New Black TX Belts

[TKittell[501st]]

Hey guys. I've started making black TX belts out of a cotton/polyester blend fabric with the plastic insterts the whole length of the belt (between the velcro ends). Check out the details on the "Ongoing Projects/Runs" belt thread. Rob "TKittell" Kittell

 

$30 US, $35 International

 

Edited January 17, 2011 by TKittell

[RogueTrooper[TK]]

Hey Robert, Nice looking workmanship on the TX belt

 

But, I think over on the 501st Spec Ops Det about the Shadow Stormtrooper Visual CRL (Blackhole Trooper; Stealth Trooper) states: BELT BACK: Made of gloss black plastic, shiney/glossy black leather belt or similar material to match the armor. 3 to 3.5†wide.

 

See if they do accept before making them up.

 

Here is the link:http://s11.zetaboards.com/501st_Spec_Ops_Det/topic/7273245/1/

 

SHADOW STORMTROOPER (a.k.a Stealth Trooper; Blackhole Trooper)

 

BACKGROUND:

Shadow Stormtroopers were first created by the Imperial agent codenamed Blackhole. Instead of plastoid their armor was cast with stygian-triprismatic polymer, to provide sensor stealth and make the armor black in color. After Blackhole's disappearance during the Galactic Civil War, the Shadow Stormtroopers found their way into other imperial groups. Most notably as part of Carnor Jax's private army.

 

NOTABLE APPEARANCES:

Gambler's Worlds (1979-1984 comic strip: Los Angeles Times Syndicate)

Crimson Empire (Comic: Darkhorse)

 

 

(TX-6465 pictured above)

 

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SHADOW STORMTROOPER ARE:

 

 

MUST HAVE:

 

1. BODY ARMOR: Black, glossy professional-quality Stormtrooper style body armor. This may be made of ABS, HIPS, Styrene, or Fiberglass. Armor may be slightly weathered, showing silver, grey, or black scratches. But armor must remain glossy (never matte black, ever) No LEDs/Lighting of any sort is permitted.

 

* CHEST PIECE:

 

 

* SHOULDER STRAPS: These must be securely mounted in front and may free float in back. They may be affixed with rivets, Velcro, or adhesive.

 

 

* BACK PLATE:

 

 

* SHOULDER BELLS:

 

 

* BICEPS: Must be fully closed.

 

 

* FOREARMS: Must be fully closed.

 

 

* HANDPLATES: Trapezoid shaped hand guards, that cover the back of the hands, are required.

 

 

* AB PLATE: May have a fixed or hinged cod for added mobility. Cut cannot be visible from the front.The ab plate also has a button area. All 9 buttons are approximately 7/16" in diameter and gloss black in color.

 

 

 

* KIDNEYPLATE: A single black plate may be used instead of a separate kidney and butt plates.

 

 

* BUTT PLATE:

 

 

* BELT FRONT: consisting of a correct plastic front (TK ammo belt).

 

*** DROP BOXES: which dangle from the sides of the plastic front belt via black straps.

 

 

* BELT BACK: Made of gloss black plastic, shiney/glossy black leather belt or similar material to match the armor. 3 to 3.5†wide.

 

** O2 CANISTER/THERMAL DETONATOR: Must be present on the back attached to the belt. This is a gloss gray or black cylinder 2-2.5 inches in diameter with gloss black end caps and a gloss black control pad affixed. It may be permanently affixed to the belt using fasteners or be clipped on.

 

 

* THIGHS: that close in the back (and the right with an ammo belt described below).

** AMMO BELT: must be present on the right thigh.

 

 

* GREAVES: (one with knee plate described below). Greaves should close in the back.

** KNEE PLATE: Correct trapezoid knee plate on the left greave (diamond knee plates or the absence of a knee plate is not acceptable)

 

 

 

2. HELMET: Must be made out of fiberglass, ABS, or HIPS TK style helmet.

 

* COLOR: is to be gloss black in color to match the body armor.

* CHIN: May be Gloss Black, Flat Black or Silver in color.

* FROWN: Acceptable colors are battleship gray in color (like TKs), Silver or Gloss Black and paint does not leave the teeth area. Teeth cut out and backed with black screen on either side

* TUBE STRIPES: Acceptable colors are Gloss Black, Flat Black or a very dark Navy Blue. There must be at least 9 and a maximum of 15. The curve must bend backwards. There does not need to be an equal amount per side.

