Easy Leather Barbarian Armor! Bonus: Oiling Leather! 

So I saw you a couple years back on one of your first videos. I was looking for ideas on cheap bracers to attach chainmail to and found you that way. Anywho I made said crappy bracers then went... kinda crazy. I bought a ton of tools, made a war belt, got a new place with a garage to setup a shop, made proper hardened bracers that protect the elbow as well, made shin-guards, made two more belts, and now I'm making boots that are a hybrid between viking-age turn shoes and WWII boots. You created a monster, sir, and I thank you for it.

Hey, my guy. You should try what I like to call "deep borders." So, do your normal wing spanner thing that you did here on the borders. Then, adjust the spanner a bit larger, so that the new line will be roughly a half inch (or whatever) from the first, and go around again. Maybe do it a third time. Now that you have three lines all the way around the piece, put different patterns (stamps or tooling, whatever) between the lines. You could make the pattern uniform for all of them, or as I prefer, do a different pattern for each line. The "depth" of the border really draws the eye and brings the piece up a couple levels. It wouldn't be appropriate for a barbarian piece, but maybe for a fancy warrior or paladin.

Can I just say how much I appreciate it when people share their mistakes (and doubly so how they fix them)? Rock on!

I've been using "Snow Seal" on all my leather craft stuff for 40+ years now instead of any type of oil. Never had any issues. Love the channel.

Also, I have played around with all sorts of way to dye leather, and I have settled on mainly using oil-based wood stain. It doesn’t dry out the leather, it helps waterproof it, and it doesn’t darken it too much right away so you can just keep adding coats until it’s the color you like. Plus it dries really fast because you just have to wipe off what doesn’t immediately soak in right away (DO NOT LEAVE IT ON THE LEATHER WITHOUT WIPING IT OFF, it will become STICKY) & I usually can start working with it again in just a few minutes. There’s also a lot more different minwax wood stain colors to work with than there are leather dye colors. FYI this works mainly if you’re just looking for a natural earthy shade of brown, not like a solid green. With solid colors I usually still go with acrylic alcohol based paint. I’ve even started using some of the minwax “polyshades” which is oil based stain and polyurethane mixture so you get a more shiny finish & it almost completely seals it. Hope this helps!

I always recommend using chicago screws instead of rivets to join leather, particuarly for beginners. It makes maintenance or repairs a lot easier, since you just unscrew and re-use them, rather than drilling out a rivet. If it's going to be visible, I use a steel or antique brass/bronze/dark brown chicago screw and keep the flat side facing out. If all I have is shiny brass, I hit it with some cold blue/gun blue to weather it first, make it less eye-catching.

Well, guess I'm punching into work late lol!

I think it would be neat to have a rough and torn up cloth layer skirt underneath, perhaps in a nice blood red colour? It'll add a pop of colour and I think it'll be a really good layer detail.

There is actually an adjustable spot punch tool (it has 2 tines for the brads on the spots) that makes life so much easier if you have projects with lots of spots or decorations. I purchased mine from Weaver many years ago and it was a great investment for me. Before the spot punch I had a very small flat razor (1/8 of an inch wide) that I would use, but I haven’t seen them in stores recently. Thanks for sharing your creative side, I really enjoy watching and learning different methods from you. Your presentation is and attitude is always great and encouraging.

I like to add some plain old leather lotion before I dye my leather, and then after the leather is dry, I put a couple of more coats on it. Finally I finish it off with some Dubbin. It’s a wax/fat/mystery mix that’s been used forever. This tends to seal the leather and keeps it hydrated and supple. I’ll usually go back after a few days and give it another coat of dubbin as the leather absorbs it.

Well, you've done it, you magnificent bastard. As of this week, I am now a leatherworker. Today, I finished my first ever piece - a cuff. It wasn't what I set out to make, but I wasn't going to throw it out. So I tooled it a bit and finished it. Thanks for the inspiration. Time to start leveling!

I've used a "wax on, wax off" routine with neatsfoot oil where I rub the oil into the leather with one rag, and then wait a few minutes before buffing the project with a fresh rag to get rid of any excess. Finishing with some kind of sealer (Tan kote is what I use), then leave the project for an hour to dry and then give it one last dry buffing. Some kind of leather balm will be great for maintenance of your piece, and will continue to soften your project as it wears in, and it will also protect from the worst of cracks.

