DIY Leather Armor Modification | Small change, HUGE DIFFERENCE
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.พ. 2025
- Easy DIY project upcycling old leather armor. This leather armor is over 10 YEARS OLD and with this quick modification it is 10 times better!
Added 3 interloching leather straps riveted to the inside of the cuirass to close the gaps and strengthen it, giving way more structure and rigidity.
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creativecommon...
I think the contrast between the two materials does improve the look.
me too!
The helmet actually looks really similar to the Rohirim.
Spot on, even before the film clip i did see that it's a Rohirim helm. Wow
“Insert arrow here”! 😂 I love the way you took this piece to the next level. And hopefully this will lead to a series on how to build a full set of leather armor.
Leather armor is one of my favorite kinds of fantasy armor despite it not being historically accurate, and it's great to see more tips on making it really pop and be eye-catching.
Depends on where you're at, though. Leather armor was common in Early China and even throughout the Americas. And the reason why there is no historic validity to leather armor in EUROPE is very hard to discern, since leather is an organic material and it does not preserve well. But under the right conditions, you can find some nice examples of leather armor. There are even written sources from China that tell how leather armor was made.
Generally speaking, if someone says leather armor never existed in history, you can respectfully tell them to go kick rocks. Just remember that leather does not preserve UNLESS specific factors are met.
@@voltekthecyborg7898 In addition, outside Europe you have stronger leathers, such as elephant (both Africa and Asia), which would provide better protection. In Europe there are also mentions of "boiled leather", but little in the ways of actual descriptions, so we don't know much about it.
The kind of leather "armour" you see in modern media productions is 98% fantasy costumes, though.
@@AnotherDuck yeah
I really need to get my workshop finished. Between you and Skill Tree, I've got so many projects I want to start on.
Same xD
It’s criminal that you don’t have 100k subscribers yet. By the way, I joined your discord and man is it fun (and intimidating!). I don’t larp, but you and the community are making me really want to
You totally should! Yeah I'm hoping we can get too 100K this year, we'll see what happens.
As soon as you grabbed the helmet I knew where you were going with it.
Even though ill probably end up never larping I really enjoy your videos
The improvements you made look fantastic! I love the contrast of the different colors. Those little details are great! Like you said in your previous video, some of the best parts and the best storytelling of your kit come from necessity rather than something that’s forced
Very impressive. You're getting better everytime.
Thanks Fuzzycat!
Dare I say, leveling up?
It's really hard to beat that Witcher chestpiece. That thing turned out SO well. I'm definitely saving up to make something similar
Ahhhhhhh!!!!!Kramer in Rohirim!!!!! I'm dying!!!!!!
🗡️👀🗡️
The end spoiler now makes me feel extraordinarily confident in the gift I am making.
Greetings from Croatia !!
Nice exit Man, we are left in awe.
Forth Eorlingas!! Yes, Kramer, that is amazing, I love this idea!
The Rohirrim were always my favourite people in ME, horsemen and women…and I‘m a brown haired lass and I still ride with them (in my dreams)
The upgrade is quite well executed, I would love to see some Celtic knotwork or tree of life border on the strips over your shoulders…maybe you can cut up a tooled leather belt for that?
Just a suggestion cause I haven‘t figured out how the strips are attached, but it would look more like a cohesive design if you put some of the rivets on the shoulder straps as well.
I can‘t wait for this new series, and I love to watch leatherwork, I can almost smell it ❤
can't wait to see the finished costume! you are so creative!
It looks so much better. Lol
And, at this point, you could rivet steel plates inside it for even more protection.
The contrast gives it more character.
*Sees helmet, instant happy gasp*
Also, I really appreciate that you share how your costumes go through multiple iterations. I think for beginners like me it can be really discouraging seeing all these nicely put together costumes, so getting to see that you keep transforming your costume as you get better and better is really nice. Awesome as always, so excited for the new costume!
Great video, love your creativity! You have inspired me to pick up leather work!
Wow awesome! It's super fun and very rewarding!
Oh Kramer posted a video jay 😄 ... He made a cool improvment on a chestplate nice 😯 ... a sneak peak uhh a helmet O.O a ROHIRIM HELMET (high-pitched girly scream) AHHHHH .....🤩😆🤯😍
btw am on your discord server it is so cool to talk to others there ^w^
I think this is a great improvement. Otherwise, I get heavy linothorax vibes. Although this made of leather is certainly not historical. But still...it looks believable.
