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Post by ianl on Oct 26, 2006 12:31:16 GMT -5
What material do you suggest making the kamas out of? I've seen some nice ARC/Beehive kamas made from canvas drop cloths, but the GM Kama appears shinier, like a vinyl maybe?
Also what material is used to make the pouches? I'd be willing to draw up some templates for the pouches once I get their shape down right.
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Post by pghfett on Oct 26, 2006 12:50:16 GMT -5
Yes, I too was interested in the fabric end of the Kama and pouches as well. Lets get this rolling, perhaps we can whip up some dimensions of said pieces as well and post a few links for a material purchase.
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Post by admin on Oct 26, 2006 13:24:18 GMT -5
For my kama, wookieegunner noted to me that the GM kama flowed like vinyl, so I used vinyl. Luckily I was able to find the exact color vinyl I was looking for! It's just a straight maroon, so it's not quite the burgundy of my armor, but it's a very very close match. However, I had to paint the inside of it, but that wasn't a big deal since it soaks right in. There aren't any real dimensions for the kama since it should be sized to your measurements to look right. It should extend from the belt down to just below your knees. This height will greatly differ from person to person, so like I said, no real dimensions. The kama will be wider at the top than it will be at the bottom: Note here that the BOTTOM edge rests at the side of the knees, but the top edge is quite close together, each corner meeting up at the belt buckles. For my belt, since it's a soft goods belt, I used the same material. Vinyl. My pouches are not functional. They are a shaped foam block wrapped in vinyl.
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Post by ianl on Oct 26, 2006 14:45:35 GMT -5
I agree the kamas should be custom made for each individual...The basic shape is simple, you just need your waist length and the distance between your belt and shin armor. The kama also has a V-notch in the back David, did you use a marine vinyl for the kama? I found this place which sells a maroon marine vinyl which I was thinking would work. What do you think? Not sure if they do bulk orders but I could find out if several people are interested. One yard should be sufficient for each kama. www.beaconfabric.com/vindex.html?cat46.htm
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Post by admin on Oct 26, 2006 16:10:36 GMT -5
I only use marine-quality vinyl. It holds up far better than most other vinyls because it is tempered for use in salty water/air conditions, and such conditions typically wear out other materials more quickly. Plus, I mean, the name-sake...
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Post by youngling on Nov 3, 2006 20:42:45 GMT -5
I made mine out of winter weight fleece (the same stuff they made the snowtroopers trench coats out of).
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Post by Anrev on Nov 3, 2006 21:41:46 GMT -5
I'm going to make mine out of the canvas drop cloth and paint it with the same color as the armor. Plus I like the way canvas weathers and frays. And I HATE sewing vinyl. HATE!
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Post by youngling on Nov 7, 2006 23:07:44 GMT -5
I am making my puches out of cardboard covered in vinyl. So far i have got the pouches mad and the vinyl cut out but the vinyl i bought was black so I am painting it a Gloss White with Enamel spray paint and i have run out of paint and they still show black through so i have to pick up some more but right now it is late and the store i bought it at is closed so i will have to wait. But my concern is comfort. What does the godd Captain think about his pouches comfort wise cuz i don't think cardboard pouches are going to be any more comfortable.
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Post by admin on Nov 7, 2006 23:16:03 GMT -5
The way I have my main pouches attached to my belt is such that they can move and bend with my legs. So I have no comfort issues with my pouches. My secondary pouches are actually slipped onto the belt via a loop in the back, and they actually hold the belt up in place by attaching to velcro on the jumpsuit. So again, comfort isn't an issue.
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Post by ianl on Nov 8, 2006 9:23:34 GMT -5
My thought on the pouches (and I'll try it this weekend) is to get some florist's foam (The green stuff used to hold flowers) and shape and wrap them with the vinyl. I'll probably do this with the backpack too. I'll post pics of my progress.
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Post by admin on Nov 8, 2006 9:53:13 GMT -5
The problem with florist foam that you'll have to keep in mind when trooping is that once you bump into something or lean up against something, the foam crushes and will not reform. So you'll end up having to rebuild your pouches and backpack every few events.
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Post by ianl on Nov 8, 2006 16:21:06 GMT -5
I thought about that. I might use it just as a form to hold the shape of the vinyl while the glue dries. I could go with cotton batting or some other lightweight stuffing after the initial shape is created.
Trial and Error, it would be nice to have the front pouches at least functional. Some place to stash a wallet and keys while trooping.
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Post by pghfett on Nov 8, 2006 17:37:23 GMT -5
A trick to use on the floral foam is this.... get some epoxy resin, thicken it up with an addative and then paint a layer onto the foam and allow it to dry. This will make a very durable egg shell over (and a little into) the foam block/piece. If your into the foam thing, a stronger self skinning foam can be bought that goes a really long way and is very expansive. Since it's self skinning, the outer layer is also very resistant to puncturing or dents. I'm looking into a FG foam filled pouches or a hollow cast type of pouch. As far as the Kamas concearned, could you folks post some pics of the kamas that were made? This way we can compare and decide what material we like and looks best, maybe even posting them all together for a comparison shot.
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Post by admin on Nov 8, 2006 17:46:45 GMT -5
Here's mine:
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Post by pghfett on Nov 8, 2006 18:19:21 GMT -5
Dave, where the split is I notice a small square piece of cloth that appears to be there to prevent the split from progressing up more. Is that the purpose of the small piece ?
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