For alcohol based dyes, i use "ko cho line". You can apply it with bare hands, smells good, and good for your hands. After 1 application, wait a few hours and if theres still some on the leather, wipe off excess. Its great stuff

Leather conditioner for rehydration. If you condition the leather before dying it tends to give a more even dye and then you can patina the leather with colored leather creams. You can also use darker dyes to paint a patina. It gets better results but takes practice and skill.

Reusable base kit is like the backbone of a larper’s wardrobe :) each character then can have a signature piece to identify them while reusing stuff :)

A friend of mine recommended making a 50/50 mix of neatsfoot oil and bees wax and spreading it like a paste, rubbing it in til absorbed. Also it's great to use as a maintenance treatment after every event.

For punching holes for stud prongs, I've used a single prong sewing chisel, perfect size for the prongs, 15+ years of experience hasn't let me down yet. Just make sure you have a rubber pad under your project to protect your tools tips.

This channel always makes me so excited to make things. Your videos always give such a creativity boost, and your sense of humor and grandiosity makes them so entertaining and enthralling to watch! The quality is always top-tier - thank you for sharing your passion and learnings, Kit! You've helped me level up my skills quite a lot.

I find the best way to dye my leather was how another leather smith taught me, first you neats foot the leather before adding your dye which helped me alot

Gotta say you nailed it alright and when I get resettled into my new job and living / IRL- RP Imma use this as this fits what I am looking to accomplish

Consider adding Rings to the skirt to hang a small battle axe , quiver or sword .

If you want to keep your leather more supple, use oil-based dye ! A popular choice would be Fiebing's Pro Dye. It really avoids the drying effect of alcohol-based dyes. Also, it doesn't rub off nearly as much, which mean you don't need to really seal the leather. The downside of sealing the leather is that it prevents you from nourishing it with (a moderate amount of) oil later on.

Man It's a genuine pleasure to see you work, the excitement you have for your projects is so infectious and I love it man. Keep it up!

Ugh, I can't stress enough how much I dig the kinda rough layered textures look! I inherited some rabbit furs in the form of an ancient shawl from my grammaw many moons ago and I've never quite decided what to do with them; heck, just chuck 'em right in there! Why not!

Yes!!! The fur really adds a nice cushion while in battle.... and some warmth in cold weather

Also, in Star Wars, they are called Kamas. It was a Mandalorian implementation that protected the legs from jetpack thrust. During The Clone Wars, it usually told other Clones that you were a particular badass called an ARC Trooper. I love how this Warskirt turned out! Personally, I would've put the belt looks on the inside to make it look like one whole piece. Hey though, you're happy with the finished product, it does look badass, I hope you have fun wearing it to a convention like a Medieval Fair.

I JUST found your channel, and I'm obsessed with it so far! Such a great channel idea with some awesome projects I can't wait to try. And to top it off, you just mentioned you were going to Pennsic!! I was just there (such a fun event) and am still slowly unpacking as I listen to your videos. Thanks for making these videos and here's to hoping I run into you at the next War!

It was great meeting you both at Pennsic. Hope you enjoy the dice. Thanks for the knowledge and inspiration. Keep up the great work.

You should make a gambeson!

Awesome, as always. And so many inspiring aspects to it. Thanks for sharing!

For oiling leather my suggestion is oil the flesh side till it is even color it normally soaks through to the front and it will help the leather stay supple.

One of the people who works at my local Tandy taught me to use scraps of old white tees to apply seals onto dyed leather. I cut up some old, still white shirts or you can buy scraps of them in bulk from Lowes for a few dollars a pack. That way you can see how much color is still coming off your piece when you switch to a clean edge . Saved my bacon on a hat I made; I was worried I was going to sweat through the purples and blues I applied or walk away with bruise colored ring on my head XD

Use a 50/50 mix of neatsfoot oil and skidmore leather cream mixed together and let it sunbake for a day or 2 makes leather supple and add a water resistant to it makes it last for a longer time also restores old leather to almost brand new quality

Very cool! Im brand new to the hobby, thanks for making a overwhelming task less stressful!

It would be so great to see how you make your projects look distressed and have been through a battle.

