I Made Medieval Leather Armor for the First Time 

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A small bit of advice from a leather worker, dunk the whole thing in water for a few minutes then put in on and wear it until it dries a fair bit, just do some everyday basic things so it will mold it to your body and will mold to a comfortable position for any movement you're doing :)

Jess less video ingredients: - “gosh darn it” at least twice - mentions of airbrush - generous heaping of royalty free fantasy music - permanent damage to hands - scream of anguish - optimism (overestimation of skills in practise) - at least 3 visits to buy stuff that was forgotten I feel so seen in this channel. Sure some channels are professional, and make it look easy. But here, I get the real experience of how maddening glue of any kind is.

Judging by the title, this is going to a wild ride. I just feel it in my leather bound book bones.

The glue on the scales genuinely looks intentional, and in a really good way lol. It matches the brass rivets (?) very well!

A bit of advice that's helped me a lot when dying leather is that using a sponge to apply the dye, and a second sponge to spread/soak up any extra dye leaves a much smoother, more even color across the leather. Personally I use a circular motion when I apply/soak up the dye for an extra even coat, I hope this helps! (Love your creations by the way, they've inspired me to get into bookbinding and leatherwork!)

The way I CACKLED when you brought out the drill XD

Can't believe I'm watching this at 3am when I'm supposed to wake up early tomorrow but hey that's life for you... Great video tho😊

I did not realise this was only just posted. Because I was watching a bunch of your videos today. 😂

Going to Bicoline is on my bucket list! Probably won't be able to go for years and years, but I look forward to it someday. I'm looking forward to watching how you get ready for the event. Tackling armor for the first time is ambitious, but you did a great job, especially since you don't already have all the tools! As a leatherworker with my own business, may I offer some advice? Just in general, use a brand new blade in your box cutter every time you start a project, and change it as soon as cutting becomes difficult. Blades are cheap. Dull blades are dangerous. Specific advice: 1) Those shoulder pieces on your back plate need to be cut down/reshaped to fit your specific form. Put the armor on as if you were going to wear it all day (i.e. all the straps properly adjusted to where they would normally be worn), then have someone help mark where the straps lay most naturally. Trim away any part of the back panel that awkwardly sticks out. Patterns aren't always universal - don't be afraid to modify slightly to make it work for you. 2) Use an edge beveler to knock down anywhere the edges will contact your skin. If you don't have an edge beveler, use sandpaper (preferably on a rotary tool, but wrapped around a dowel/thick pen works too). Trust me, last thing you want is the crisp edge of leather sawing into your skin as you're playing. Once the edges are knocked down, get them wet and vigorously rub them with a scrap of canvas to help polish the fibers into a rounded shape. 3) You're using a veg tan hide, which means you may use water to help mold the pieces to your body better. Go ahead and get that breast plate & back guard good and wet, then wear it around the house until it dries. The more you move, the more the pieces will conform to YOUR shape. Once it's fully dry, go over the piece with a light coating of neatsfoot oil to return moisture to the leather. 4) Glue is unforgiving when it comes to leather - stain will never penetrate that area. However, all is not lost. While personally, I think the golden color left from the glue looks kinda cool (especially since you added the gold logo), it can be covered with some acrylic paint. Angelus is a popular brand that is specially formulated for leather. Talk to your Tandy guy to see if he has any other recommendations. Sorry this is so long, just wanted to help! You're on the right track, are doing great, and I hope you have a blast at the event!

oooooh really cool armour also LIFE SERIES HOODIE!!!! TECHNOBLADE SHIRT!!!!

I have never seen your videos. This was just recommended to me. I’m already a minute in and girl 10 out of 10 intro you have hooked me. I am now subscribed.

I honestly really like the effect the glue gave the dragon scale! It gives it dimension and some charming character

I love watching you learn new craft skills, very excited to watch this!

You should look into dip dying for leather. Just get a container of dye, and literally dip the leather pieces into it, however it does use more dye unfortunately. Also usually it's recommended to dye the leather, then glue it and assemble. Love the outcome either way, looks amazing!

Very cool project! So cool to see others do leather projects like this, I love making stuff from leather!

I love your content, your book binding kids are my comfort vids

About the leather puncher, I have one of those. The secret is layers, it was made for use in layers, even with really thick leather. I usually use a few layers of papel at the back of the leather, it make the job SO MUCH EASY! At first, when I didn't know how to use it I end up hurting my hand pretty bad 😂

this pattern is so cool and you did incredible work with it!

I, too, watch Game Grumps compilations while I'm sewing. They just make a project more fun.

