Help with design please

[waenlotien]

Hey all
I am trying to design vambracers, that serve a dual purpose, but I am having troubles designing what i want exactly. I would like them to be archer style but also hold my throwing knives. My problem comes from the small amount of leather I need, It doesn't seem to look right.
My wrist measurement is 6 1/4"
My forarm measurement (shortly below the elbow) is 10 1/4"

I have 6 throwing knives, so I was trying to "hide" 3 in each. But I just cannot get it to work and look right.

CoG and VL, I would appreciate some help here. I am trying to get new thinsg together for Pennsic.

Thankies loads in advance
Waen

[VikingLeather]

With the 3 knives, on such a small piece of leather, it is going to have to look a little funny. I have made the bracers with the one knife sheath directly in the center, but with your 3, you will have to start at the forearm end of the bracer making a sheath then another about mid way down the first one, then another one mid way down the 2nd one. I can see why you are having a problem with it, will look a bit bulky and awkward. You might try to put a sheath in the middle and one on either side in a triangle pattern.

You might just have to bulk that arm up so that you have a little more leather to work with to, hehe. I will have to think a little more on this one.

Viking Leathercrafts

[waenlotien]

hehehehe
i don't want popeye arms though LOL
I also forgot to mention it is 7 1/2 inches from inside the wrist to inside the elbow.
I too thought of maybe on center with one on each side, bit I just cant get it to work right for me, i think I am doing something wrong LOL

and no popeye arms for me LOL

[Christophe of Grey]

waenlotien,
Here's a rough sketch that might work. You said these knifes were throwing knifes. Typically that type of knife is very thin. That being the case, but not knowing the dimensions of the knifes, might this work?

[VikingLeather]

Yep, that was the triangle pattern I was speaking of. If you have tried it, and it doesn't work for you, that is that. Last option is to start working out those popeye arms so that you can put more leather on the forearms, then it will work out.

Here is an idea, how about putting one under the bracer sticking out toward the elbow but not in the bend of your arm, then you would have room for the other 2 on the outside. Just a thought.

Viking Leather

[waenlotien]

yeah CoG, kind of like that. The knives I have are...
one set is 7 1/4" long 3/4" wide
one set is 6" long 1" wide


VL,
that sounds very kewl, I would never have thought of that at all.
do you have a design for that?

[Christophe of Grey]

waenlotien,
Cogitating (North Carolina word there) on this project some and taking into consideration Viking's suggestion of putting one knife inside, how about this? Using the same basic pattern I previously posted, and to help with the Popeye arm thing, how about wet forming the vambrace leather around the center knife, putting the actual knife inside the vambrace. Then on each side put the other two knifes, outside? That would give the vambrace a Greek key pattern look when viewed from the elbow end. (Greek key pattern is over, up, over, down, over, ad nauseum. Like a castle embattlement - top of wall.) You could then put a design on the outside of the wet formed "ridge". On the inside the scabbard would be constructed such that the inside of the vambrace was smooth against your arm. The construction would be somewhat more complex but not that difficult and I think the result stunning. Hmmmmmmmmm.....maybe I need to make a pair of these for myself...........

[waenlotien]

Hmmmmmmmmm.....I can most defianately picture this is my mind. NOw to see if I can do it LOL

[Christophe of Grey]

waenlotien,
The basic steps would be:
1 - tool/carve your design
2 - using a wooden model of your knife, soak the leather, then press form it around the wooden model. Let dry checking often that the leather is still formed around the mold.
3 - color and finish to choice.

Easy!!! We have faith in you. Realize that when you finish these you WILL have to post pictures for the rest of us to drool over!

[Yasmar]

Instead of using a wooden model of the knife (LOL, can't picture myself attempting to carve an accurate copy of a knife!), couldn't you use the actual knife, wrapped in something tight and waterproof (maybe electrician's tape around the blade)?

[Christophe of Grey]

Yasmar,
Well actually you could just cover the knife with plastic wrap or something like that. The idea is to get the shape of it to mould the leather around.

[waenlotien]

uugggg, I am so thinking of talking someone to do it for me LOL

[Christophe of Grey]

waenlotien,
Christophe of Grey - Cordwainer to the Royals at your service. Besides, that way, as you stroll the grounds of Pennsic this year, you could be my walking billboard! (Shameless commercial plug there!) Think about it and PM me.

[waenlotien]

that would be awesome!!!!!

unfortuneately I won't be able to make Pennsic this year, but will be at several local events. A lady at work is leaving for her daughter's wedding, so my vacation was bounced away from me. *cries*

[Yasmar]

Please let us see pics as the vambraces progress! Or at the very least, the finished product... Curious how they'll turn out with the knives.

[waenlotien]

here are the knives

any other questions, ask away