Your enthusiasm always makes me want to stop what I'm doing and get my tools. ❤I did it yesterday. I watched the collapsible wax bag video when I realized I have everything I need in my workshop. I set it up in an afternoon. Thank you for getting me off the couch 😂❤😊

Great style, definitely keeping in mind for future projects

Yay, you finally did it! I sent you a message on Instagram a few months back asking if you could cover one of these after being inspired by the berserker outfit on AC Valhalla. I never got around to making one. Once again, just kind a waited around for you to re-inspire me 😊

Those are looking so cool! 😁 It's always so much fun to watch your videos :D your enthusiasm is just great! I love it!

You could use fiebings oil based dye to save your leather from warping and becoming dry

Love to see more armor work your show is badass

When using Neetsfoot oill, oil your leather before you dye. Give it a few hours to dry and even out, then dye. It will help to get a more uniform color, as well as save it from becoming too dry. Unless I am gluing pieces, I typically oil both sides, though not to the extent the first article told you to...lol Also, you can buy a punch specifically made for spots, and it is adjustable for different size spots.

your misadventures with Neat's foot oil had me rolling! It almost feels like you were set up by that single source of info on purpose 😆 Glad it worked out, and looking forward to the Pennsic ep when it arrives!

Re: keeping the leather supple when dyeing, sealing, oiling, etc. I've had good luck with hand milling my piece at each step. While you leather is damp with whatever product stage you are at, gently roll it up into a tube shape a few times in various directions. You can do this a few times as it dries for each stage. The end results have been much more flexible and flows than when I've skipped this

Thank you for your videos! I'm new to leather craft but love to larp and go to Ren fairs and your channel is super motivating and informative. Keep up the great work

Wow! This is awesome! The end result looks so professional. I found this video through a banner youtube showed me on my home page, it linked to a playlist titled "Trending This Month" and I honestly didn't expect to find something so cool in it! I guess that's a good sign that the algorithm is picking you up 👍

Man that came out awesome, looks great kit!

And that's why I only use lederfett, AKA Saddle soap on leather. Also you really should apply alcohol based dye to all surfaces of leather, not just the front. This will help to stop the curling of your leather, it also helps in protection by sealing the porous nature of leather. No matter how much Oil, Saddle soap or whatever will keep it protected as long and well as using dye first. The reason your leather gets hard and curles like that is the dye srinks the pores of the leather and when applied to only one side it only does this to that side making the fibers of the leather not to stay uniformed.

Super jealous to hear you got to go to Pennsic. This battle skirt would be great against those evil wrap shots to the booty.

I'm a new subscriber, and I love your channel! I've done the gloves, struggled with the boots, and strongly considered ordering the sewing machine. You are amazing! Please consider doing a video about various headwear, and savage looking thrift store jewelry.

Idk if this has ever been said, but if you’re setting a ton of those two prong studs, you can buy computer/electronic tweezers to punch the holes. They’re super sharp (you will stab through your skin), take a nut or some washers or scrap leather and put it between the arms of the tweezers to set your width and tape them in place and you’ll punch slits the exact with and distance apart that you need them until the tweezers bend, which if you’re careful takes a along time to happen.

Hey if you haven’t already gotten this suggestion, I’d recommend using fiebings pro dye. It’s oil based so it won’t try out your leather and applying the oil to the leather is so much easier. I use it for all of my leather products.

Hi Kit Clever! I just wanted to say I love your channel and your work! The way you bring the skills across is so light hearted! I usually have a tendency to doubt myself and feel inferior when I see a video by somebody who is more experienced than me. Maybe some sort of imposter syndrome, I don't know, but I'm sure I am not the only one. But your channel is everything but intimidating, while informative nevertheless. Of course, the videos are not meant to be a technical tutorial as such, but you show every step on the way and I feel confident to reproduce the projects you made with the knowledge you provide. You get across how much fun the hobby can be and you just dive right into it without fear. I have learned a lot about the leather hobby and leveled up my own skills with the help of this channel. Even when there are still things to learn like how to apply neatsfoot oil, the results speak for themselves. You are a huge inspiration for me to improve my leather work.

Awesome channel, I've been hooked in your content for a little while now. When I started doing leather work I followed Magnus at Dark Horse Workshop and watching his videos as well as becoming internet friends and talking shop with him. I highly recommend his content! When I first started I was using water to wet the leather prior to dyeing but I discovered putting neatsfoot oil on then applying dye resulted in a more even distribution, however it will darken the end result somewhat. Glad you were able to recover the soaked pieces, that's gotta be at least $100 of leather!

