ROTJ shoulder straps: What were they made of?

[puro]

As a chemical engineer I can conclude that the flexibility is not a measurement of something being plastic or not. Very common misinterpretation is that plastics is something rigid and un-environmental. Nowadays plastics are everywhere and the same building block can be used to manufacture anything from biodegrading plastics to bulletproof materials to ceramics.

 

For example PVC can be made anything from piping to clothes depending on the plasticizers and additives used.

[AnsonJames]

A bit late in the day - the strap appears made from white PVC covered fabric, - the sort of PVC material is used to make fake patent leather shoes and naughty ladies underwear.

The "ribs" have been stitched in.

[Nassik]

After looking through pictures and screen grabs I have to agree with TrooperMaster on this... These riveted shoulder straps are from tour suits and are not what was used in RoTJ. When I look at pictures of tour suits I see the rivets. When I look at screen grabs there are no rivets.

 

I've got a picture saved of John's RoTJ armor that shows the armor laid out on a bed. In this picture you clearly see where the shoulder bridge would attach to the chest piece...

 

That's a Velcro attachment, not rivets.

 

A screen grab...

 

No rivets.

[TK bondservnt[501st]]

when I look at the photos I see a fabric type material across the texture of the part.

the edges, and under area are also appear to be lined with tan velcro, or rubber strapping.

 

I agree completely with this:

 

A bit late in the day - the strap appears made from white PVC covered fabric, - the sort of PVC material is used to make fake patent leather shoes and naughty ladies underwear.

The "ribs" have been stitched in.

 

and I also agree that the rivets and variations are probably a quick repair, or a subtle change in materials in the prop dept.

 

if a person were to use armor straps, vynal straps, or fabric straps they all would have a source in photos to use as a basis for it.

 

prop replication would involve copying either the tour design,or the screen used design.

 

some would have rivets, and some would not. it would be up to the trooper.

[Scootch[TK]]

I heard it was Velveta Cheeze over canvas.

[JoeR]

I have been studying HD screencaps and it is impossible to state for certain either way. For my ROTJ suits I will offer vac formed and a latex or flexible resin alternative. Personally I think they are a more flexible material than ABS, but that is just an opinion.

 

@ Nassik John's suit was not made at the time of ROTJ, it was made before during or after ESB with haircell plastic so this can't be used to substantiate anything ROTJ. It was not made at the same time as all the other ROTJ suits.

 

Joe

[riveting]

Excuse the OT.

 

Fellas that is not a tour helmet.

 

I am sure that is the www.screenused.com helmet before it was stolen off the display. The chunk at the bottom is where the plastic is pushed in as it is very very weak in that area on both helmets I had.

 

Joe

 

Sorry for the OT do you mean this one

 

 

it's great to see other folks showing more interest in ROTJ

[JoeR]

Sorry for the OT do you mean this one

 

 

it's great to see other folks showing more interest in ROTJ

 

Exactly Steve, well spotted!

 

By the way looking forward to your build-up.

 

Joe

[troopermaster]

Excuse the OT.

 

Fellas that is not a tour helmet.

 

I am sure that is the www.screenused.com helmet before it was stolen off the display. The chunk at the bottom is where the plastic is pushed in as it is very very weak in that area on both helmets I had.

 

Joe

 

I was just looking through some old threads and noticed this reply.

 

Joe,

 

Are you saying that this helmet is the exact same helmet owned by sreenused.com?

[Rob .T .[TK]]

Does no one here recognise 1980s carpet underlay ? Thats what the shoulder straps in the photo posted in this thread are made of .

Edited October 17, 2011 by Rob .T .

[TKCaleb]

It looks like it Paul. Look closely at the weathered paint around the ears, practically the same pattern of paint loss in both photos.

 

 

Rob... You may be on to something. I did a quick google search and found several different underlay with the same pattern as that of the straps, only they were in colors like yellow and green.

