brown? I'm think it will make a good contrast, but I might be crazy.
FB

by **Mannajax** » Thu Mar 17, 2011 12:06 pm

I have a newb question cuz I've never done that before... Wouldn't you want to scales over lapping the other directions? With them open at the top, doesn't that leave the lace open to extra stress from being hit on down swings? A real blade would, i should think, cut the laces and leave you vulnerable. In our game, it looks to me like it would weaken the lacing over time and cause unnecessary wear out. Is this not so?

by **No'Vak** » Thu Mar 17, 2011 12:07 pm

Mannajax wrote:I have a newb question cuz I've never done that before... Wouldn't you want to scales over lapping the other directions? With them open at the top, doesn't that leave the lace open to extra stress from being hit on down swings? A real blade would, i should think, cut the laces and leave you vulnerable. In our game, it looks to me like it would weaken the lacing over time and cause unnecessary wear out. Is this not so?

But this way he looks like a Dragon.

**** sweet Fork, I can't wait to see it at Chaos (which I hope I get to this year).

by **Teej** » Thu Mar 17, 2011 4:03 pm

Mannajax wrote:I have a newb question cuz I've never done that before... Wouldn't you want to scales over lapping the other directions? With them open at the top, doesn't that leave the lace open to extra stress from being hit on down swings? A real blade would, i should think, cut the laces and leave you vulnerable. In our game, it looks to me like it would weaken the lacing over time and cause unnecessary wear out. Is this not so?

by **Forkbeard** » Thu Mar 17, 2011 4:31 pm

Stabs in combat come up into the torso. Scales in nearly EVERY cultrue run upside down this way. In everything but a very few scale on a shirt type things and in D&D pictures.
The scales are rounded in to keep things from catching on them. The are really very hard and dont flex.
Nice Pics t-rex. They really say it better than me.
FB

by **Mannajax** » Fri Mar 18, 2011 2:32 pm

Point taken. Several times over.

Thanks

by **Teej** » Fri Apr 01, 2011 7:38 am

How's it coming along FB? That set of garb Breeder made will look pretty good with this - you're probably going to be the tallest samurai... ever.

by **Forkbeard** » Thu May 12, 2011 11:42 am

Heres the torso with the tasset-things and gold trim. I'm going to do more detailing later.
I'm trying to focus and make the buttons to hold the arms on. I think I have it figured out.
I keep running out of laceing material. I keep buying ALL of it from **** Joannes.
This whole project is a *.
But it's coming out nice.
If breeder has my garb done, I'll look pimp at Yestare.
FB

by **Teej** » Thu May 12, 2011 12:39 pm

Looks sick FB, did you ever figure out the dragonfly thing?

by **Forkbeard** » Thu May 12, 2011 1:06 pm

Dig it.
I'm doing the rest of the detailing in the sleeves later. I'm sick of working on this for now.
FB

by **Tobia Blackthorn** » Thu May 12, 2011 2:12 pm

DUDE!! Awesome work! I mean, your stuff is always nice, but this is really awesome!

by **Forkbeard** » Thu May 12, 2011 8:00 pm

Here more!
FB

by **Versago Hayashida** » Tue May 17, 2011 1:21 pm

Fork. Your work is **** awesome! I love it!

by **Sir Par** » Wed May 18, 2011 1:57 pm

How many man hours did the body peice take?

by **Forkbeard** » Mon May 23, 2011 4:37 pm

Sexy. I put up the last one just to show me killing a fool.
FB

by **Derian** » Mon May 23, 2011 5:03 pm

Ballercaust.

by **Shino** » Mon May 23, 2011 5:05 pm

Forkbeard wrote:

Ok, I'm officially down with Samurai Summer.
Why wont my boner go away? I must be dreaming.

by **MorkaiFenris** » Mon May 23, 2011 6:39 pm

Fork...I don't know you nor have i ever met you...but your work is fantastic and inspiring! I wish i could do the work you do at that level, its amazing.

by **Cedric** » Mon May 23, 2011 7:41 pm

honestly, seeing it in a photo does not do it justice, it was the single best thing fork has made.

by **Kraesh** » Mon May 23, 2011 11:14 pm

Not to derail. But where exactly are said photos from Yestare?

-Kraesh

by **Sieglatan** » Tue May 24, 2011 12:32 am

Very cool- Can't wait to see it in person!
Your next project should be one of those armor stands that props samurai armor up as if its sitting down. That would be **** badass around the house or at camp.

by **Forkbeard** » Tue May 24, 2011 6:32 am

Mary took like 6 pictures. 2 were out of focuc and one was a doulble of the first one.
I'm hoping some one else got some.
FB

by **american samurai** » Fri May 27, 2011 8:31 pm

Nice work, having done some leather work myself I know how many hours must have went into your armor. Here is another samurai scale dou, with nice close ups of the scales and lacing. This is a hon kozane maro dou, or a true small scale chest armor with no hinge.

by **Forkbeard** » Fri May 27, 2011 11:25 pm

And?
Did you make that?
FB

by **Teej** » Fri May 27, 2011 11:40 pm

Wondered that myself, so I looked at his only other post where he links his armor-porn spank bank: http://s831.photobucket.com/albums/zz23 ... ?start=all

"Armor pictures from the internet" - I assume it's just one of those.

by **american samurai** » Sat May 28, 2011 4:39 pm

Forkbeard wrote:And?
Did you make that?
FB

No, I did not make it I own this one, as this scale dou is around 200yrs old and being made from hundreds+ of individual scales it would have been quite a job to make. I make custom leather scabbards for fantasy swords and knives myself. I read all the posts here but since I study samurai armor for the most part I just admire the work I see. I saw a picture of mine on this thread and since it was about scale armor which is something I know a little about I thought I would add another picture to the lot. I get a lot of requests for close up images of samurai armor ( and weapons) from people who make or want to make their own armor since I collect samurai armor and I have a large collection of images also.

