Armour version 1.2

I came home from the larp at the start of the month with a list of repairs as long as my arm. In good time, the bracers were shortened, the helm rivets replaced, then re-hammered, then cussed at some, before I finally got some luck in setting the damn things. Snap-fasteners were replaced in my trouser-skirt and the sewing was completed.So it makes perfect sense that I leave the biggest job, that of replacing the fastenings on my bodice, to the last minute. Completed it just a couple of hours ago in fact.

My original armour, since I have consumate skill at avoiding cameras on the larp field, can be seen here. I've made a few corsets in my time, so my original plan was to go with what I knew, but with the thickness of the leather, this didn't work so well. The second attempt, which I didn't get picks of, involved replacing the busk with swing hooks. This worked well initially, but as the leather began to soften to my shape, it lost the rigidity it needed for the damn things to stay closed on their own. It's really just as well I didn't see much combat last time.

Time for another change. This time I decided to go with good, reliable buckles. But I had to remove the riveted swing hooks first. A bit of reading told me that I would have to drill through the back of the rivet to remove it. If only it were that simple. I did the drilling, but had to beg the brute strength of a friend to remove them, who swiftly discovered for me that the actual trick was to drill then use an appropriately sized, as in, about the size of the rivet head itself, to cut the rivets off. Noted for future projects that.

Oh, and that last buckle? The way it looks like it's on backwards? Totally deliberate. *nods*

And now the packing is complete. I'm sure, as usual, that I've forgotten something. Tis time to pamper. Why pamper before going to spend four days in cold and mud you might ask? Well, with the weather being for cold and drizzle, if I'm going to get wet and miserable, I'm going to smell of jasmine while I do it.