curiousness

[Fuegan]

So just out of curiosity for those of you who make you own armor, roughly how much money do you put into it? Though I haven't finished building mine yet the total cost for materials so far has been Approx $250, thats for two 12oz sides, rivets, dye, etc.etc. (pretty much all the tools since this is my first suit)

But yeah again just curious.

[Tobia Blackthorn]

That's a tad more than what I started...but I HEAVILY improvised when it came to tools. Plus Tandy's stuff sold for a much better price 2 years ago

[tyorl]

300+. I've gone through two full sides, part of a third and most of a double shoulder in addition to about 30 square feet of garment leather, and a lot of tools. 16 year olds have highly disposable incomes

[Fuegan]

Holy **** tell me thats not all for one kit

[Derian]

It depends how far you're going to go with it. If you only intend to make one set of armor, probably 200-300 for a full kit.

If you're like most people who enjoy armoring, you'll start out and keep making piece after piece to try new things and keep improving your skills. I went this route and easily have $1500+ over the past five years or so, and I'm no where even near a prolific armorer.

[Myles]

i only spent somewhere around 150 to 180 though i have done no tooling to it at all and it has all been done with help. i still use alot of scraps. i also plan on changing the color to more of a tan or something but i dont think it will cost much more to finish. though i did get lucky with a sale going on at tandy because of a change of location sale

[tyorl]

Fuegan: No it's not just one kit. I made a base set and decided to modify the greaves, giving them a complete revamp, make a new skirt and start a war belt. I also just finished an arm inspired by Ixis and am making a commission for another in a similar styling.

[Forkbeard]

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
Yeah, it's expensive. You dont even want to know what kind of money I've spent on armor.
FB
But my first full kit cost about 300 to make when it was all done. Not counting what it WOULD have cost if V had made me pay her for the tooling and paint. Then it would have been more like $1000. But it's like having a tattoo artist work on your whole body. Fine decor take time and costs money just as much as making the armor itself.
Luckily, it was the first armor V did and I was brave enough to let her experiment on it, so she didn't charge me.
FB

[Sieglatan]

A lot of it depends on how much you pay for instruction, or if you go through waste leather blundering through the steps on your own (like I did :/ ).Also, it depends if you are good at improvisation, have a resale license, can borrow tools, etc. I've saved a small fortune by using nails and washers for rivets, but I spent a bit on a sturdy anvil (20$ at a street fair), and the time it took to refine the riveting process to what it is, involving a fair share of **** up projects.

[Forkbeard]

Always keep in mind that steel rivets(nails) rust horribly and the rust eats at the leather it touches, causing it to tear. Nails are cheaper, but they shorten the life of the piece. Thats why leather workers use brass and copper.
FB

[Sieglatan]

Always keep in mind that steel rivets(nails) rust horribly and the rust eats at the leather it touches, causing it to tear. Nails are cheaper, but they shorten the life of the piece. Thats why leather workers use brass and copper.
FB

That's a good point- especially in consideration of the whole "long-term versus short-term" costs thing.

Oddly enough, I have never had problems with rusting in general- even my 16ga chain mail shirt has never gotten rust on it despite fighting in the rain, etc. I've only had two steel rivets rust on me, but that was a result of losing a buckler in a damp spot for a month.

Then again, I live in a dry place, and my results are not typical, etc. Forkbeard's been at this a lot longer than I, so I'd trust his judgment.

[Forkbeard]

It's remarkable how different people sweat can be. I know a great leather worker in the SCA who apearently swaets acid.
His **** is always in rags and barley safe. He destroys any leather that is on his skin for longer than a few months.
Different peoples sweat, I beleive, causes rust faster than others.
I've seen some nasty looking steel rivets on bracers and greaves.
FB

[Fuegan]

Fork I definitely hear what your saying about sweat, it actually reminded me of a funny/disgusting story but this isn't the board for that. However I am intrigued by the nail riveting method, bear in mind this is my first attempt at armor making.