The final product looks so amazing !! And as always its really nice to see your process like this, awesome video !! (Also i just spent 2 hours struggling with the same kind of hole puncher and i can confirm its really impossible to use it without killing your wrist lol)

Well, i know what i'm gonna do this weekend!

Edit: Did I spy a Last Life hoodie? 👀 As a former larper (with a friend who has a official leather business and is internet famous for making literal cat armor-- which is fancy speak for "Ive seen a lot of leather projects in the past few years 😂") I gotta say that looks SICK ❤ I cant think of the name of the company Ive always wanted to buy from (iirc theyre French?) But they are super pricey and super well made. I saw the thumbnail and before reading the title thought you had bought something from them 😂 I LOVE Black Raven Armory too though (always wanted to buy from them too but, monies 😅) they have awesome stuff 😊

This turned out really good for a first time foray into making armor, I'm rather impressed. I haven't made armor yet, but I've made a lot of other projects, pouches, belts, things like that, and those were taxing trying to punch holes with one of those wheel punches like you've got, I've since moved from that to an inexpensive set of hand punches and a mallet, takes more time but involves a lot less hand stress. The amount of tools that will make life easier when crafting leather items is shockingly low, but you'll be just blown away at how much easier it makes things. I've learned quite a bit just from watching Chuck Dorsett over at Weaver Leather on their channel, so hopefully that could help you too!

Wow the way the final project turned out is amazing

Oh this is gonna be so cool, isn't it?

Looks awesome, more rivets!

For future projects, I would suggest getting a set of hammered punches. When dying the leather, wet it thoroughly first, which will reduce/prevent splotching (though you will have to oil the leather well when it dries).

6:18 lol I actually really love that game! Addicted to the story lol.

channel your inner Bob Ross... Happy Accidents. all the mistakes and faults are character and makes it more real looking.. Your armor looks epic

if you want the glue spots to look more intentional (they look awesome as is, honestly) you could take some antique gold rubnbuff and put it on the glue spots so they're reflective. it'll look like the brass rivets.

I've heard that conditioning/moisturising the leather, then dyeing makes the colour go on more evenly! Really impressive end product

THIS IS SOOO COOL. Im actually taking a leather working class right now, crazy how to timing worked out

My heart dropped when I saw the glue! Also that was 8-9oz leather you said.. Now imagine using 10 or even 12 or *even 14oz* leather for making real armour! I'm in the SCA so any armour I make for myself or others need to actually protect you from steel or wooden weapons in full-contact sparring. I'm having trouble finding somewhere nearby that isnt Tandy to get some 10oz from but when I do, my projects shall begin... Gonna try a few methods for hardening the leather first though!

You are going to LOVE Bicolline

Fantasy world, love, mysteries, good vibes, and pies? Supernatural, you mean supernatural

hi, very exited to watch this new video! mostly because I love larping and armor

So Bico is soo much fun! And get your exercise up as you will need to walk SOOOOO much.

Love your style! Great project. Hope you have a great adventure!

The Life Series hoodie! I love it!

AHH! I can't wait to watch the video, Posted 4 minuets ago

There are hole punches for leather that you use with a Hammer. I think I even saw one, where you can change the hole size by swapping inserts of the punch blade (? whatever the cutting edge would be called), though I have no idea if that would be useful. Also, I think the scales came out great. The colour difference due to the glue stain kinda make it look organic, like you took these from a real creature, and those are either leftovers of a pattern the creature had, or imperfections in the pre-existing material. If you want to avoid such in the future, you could try, if the glue still causes discolouration when the dye is applied first.

I know you were upset by how th glue changed color, but put together it looks awesome. And your hair goes with the armor so well !!

If you're using Black Raven Armory patterns. I highly recommend you do the "Sheild Maiden" armor set from them! It includes the chest armor a war belt and the pauldrons for $9.99 and fits a bust of 33 to a 45.5 in cup sizes A through D cup!

That drill is a freaking genius idea!!!

holy sht this is so good, the strawberry blonde really compliments the armor too!

This.looks.awesome. I want to go to larp.

16:10 - The only thing that exist is happy accidents. 😁😄

always a good day when jess uploads

This looks amazing! NOW i want to try it

This looks amazing!!! I'm going to my 2nd Larp even here in the states sometime in November! You are going to have so much fun!!! Everyone is going to love your battle armor!!!