Yo, love your channel even though I don't Larp
Thanks man!
Your videos are really inspirational. I don’t know where your confidence comes from, but you are truly inspiring. Whether it is making bread from scratch or making / improving armour, you have encouraged me to leave my trepidation behind and give these things a go too. So, thank you. I just joined the SCA and went to my first meeting. I am quite shy so thanks for encouraging me to try new things.
Well done! Nice work on the spangenhelm. :) Rock on!
Thanks Siani Anne!
I really like the witcher breastplate. Historically hardened leather armour was used to protect the limbs and chest during the 13th century. It offers a bit of ridgid protection and was used to augment maile. It was not a soldier's armour but that of a knight. Your witcher breastplate, well its a good design and In a fantasy setting i can see its utility as a ranger's armour augmenting a gamberson things knocking against it will make much less noise than against steel for starters. And depending on the threats you intend to face, such as beasties etc it may well be totally up to the task.
A possible upgrade if you could get your hands on it, could be to add dragon skin to reinforce the fighter's armour, if you could get your hands on some croc or gator skin. But that would probably be prohibitively exspensive and may just come off as tacky.
And I thought you couldn't get any cooler! And now you sneak peak/tease a set of Rohirrim armour and kit!
Arise! Arise! Rider of Theoden!
Great video, and looking forward to seeing the new outfit, helm looks really cool
Actually, Ready for Battle is a sub-brand of Epic Armory, one of the largest and most prominent LARP manufacturers around. You can also get it from their official websites and most other LARP stores carrying Epic Armoury. I'd say that stuff branded with Epic Armoury is usually better than Ready for Battle, which is made for kids and people on a budget.
Yeah it was Epic Armor when I bought it Medieval Collectibles now changed the name of the company it's tagged under. Epic Armory has some really nice stuff, RFB really is get what you pay for, which is great on a budget but needs to be upgraded eventually.
Oh, this new costume is going to be rad!
That helmet is gorgeous!
I am a sucker for making things you already own better by a little craftiness. Plus you get to customize it to be a OOAK! That helmet!!! 🤩 So excited to see what you have been working on!! Great video as always fellow adventurer!
This is about as close as you can get to true studded leather armor, lol. Maybe that's the functional idea behind "studded leather", it's not huge chunks of leather with random studs in for appearance or protection, it's a huge amount of small pieces that are bonded together to form a single piece. A way to put the scraps of leather from other projects to use, basically. Nice work, it looks really good.
That looks much better, and the contrast/texture adds to it. Nice work!
Nicely done :) I use-to have that exact armor (I may still do, it's probably in the roof or something but I might have given it away) and I agree, it was rubbish but what you've done is awesome and now it looks good, very clever, and that sneak peek from the end has me excited!
very cool bit of editing at the start. and the final product looks way more believable as armour or a stiff extra layer.
Cant wait to see the costume finished and that helmet was extremly well made.
I love your videos. Your constant incorporation of DIY is really approachable.
Uhh I like the "lorica segmentata" vibe it's giving me
Hopefully it‘s less noisy…lol
If you'd shorten the shoulder straps so the whole thing is worn higher, produce some sides (preferably faced with scales) and change the profile of the shoulders a bit, you'd be left with pretty serviceable piece called Spolas, armor most famously worn by ancient Greeks, but ubiquitous in the whole ancient Mediterranean.
Aha, fun! Looking forward to seeing what you come out with...
Hey I just found your channel today I saw your video on the rings of power and my god your words lit a fire in me I would ride into battle with you right now to defend all that good and to be cherished in this world.
I can’t wait to see the new outfit
Looks very nice. I would love to see this in combination with your witcher armour.
Looks great!
Gj reworking it
Looking forward to seeing your new costume
For those inclined to crafting. You can also make up lamelar leather armour on the cheap. On eby you can get big boxed of thick leather scraps from for example shoe production. Those are not every usefull for anything covering larger areas, but ridiculusly cheap. What do work perfectly for, is the smalle pieces of a lamelar armour.
I like this idea a lot. That's a really cool mod.
Huge upgrade!
Speaking of Rohirrim, did you see Zorpazorp's newest video where he interviewed THE guy at Weta who worked on Rohirrim armor!