My sister was in the SCA and did Pennsic for many years

I’ve learned if you apply oil before dying with the alcohol based dye it will allow the dye to spread more evenly

Beautiful work. 👍🏼😉😁

My guy still rocking em' fantasy armor! Get my like! This channel deserves more than a million subs tbh..

If you oil the leather before you dye it it keeps it from drying out and helps the dye get a nice even look

"barbarian shick"... dude that is PUNK 😆 Excelente Work and excelente Video!

Cl3ver, I think you would be the perfect person to create a real Bag of Holding 😁a bag that holds way more than it appears capable, maybe it expands or has multiple hidden pockets...I could definitely see you creating this!

Such a cool rendering for a beginner (yet taken seriously) level project.

You've got an interesting design there^^ Xena has an interesting skirt. It has several leather strips around the hip. Well, her entire clothing is made of leather and metal :D

Tip from the geniuses at nerdforge (and 6 or seven others), though you may have heard it already and if so please ignore me: dyeing large pieces? Use a paint sprayer. Small details? Use a brush. Medium sized? Whatever works best for you.

Fiebings Pro Dye has Oil IN it so, DEPENDING ON THE PROJECT, you may not need to add extra oil. Just dye then treat or seal or whatever you're gunna do after. Also WITH oiling leather, A few coats from the top should oil all the way through, depending on the thickness or dryness of the piece. Do layer, let it dry, check it, do another, etc. Love what you did, love the channel!

I have constant bad luck with rapid rivets not holding well enough. Maybe I'm using cheap ones or something but they always separate no matter how well they're set. To combat this, no matter what kind/brand of rivets I use, I've started adding a drop of adhesive around the rivet and between the leather to give the leather a little bit of an extra hold and it's worked perfectly since. I don't use much, just enough for a backup connection in case the river gives out or something.

Love it my man, got a sub out of this guy!

I can't wait to have a moment too watch this!

Now add some plates to it and make it a brigantine, or some patches of chainmail (maybe with rust) 😉

Yay I need this video for a cosplay

Now this belt has more of a war belt aesthetic. Like a modern battle belt. And has a more functional and rugged feel, over the one from yesterday. Much better.

I've had good results oiling the leather before dying it. Front and back, touching up the spots where the oil soaks in quicker. I let it sit for a couple hours before then dying it. By getting the leather conditioned before adding the dye, I've been able to a more consistent color across the whole piece.

LOVED THIS!!! Any chance you could maybe make something for us paladins? Or knights?

*Neatsfoot Oiling* ... on veg tan that isn't already dry always apply the oil *before* dying. Restoring the leather's oil level is much harder than boosting it beforehand. Use a microfiber cloth to add SMALL amounts at a time to an area until it darkens in colour. It's kind of subjective as one piece of leather may behave/change colour differently to the next. I've found that one dip of the cloth with a finger into the oil will easily cover around 8" square on most leathers. Rub it in well; gently on the skin side, hard on the flesh side. It's an air drying oil so there's no harm in helping it along with a hairdryer set to medium or just hanging it in a warm room; but not in the sun unless you want it darker. Depending on the application of the piece you're making there's also far cheaper oils you can use. A primary ingredient in traditional dubbin was/is lard. I use lard or tallow exclusively on my functional items such as axe sheaths, arborist arm protectors, shoulder protectors for scaffolding workers etc. Works brilliantly and cost hardly anything. It's also easy for the client to source if they need to restore the piece at all; just melt it with bee's wax and some cod liver oil for great dubbin. 👍

DIY punk for years, you can actually make a punch for those studs by using electrical tape to attach xacto blades to a sharpie. That’s how we put hundreds of studs on our jackets

I deadass used those exact stud in gunmetal for trimming out my pauldrons (roughly based on your pattern). Had to use the awl to install them unfortunately

Awesome as always!

Great video as always, love the look of skirt, would be cool to see it with some tribalistic pouches and totems on the belt.

I think I would have put the pelts under the inner layers, to keep the legs warm. But this build looks awesome! Definitely want to try this for myself.

Howdy! Love the vids and all your hard work. If you jump up to Fiebing’s Pro Dye instead of just their Leather Dye you won’t have the drying out issue and will be the same as it was pre-dye. Chuck on Weaver’s channel has a good comparisons of all the dyes. However, if you’re wanting it more supple you’ll have to treat it with neatsfoot or other conditioners.

Have you considered trying your hand at HDPE "Pickle barrel" armor? It's affordable, easily manipulated and accessible way to move in a new direction for larp/cosplay armor.