I know that you are probably very tired but I'd love to see more decorations on it🤩 go big! Let them get lost in the details haha

JESS IT LOOKS AMAZINGGGGG

Love the vid and couldn't not watch this without thinking cl3v3r from the skill tree channel and wondering what their thoughts would be. That channel also has a bunch of useful times for leather projects so it's a good way to learn from the mistakes of others if you don't wanna make to many yourself

Looks great! I'm also going to Bico this August! So excited. Not going with TVN, instead just camping in non-decorum and joining a merc guild.

this turned out incredible!!! the beauty shots at the end were gorgeous, esp with how you did your hair and the rest of the outfit 23:23 is my favourite- i'm to gay for this sobs

In terms of your filament printers, a slicer called OrcaSlicer can directly import the SVG and you wouldn't have to worry about making a model in Blender! From there, you just create simple shapes to make your base for the stamp. I think it'd speed up the workflow a bit. Blender itself is a cool tool for a bunch of other things though! OrcaSlicer can't really make curves or anything like that, it just extrudes the SVG into a vertical object. So for example if you were trying to make a textured dome, Blender is definitely still the way to go.

I want to do this.

That looks so cool!!!

OMG I LOVE IT, it’s so pretty!!!! :D

responding to your talks on 20:00 as a cosplayer that doesn't do photoshoots and rarely goes to a convention, I do short form videos and I get a lot of use out of my cosplays (from like anime/tv shows to original characters) I found a fun bunch of friends that plan to make stories or cosplay together even though we are states to even countries apart just wanted to say cosplay can be done more that what you think :) also your armor turned out amazing!

I saw the techno shirt and knew i would love this person

2:58 min The Us in Gudrun are pronounced similar to the Os in room, or maybe the U in Puma or Rune, with the first U being short, as in good, while the second U usually gets a bit drawn out, as in room.

I've NEVER frickin thought of using a drill with leather....... I'm upset I didn't before.

Oh no I need to learn how to do this

For thicker leather a hammer punch works better. I will admit that I drilled the holes in the scales for my laced scale armor.

Don't be scared to ask some people there if you cant get a piece to flatten out on your back! I never met kinder people than those who larp and cosplay. I love this community. (i will admit that there are still /those/ people.)

Hear me out, gold leaf over the glue spots!

Whoop woop woop🎉

HELL YEAH JESS!!

WHOO JESS UPLOAD

Bicolline is something that I'll be going to in the future (when I can pay for my own stuff and my dad can't judge me anymore...)

I really hope you have fun at bicoline ^^ ive seen so many videos about it and would love to go someday, but alas, theres an entire ocean in the way. I'd love to hear about your experience with it though!

So cool!!!!

hold on- 2 videos in one month!?

BICO! Good Morning Ordo

so cool 🤓😊

Did you come across Skill Tree in your research? He does a lot of leatherworking, armor, and LARP builds.

As soon as I saw that hole punch I knew you were in for some pain. Those things are really only for thin leather. An individual hole punch and a mallet or maul is much easier for anything over about 5oz.

Cool 😀

Huh. I was going to suggest a punch you hit with a mallet, but a drill sounds much easier 😂

You seem like the type that might enjoy many of the songs the residents of the White Valley have to offer. Dragon Pop, Wolfkind rock anthems, vampire blues. The Queen Dragon of Country Yuki, just dropped a new song "Dragons Reign". Check out White Valley Music.

You ate with this

Watch Nerdforge. She does leather related videos, from leather armor to leather bookbinding.

Technoblade shrit let's go

I wish you could vlog the larp 😢

My question is how do people do projects so quickly!? Like ive been working on my pumpkin head for a few months and im barely half way done!!! Most of that time has been procination but thats besides point. I'm literally working on it right now lol. 😂

A few days ago I baught 2 patterns One of then is like easy (I think? How hard can it be? Typical last word...) just print cut and put together and you have it The other one is just text and I have no idea what I should do with it

Nice Techno merch!

@15:43 - That is just the blood from the Dragon you skinned for your armor...

Ahhhh..... Jess..... I hope this goes well.

i love how she dissed cosplay

Cool :D

@2:10 - The difference is that one is real and one is fake. Side Note: In most cases, when a Cosplayer is replicating a leather piece - such as armor - it seems easier to make the actual leather...

Yo I watched you two years ago!

Why don't you change the leather scales for steel ones, it will look better, or complete the set with a haubergeon, note I love your videos.

I think cosplayers and larpers are secretly prepers that know what they are doing

I think some of the dye came off from the armor smudged on you.

what is the music used in the background

Out of curiosity, how much would you say the whole thing costs? I've been seriously looking into buying one of their patterns