Hey I love your videos man. Can you do a video about the ranger outfit in the boot video? I think it looks great. And super stealthy-ish
Thanks Rayen, I actually talk about it in a coupole videos "How to add costume detail" is probably the one where I talk about it the most. I'm wearing it in the thumbnail
@@LivingAnachronism Oh my bad man. I watched those videos too. Btw the armour in this video look awesome. And the boots to. Keep up the good work. You’re doing great
Looks great, hope to see more videos like this. 👍👍👍
I think if you didn't want to the do the interlocking in the middle and just do straight bands that go over the two in the middle, you could add a rectangular area of tooling, maybe tool some image or design with a border around the rectangles, or add conchos in the center of each part that is on the outside, with two conchos in the middle, giving the breastplate a more decorative studded look.
Great alternative!
Such an improvement!
Commenting for the algorithm.
Replying for the algorithm
All glory to the algorithm…
Gonna be honest, this video was over my head. Perhaps, if I get into leathercrafting one day (and I want to), it will make more sense. But I watched it anyway, 'cause I am committed to watching every one of your videos.
Do you have any interest in tanning your own leather?
Woahhhh, that reveal though! 😃 That was so epic! I can't wait to see what else you put together!
Just a thought on leather armor - is leather-covered brigandine a thing? I don't know if they'd work together, but especially with rigid leather armor, I've often wondered if there's plate underneath. Thanks for another awesome video!
Those DID happen, but rarely, for two reasons
One: leather was quite expensive in a full sheet with no holes, so linen was used
Two: Leather preserves poorly
If you haven't checked it out already, Shadiversity did a really fun video on brigandine vs. "studded leather" armor that you might find helpful :)
@@voltekthecyborg7898 Ah, gotcha - that makes sense. It's so easy to forget that things weren't so readily available historically 😅 Thank you!
@@cmpiepho Wow, that sounds perfect! I'll give that a watch (I always love Shad's videos 😊). Thank you so much for the direction!
@@morgansmith1930 no problem
Great video!
i use the black version when i play a goblin. i have filled the holes with rabbit pelts and few thropies like fake ears on strings hinging from it.
I've always wondered, "Does leather from different animals have different strengths? How hard are other leathers to work with?" I mean a quick Google search told me most is from cows but it gave a list of what is used. I never heard of kangaroo or ostrich leather until I looked it up.
Looks nice
I have no idea how you managed to get those that precise cutting directly from the template!
Luck I think
He's updating his studded leather armour.
Studded. Leather. Armour.
does it count as studded leather if it's just some rivets to keep together patches of leather? Imho the true "studded leather" is a normal leather armor with rivets everywhere for no other reason than have rivets everywhere, mimicking a brigandine (where the rivets actually serve a purpose)
OMG Awrsome!!!
This is giving me so much inspiration for my own leather armor. I have always wondered, though, where did u get your gabasin?
Honestly I didn't need the lotr clip after you put on that helm my first thought was rohirim
nice 👍
A Horse Lord?! Oh my.
Spoiling us with three videos this week, eh?
But on the topic of videos, any chance you feel like doing one on your interpretation of "Adventurer's Rations"?
What sort of munchies would a Ranger/Witcher/DnD Hero have in his bags?
Not really related to the topic of this video but if your working on a new charakter in the future it would be fun to implement some merchant-elements, because your name kramer actually is an old german word for merchant and in the bavarian dialect borndl-kramer (bone-merchant) was used as a name for death.
Does anyone else feel that the two 'breastplates' compliment each other? I understand if they can't actually be worn together on account of buckles or whatever, but it looks like the modified suede cuirass provides decent coverage for the abdomen while the thick leather breastplate provides denser protection for the upper chest.
I'd be interested in seeing them paired if possible.
The original kind of reminded me of a coat of plates.
Next, can you show us how to make the moob armor from RoP?
Won't be making the moon armor, but I will be making leather scale armor CORRECTLY. Won't be a full video tutorial, but the pieces themselves will be featured
YEEEEESSSSSSSS!!!!!!!
Me: why'd you want a leather breastplate when you can have a steel one?
Me moving with dagger on my belt: BANG BANG BANG BANG.
Watching you and Skill Tree I have got interested in leather. Is there any help for the high cost of materials? Leather, to me, is crazy expensive. Thanks for any responses.
Video of belt pouch please??
Suede breastplate? Lot's of potential for wordplay that I can't use in a family-friendly environment, dernit! :-)
Oh wow we are not ready for next week
Probably won't be ready next week, still waiting on some things, but I am really excited to share it once it is complete
@@LivingAnachronismwell we'll wait but I'm sure you'll blow our mind and we won't be ready
👍👍👍
Kinda looks like Chinese Coat of Leather.