This picture is one that I took, it is a hon iyozane maru dou or a true large scale chest armor with no side hinge, it is from the 1600s, each of the 250+ scales was wrapped in leather and laced together and lacquered, this dou has no side hinge and the wearer would pull against the tension to put it on. And something that is really rare, an inside view of the scales.

by **Zeldrine Cold** » Sat May 28, 2011 8:10 pm

So you post a picture of something we have already seen. Good for you for owning a piece of history but really so what? Is there something that you're going to offer that people here haven't said or can just go and find for themselves?

by **Embara Cayosin** » Sat May 28, 2011 8:20 pm

Zeldrine Cold wrote:So you post a picture of something we have already seen. Good for you for owning a piece of history but really so what? Is there something that you're going to offer that people here haven't said or can just go and find for themselves?

Dont be so cold, Cold. he is just offering knowledge and incite into a piece that just looking at a picture wont offer. I find it funny how all the vets want to instantly jump down the throats of a new member of the community the moment they make themselves known. that is a great way to gain new members. seriously guys lay off a bit. Except you Fork. you are expected to do that stuff, it is your Legend .

by **american samurai** » Sat May 28, 2011 10:49 pm

Zeldrine Cold wrote:So you post a picture of something we have already seen. Good for you for owning a piece of history but really so what? Is there something that you're going to offer that people here haven't said or can just go and find for themselves?

You have already seen it because I purposely posted the image on forums and or wikipedia commons for exactly that reason, to share rare and hard to find pictures of samurai armor and or weapons. Take the hon iyozane dou as an example, it is a very rare armor, with absolutely no close up pictures for anyone to see until I posted mine, the interior pictures are the only ones on the internet that I know of.

I talk to people all over the world who want to recreate or just make their own armor and they want to know how these armors were made and how they looked, especially scale armors as pictures of them are rare. Only a few collectors and or dealers that I know of take the time and effort to make their pictures public.

I had several people ask me if I had a picture of real samurai fish scale armor (gyorin kozane) , it took several years but I found one piece and purchased it and posted the pictures on a few forums and wikipedia commons, they are the only pictures that I know off that have been made public of this type of scale armor.

In the SCA for example people who want use samurai armors need to show that the armor they are going to wear was actually something that is was worn by samurai in order to be authentic.

http://tousando.proboards.com/index.cgi ... hread=3654

Fish scale armor (gyorin kozane) , hardened leather sewn to cloth, from the neck guard of a samurai helmet.

by **Tiberius Claudius** » Sat May 28, 2011 11:39 pm

Thanks for sharing that unique bit of history with us AmSam.

Welcome to the community.

by **american samurai** » Sun May 29, 2011 2:05 pm

Tiberius Claudius wrote:Thanks for sharing that unique bit of history with us AmSam. Welcome to the community.

Thanks Embara Cayosin and Tiberius Claudius, I learn a lot from watching this forum and I thought I would share something that might be of interest.

Just to show the power of search engines, if you do a google image search for "hon iyozane maru dou" and scroll down a few images you will see Forkbeards armor and pictures from this discussion along with all the samurai armor pictures.

http://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHM ... 24&bih=513

by **Forkbeard** » Sun May 29, 2011 2:34 pm

I do apreciate your input, dude.
And the pictures of your armours.
But you do kind of come off vague. Your kind of saying "look at me!" and then not saying much beyond, "my **** is real and rare".
Perhaps you could get a question and answer thread going to get a conversation flowing about japanese armor. Your knowledge is valuable and people would benifit from it.

And Me and my stuff show up in the wierdest google searches anymore.
FB

by **american samurai** » Mon May 30, 2011 12:29 pm

Forkbeard wrote: Your kind of saying "look at me!" and then not saying much beyond, "my **** is real and rare".
Perhaps you could get a question and answer thread going to get a conversation flowing about japanese armor. Your knowledge is valuable and people would benifit from it.

When I say something is "rare" it has nothing to do with value, as many of the rarest items do not have much value to collectors of samurai antiques and some of the most valuable things are not uncommon at all. By "rare" I mean something that you can not see pictures of and or find information on. I do not believe in locking things away in a room and not letting anyone see it ever. You cant learn about something that you do not know exists and there is no information about it any were.

Here is a link to the wikipedia commons images that I have shared, I have made these images available for anyone to see and use. If anyone here would be interested in putting any images of the armor they have made on wikipedia commons I would be glad to help them, there is a category already called "Fantasy armour" thats almost empty or they could start an entirely new category or sub category. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Categ ... asy_armour It is easy to upload pictures that you have taken yourself.

Images that I have stored on wikipedia commons.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Speci ... tiqueworld

by **Ingvar Ironside** » Thu Jul 28, 2011 4:03 pm

Jesus, Fork. I want those arms.

by **Godfrey the Redshirt** » Wed Aug 03, 2011 11:36 pm

Do you have patterns or links for how to make the gauntlets? I'd like to make one for one arm

by **Forkbeard** » Thu Aug 04, 2011 7:49 am

No, sorry. I just made them up as i went with pieces of scrap.
FB

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