Need advice on buying Lorica Segmentata metal and leather

[M. Demetrius]

what width should I get? How big should those buckles be?

Well, the glib answer is that the buckles should be slightly larger than the strap. :lol:

In most of the homebuilt seg I've seen around here, the straps are around 5/8" to 3/4", and it appears that the brass rod they use for the buckles is 3/32" to 1/16" They're small things, but they take a lot of stress. Here, there's no room for stretching at all, and the weight of the armor hangs from a single buckle for a little while as you put the armor on. So get the better leather, or take an old leather belt and cut it down to size and length. Most everybody uses russet or dark brown leather though I've seen a few that are black.

My favorite "leather dye" is either a moderate coat of olive or neatsfoot oil, then put the leather out in the sun for a day, and it turns a nice reddish brown. I suppose it's some kind of photochemical reaction, because oiled leather left inside doesn't take on that coloration. Also that "dye" doesn't rub off. Don't go crazy with the oil, though, or the leather may soften more than you expect.

[Matt Lukes]

I make my belts from heavy leather about 4mm thick. I think its weight is 10-12oz. And original buckles are made for belts usually between 1/2" and 5/8" in width.

[Magnus]

Magnus,

Just ask any experienced leather worker, and they will tell you that belly leather is usually substandard leather for producing anything that will put stress on it. Are you sure you were sold belly leather?

Yeah...I can guarantee it. Belly leather is cheaper because it is inferior in quality...and i'm usually short in the spare cash department, so I always try and take the budget route whenever I can. In fact, I always use belly leather, even on my caligae. They're fine too.

But while it's inferior to a shoulder or side, it's more than adequate for this application, as my now 5 year old strapping indicates.

[Chuck Russell]

hokay, if you say so. :roll:

but being that i made leather armour for larpers for several years and bougth from several dealers, i know what works and what doesnt. as do most people. nothing against your armour magnus, but the gentleman asked and it would seem belly would be the "inferior" product for straping

[Magnus]

I'm not trying to discredit you Chuck, but most of the guys who made their segmentata in my group also used belly leather, and it stood up fine.

I've never done LARP before myself, or made LARP armour, so perhaps the requirements are different between the two.

Have you tried a segmentata using belly leather for the strapping? If not, then you can trust me when I say it works.

[Primvs Pavlvs]

Magnus,

Maybe your Canadian cattle have tighter stomachs than our lazy American cattle that are out of shape :wink:

[Magnus]

No..I think it's all the mad cow...gives'em tougher skins...lol.

[sillious saurus]

This SUNDAY at the Colliseum! Tiberius Claudius Lupus battles Magnus. This one's to the death folks and the one who lives, is the one who's right! The belly leather battle is on.

[sillious saurus]

I have a question: Lorica Segmentata fittings...what is the Hinge Base for? It says for Corbridge B you need to make 4 hinge bases, is that for buckles or is that for the BIG hinges?

[Magnus]

How is it used in context?

[sillious saurus]

Well its the pattern document for the fittings that are posted pretty much everywhere, it says "Lorica Segmentata Fittings--Corbridge TYPE A" then it has the pics of the different fittings:

Hinge Base - cut 8
Strap Hinge - cut 4
Buckle Hinge - cut 4

and so on. Its that hinge base one that has me confused. It that something pertaining to buckles? As I understood it, the 8 bigger hinges just get riveted right to the metal, yes?

How is it used in context?

[Magnus]

Ahhhh...now I remember. Those strap hinges and buckle hinges basically attach the front and back of the upper unit together. See the diagram:



You'll use 1 on each breast plate (right and left), one on each back plate (right and left). But you won't need as many since you're making the corbridge B right...so you'll be using hooks and eyes in place of straps and hinges to attach the upper and lower units together.

So you my friend, need only make 4 of the hinge bases, and 2 each of the others.