So fun fact, the Chinese actually had (and have) written, historical sources on making leather armor. Leather armor was typically made into the aforementioned coat of leather or, later on, lamellar. The type of leather is also really important, as common domesticated bovine leather is not the best. The Chinese, instead, used leather from two animals: the rhinoceros and the water buffalo. They would then tan the leather and then layer the leather for 4, 5 or even 6 layers and then lacquered them to protect it from the weather.
Cool
I mean you say it is not historical but it looks like smaller version of Hittite armour. (minus the bronze).
About dyeing. In medieval fantasy leather is most likely used because it is cheaper. Why would someone bother dyeing, making it more expansive. Applying some fat, oil, vax or resin to make it water-resistant is much more likely. And it makes leather darker.
When can we test it? We need proof it stops sword attacks➡️. 💯👍
There's no way it would haha!
Krafty Kramer strikes again.
Damn notifications didn't inform me when your vid dropped and I was not able to view/like/comment til 13 hours after the fact :(
Something to keep in mind when a character has worn and perhaps ruined gear that is in need of repairs and/or reinforcement.
I like how you modded your old armour that ye don’t wear into one you do Mybe there’s hope for my helm of disappointment
Are you going to Reckoning again?
I am
FOR ROHAN!
A comment for the algorithm
Arise, arise, Riders of Théoden!
Spear shall be shaken, shield shall be splintered,
a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises!
Ride now, ride now, ride! Ride for ruin and the world's ending!
Death! Death! Death!
Forth Eorlingas!
DEEEEAAAATH
Loved the build, but your dying technique hurt my soul. Circles! Apply dye in circular motions, not lines. That’s how you get streaks!
Thank you, I was trying not to write that down as well…lol
Blue twice in a row? You’re a goaty boi now, aren’t you?
Theseus?? That you? I think the color grade messes with the fabric, it's grey irl
@@LivingAnachronism of course it’s me!
"I'll give you a little hint"
Teaser is right. I should have just ended the video then.
Love the improvements! I would just encourage you not to blow your money on a suede horse for your Rohirrim project-not worth it.
Precedents for the armor appearance: Terracotta Warriors - large square-ish plates joined at the corners - not rivets but laces at the corners, plates overlap but there is a square exposed edge. And 'Brigandine' armor - leather or fabric cover with a pattern of rivets, rigid plates hidden inside the cover but 'telegraph' their shape through the covering. If you ever decide to upgrade the shoulders - hang the armor from narrower straps so they don't rise up when you have to raise your arms - you can then tie (point) the wider plates to the shoulder straps at the top of your shoulder, maybe a thin strap under your upper arm to hold them in place - the wide plates can then move up and down as your arm moves and not pivot on the breast plate and try to chop your head off (it should hit your neck armor first).
would be better if you put metal plates in there instead of leather. we both know what would happen if an arrow hit that xD
A tiny bit of realism would hurt now would it? xD
tried shootiong arrows at leather before and that was thick hardened ones most of my shots sent the arrow into the plank fence on the other side so they went through the "armor" and the ballistic dummy xD
I wonder if you covered/disguised metal armor with leather 'armor' it would fool your opponent into thinking they don't need to strike as hard? At least the first time, and then it might throw them off balance giving you an advantage...
Historically, at least on Europe, leather armor was a supplement worn over chainmail. Also, the origin of the myth of studded leather armor was brigandine: armor made of overlapping metal plates riveted to a backing of cloth or leather.
It was also not uncommon to wear cloth or padded jackets over mail or plate armor. Ultimately, you’d still be able to tell they’re wearing metal armor or be able to assume as much.
The only non-metal armor that was frequently used on its own was gambeson, which was comprised of layers of quilted fabric.
Why leather thou.
Easy to done: Aluminium mail coloured as iron.
Shad have done it without problems.
Also Gambesons. Why leather
Because not everyone wants to cosplay as Shad.
Because he is going to build a Rohirim costume, and they are using leather
Couple reasons, 1 I had the armor already so I figured I might as well use it if I can, 2 right now I can't afford chainmain as much as I want to (I have 2 gambersons though), 3, Leather working is a skill I possess, so it means I can make my own armor and only pay for the material cost
@@LivingAnachronism i just was confused by the amount of leather "armours" you posses
With this one, even with the reinforcements, it’s more of a leather jack than armour. Some protection against brush and the like but that’s about it.
Go home, alcohol-based dye, you’re drunk.