[Locitus[Admin]]

Could be worth digging into!

[troopermaster]

It looks like it Paul.

 

I really don't think they are the same helmet.

 

Take a look at the rear trap decal in the bottom photo. It is missing one of the stripes and being screen printed, it is not like a stripe can just fall off. The brow trim is longer in the bottom photo and look closely at the trimming on the lower ear cap. It is much more trimmed in the top photo compared to the bottom one. The face plates seem to be positioned slightly differently too.

 

Carpet underlay? Really?

 

I would like to see something that matches the Jedi suits. Can't see it myself to be honest.

[TKCaleb]

good call Paul. I didnt notice the one black stripe missing. that and the ears are trimmed differently.

[geordietrooper]

im not buying the carpet underlay theory

& remember its already been said that only tour suits had the riveted vinyl/cloth straps not movie suits

[ZeroRoom[TK]]

No way is that carpet underlay (although I can see the similarity) that is stitched vinyl for sure. I've worked with a lot of VInyl and pleather in the day. It may have some type of wadding to sort of 'quilt' the ribs. Also it is possible for vinyl to fray. More specifically some types of vinyl have a woven base with a plastic fabrication screened over it. The woven base underlay can fray in threads sometimes. If you've ever seen very old pleather jacket get that sort of peel effect in worn areas you'll know what I mean.

[troopermaster]

Yeah, I know what you mean. But I think Vern is getting confused with the velcro sewn underneath the shoulder strap and thinks that is what the fraying is. If you zoom into the photo you will see it is simply the hook part of the velrco sticking out from underneath the strap and not the strap fraying.

 

I believe the strap is vinyl/PVC and more than likely ribbed as standard rather than sewn ribbing. I have been thinking about buying some white vinyl and making some kind of mould to heat it up and shape the ridges, then sew the velcro underneath. These straps have always been a mystery to me and it would be great to be able to reproduce them.

[ZeroRoom[TK]]

I haven't seen any PVC or vinyl that will retain shape from heating (it melts completely at very low temperatures - ask anyone who ever dropped their cigarette on their PVC pants!) but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Also I've never seen any that doesn't have some woven fabric base (especially if it needs stretch). I have seen a ribbed vinyl fabric (used to have a top made out of it) but it was still stitched and wadded when it was manufactured. The only other thing I can think of that would come off the shelf as such would be a rubber vinyl or some such but I don't know where it would have come from or what it would have been for...

 

EDIT: by the way - I agree that is Velcro fuzz not fraying...

[troopermaster]

It's been a puzzle trying to figure out what the strap was used for originally. It may have been in sheet form and cut into strips or it could have been some kind of mat? I really don't know

 

What I do know is the original ROTJ straps are vacuum formed ABS. These straps are from tour suits. It would be great to finally find out what they are made from and get some replicas made.

[geordietrooper]

why would they use velcro if they are riveted ( in the tour suit pic ) ?

[ZeroRoom[TK]]

That's a fair question but that's definitely velcro in the pic. Perhaps they just riveted the fronts after velcro on both ends didn't hold. They've obviously left the velcro at the back for ease of adjustment. I imagine that while the suits went on tour the people in them didn't so they would have needed to easily fit different folks. Of course they might have used Velcro and the rivets appeared between the tour and the exhibition for hardiness.

[TKCaleb]

What I do know is the original ROTJ straps are vacuum formed ABS. These straps are from tour suits. It would be great to finally find out what they are made from and get some replicas made.

 

What would you make of these straps then? They appear awfully flexible for ABS.

 

Edited December 1, 2011 by TKCaleb

[troopermaster]

What would you make of these straps then? They appear awfully flexible for ABS.

 

Flexible ABS shoulder straps with velcro glued to the underside.

[gh05ty]

That looks to my amatuer eye like very thin ABS/plastic (with very soft detail) with velcro stuck under it, just as TM has been saying all along.