You should make a video on what you got up to at Pennsic, were you just hanging out or did you fight, if you fought lets see your gear, if not tell us what cool stuff you saw, was this your first time going, that sort of stuff.

Nice idea. I was looking for some upper leg armour for ages (Taken out by leg hits in battle kind of sucks) and that idea looks light enough. Because I was looking for something flexible, protective and not too heavy, because in some cases you have to move quick and heavy things dangeling against your legs sucks as well like geting hit. After resent experience on Conquest of Mythodea, my leather pauldrons saved my upper arm from a very heavy blow from a undead npc's spate(!) This protective piece of armour has two very neat advantages. First it is lightweight, so it is comfortable and second it has a soft leather inner side, a sturdy leather outer side and between some kind of rather thin padding. (included padding without the need of wearing a gambeson) The armour does not look like much protection in the first place, but being a wolf in a sheepskin, it had never led me down. Every time I got a blow to my upper arm, it gave a loud bang and a simple single layer of thick leather would not had soaked that inpact energy. And that specific blows were realy hard, so without that armour or unpadded armour I would got outtime a reasonable bruise or intime a broken arm. But the armour safed me. To come back to your war skirt: The rabbit pelt between the two leather layers should give some degree of padding. (Would be my expectation, analog to my experience.) So beside the coolness factor, the protection level should be recognicable.

Ive been building a battle kilt for the last 6 months. The kidney belt is about 6" wide, overlaps, and the flaps are at my cardinal directions instead of offset. The flaps are made from waxed canvas, homemade of course, and layered on top are "armor" plates of tooled leather. Still in progress unfortunately

Awesome vid, not sure on the fur added to it, but looked badass. Not sure I would add the fur if I ever tried this myself.

I would like to see an assassin belt for knives and pouches

I have thought about doing something similar for my dnd half drow druid.

Love the video as always! One thing, I noticed a lack of improvised hats. Anything can be a hat if you are willing.

The “Battle skirt” is more than appearance. Getting a femoral artery is a very fast game over. Even now, SAS knife training targets that area. It kills them or forces them address the wound (using both hands), either way not longer a problem. Also often ignored defensively

So I recently just finished making my version of the Barbarian Viking Belt you did awhile back with the cool laced edging. I did it for a LARP. I'm hoping it'll go great with my Chainmail. I'm thinking that making a version of these that you can thread through a belt would really pop with that. Maybe making it so it sits on a belt underneath the large belt. Thanks for the idea, it's gonna look great!

You should show of the finished project.

A few years ago i was told not to use oil on leather - i think they said it makes leather brittle. So i use all sorts of fat: butter, grease from cooking, shoe polish... But be warned! If you use bacon fat you'll be surrounded by people complimenting on your smell 😁 Cheers!

I'd love to see some interesting ocean-themed decorum! I also wonder, how would faux furs and leathers hold up in one of these projects?

feibing's pro dye is a good alternative for getting a uniform color without having any rub off even with a heavy coat of dye

Definitely looks amazing but what about the parts that you would really like to use after a victorious battle? The could use a decent protection as well! And by that I mean your crown gems! 😁

I suggest using Aussie by Fiebings over neatsfoot oil. It is a combo of neatsfoot, petroleum, and beeswax. It is much harder to over oil and adds waterproofing. This is a process you do AFTER sealing the leather but is my go to in my builds. And so you know I am not talking out of my ass. I in as a Zone Manager with Tandy for about 5 years, I teach leather crafting, I have been an armourer for about 25 years, and I have a Masterhood in Amtgard for my crafting. Feel free to reach out if you need other tips. I love how you teach on your channel by explaining the WHY rather than just the WHAT. Keep up the great work.

Grey beard green beret does a video on fixing wax. I use that for my leather restore.

I switched to the Fiebings Pro Dye and it solves a lot of the bleedout problems after its dry. I buff off the excess then lightly oil both sides of the leather with neatsfoot oil. Then use a leather balm or saddle lac for extra sealing, but even with just a light coat of oil on top of the dye i havent seen any bleedthrough onto fabric

Studs/spikes. Leg holes. If you don’t want to buy a special tool I would sharpen a flathead screwdriver that is the width of the legs for the spikes. That way you don’t risk cutting too big with a knife.

I honestly don’t use neatsfoot oil. I use a homemade concoction of coconut oil and beeswax. It works really well.