troopermaster

That's not Luke's helmet.

Here's a couple of screen grabs courtesy of RoCKo

That piece of gaffer tape is actually holding down another piece of gaffer tape which is wrapped around the black elastic strap from the bottom of the shoulder bell. This is done to keep the biceps from falling down, since there was no strapping for the biceps. This picture makes the bicep look an odd shape (which some believe to be the correct shape) but in reality it is simply the elastic strap being pulled down over the bicep. I believe the reason why the armour looks so scuffed and beat up in the Tanive IV raid is because it was one of the last scenes to be filmed. The scuffed up armour really looks SWEET!

PM received and replied to.

I don't think there were three helmet moulds in ROTJ. The reason it looks different from the two other ROTJ helmets is because the moulds have been messed with. The back and cap is too small and the forehead too big. I would say that this helmet is just a recast of one of his old ROTJ's from a decade ago. It would be great to see it side by side with your original Joe.

Looking SWEET Mark!

All my armour has return edges, the flexible armour is no different. I get my white E6000 from the states.

It may be flexible, but is it unbreakable?

Nate, I mark out out the width of the strip with a pencil and then use a metal spirit level (or any stright edge will do) and a utility knife and lightly score the first cut. A second score usually gets through the plastic, but if not, just bend and snap. Make sure to cut the corners off at 45 degrees at each end, so the bottom would look like this \___/ for authenticity Now hurry up and get the kit finished!

Leave about one inch of the strap showing and only one rivet per strap for stunt or two for hero. Punch a hole roughly half an inch from the bottom edge of the belt for stunt and an extra one the same distance from the top if going for a hero. Use a rivet and a washer on the back side to prevent it pulling through the canvas.

I have a couple of pairs available now

"That's impossible....even for a computer" For me, it has to be 100% screen accurate. That means using the same materials, assembly and hardware that was used back in 1976 when the original ANH armour was made. You cannot be screen accurate any other way IMO. I love for my helmets to have paint chips....to be held together with gaffer tape and to to be rough as hell. The original ANH armour and helmets are what I strive to replicate, no matter how bad they look to anyone else, I love them

Thin channel goes on the helmet, thick channel goes to the inside for ANH. For ROTJ the thin channel went on the helmet while the thick channel went to the outside.

I use white ABS adhesive for this suit, very simialr to what was used originally, but it does crack if stressed too far. White E6000 would be better for costuming. I am not sure if it is available in black, sorry.

The touring suits are night and day different from the ANH suits. They used poly webbing for the belts, around 50mm, not canvas. Hopefully we can find the original material or item used for the real belts because so far, I have yet to see a truly screen accurate belt from anyone.

Bumps are ugly IMO. Most ANH helmets have the eyes trimmed out pretty good. The bump as it's known is actually just flashing and is over exagerated on the AP. Trim it out big as Mark suggests and you'll have a nice looking helmet

This shows how the old spec from a few years ago differs from the Webers and my trim.

Just remember the stormtroopers were made in England. I have looked for vintage cargo straps, lashings, towing straps and lifting straps with not much luck. The real belts look like denim canvas, so maybe they were not so heavy duty?

Very interesting! I have always thought they used a found item for the belts. I've searched high and low for cargo straps and lashings, but never actually found anything close enough. I beleive the belts are closer to 3" wide, not 4. The original ANH belts are too straight and perfect to be cut pieces and sewn together, even though the edges are rough/frayed. Good work

Sounds good to me

Ask and yee shall receive Snaps You need the 15mm caps though. He usually has them for sale, so you could ask him about them. 10mm or the 12.5 are too small.

How about some fine body filler like -----

Show me yours and I'll show you mine Rivet holding a 1" elastic strap to the crotch and a two male snaps through the butt plate and two female snaps on the end of the elastic. Use small 's' spring snaps for authenticity

This photo shows the cut out on the bottom of the kidney section which I was refering to.

Flexible adhesive for flexible armour