 

* CROWN INDENTS: Front and back; Acceptable colors are battleship gray, gloss black or flat black, Rear indents may have black vertical lines.

* TEARS: Acceptable colors are battleship gray, gloss black or flat black and may have black vertical lines.

* EAR-CAPS: The body of the ear caps must be either gloss black or flat black. Acceptable colors for the vertical stripes may be gloss black, flat black, or Navy Blue

* LENSES: Either opaque flat or bubbled helmet lenses are acceptable. May be Black, Smoke, Silver, or Dark Green in color. A spectator must not be able to see your eyes through the lenses when the helmet is worn.

* MIC TIPS: Must be present. The body is gloss back or flat black. May be similar faucet aerators, vintage hovi mic tips or resin cast replicas.

 

* COMMUNICATION: May have a voice amplifier and/or voice effect board w/Static Burst.

* FANS: Helmet fans and helmet cutouts for ventilation. Any cutouts must be backed with black screen so a spectator cannot see your face inside the helmet.

 

3. UNDER THE ARMOR:

* BODY: A Solid Black or dark Navy Blue under suit is required. This may be either a one-piece or two piece, Non-textured, non-shiny material. Wide vertical ribbing is permitted, not required. Commonly used items for this include dive suits, dance unitards, and “UnderArmor†or “Starter†warm-up suits.

[iMAGE COMING SOON]

 

* NECKSEAL: Black ribbed neck seal. The ribs should be horizontal, not be loose, and should extend from the base of the neck to the top of the adam's apple.

 

 

* GLOVES: Black gloves with no ornamental/decorative stitching is permitted. Enclosed fingered, non-textured, with no visible straps. May be made of leather, rubber, nomexm, or jersey-style cloth.

 

 

* BOOTS: Must be Glossy Black "Chelsea-style" Boot. These boots are an ankle high, lace-less boot that may have an elastic u-shaped gore on the sides and up to a 1†heel. They should be made of leather or vinyl and must closely match the TK standard. No ornamental stitching is allowed.

 

 

 

4. ACCESSORIES:

 

* PAULDRON: May wear a solid black pauldron over the shoulder of the arm carrying the sidearm.

 

* HOLSTER: made of black leather or leather like material, worn on the left. Must be worn when carrying an E-11. May be attached with loops, snaps or may be riveted the belt.

 

 

5. BLASTERS: May be a modified toy, scratch-built, resin cast, hyperfirm/rubber, vacuum-formed, a Master Replica, or a demilitarized gun. They may be weathered and must never be able to fire any sort of projectile. Hasbro blasters are discouraged but allowed. LEDs/sound effects (for firing effect) are permitted.

 

* E-11s:

 

** FOLDING STOCK: Does not need to function

** HENGSTLER COUNTER

** D-RING: On the rear

** SCOPE: Correct style

** T-RACKS: Total of 6 T-racks on blaster (leaving the lowest row on the Hengstler side un-covered) for Scratch-built, resin cast, Hyperfirm rubber cast.

Total of 7 T-racks (if you cover all the original Hasbro rows of holes) or 6 T-racks if you cover the original Hasbro with an "open row" of holes on the Hengstler side. Below this, you must grind off the original Hasbro lower T-rack and drill a new row of holes

** Resin E11 modification kit is recommended for the Hasbro E11, to include Hengstler counter, cylinders, and spiral black wiring from counter to cylinders.

 

* DLT19 (MG34): An E-11 holster is not worn while carrying a BFG. These troopers continue to wear drop boxes and a thermal detonator with a BFG. An unmodified MG-34 is acceptable but upgrading an MG-34 to DTL-19 is highly encouraged.

** T-racks on the barrel with wire on the ends

** ejection port cover added

** small disk on left side added.

[TK bondservnt[501st]]

it looks like spec ops went with shiny.

[Daetrin[Admin]]

Which is strange, as if it's just a black TK, and TK's don't have shiny belts..?

[Blastmaster]

Yes they look way Better in a gloss black, Even though TK's have the canvas, which looks killer, a Dull black belt on a TX doesn't look as sweet as a Gloss Black. Plus the SPEC OPS Guide line.

I use Patent Leather for mine.

[TK bondservnt[501st]]

Which is strange, as if it's just a black TK, and TK's don't have shiny belts..?

 

yeah, I'd have to agree with pushing for a slight change on this spec.

 

I have to ditch my silver tubestripes as well for a TX build.

 

I'd rather have that nice silver contrast with silver lenses, and silver tubestripes... but the CRL

has flat, shiny or light blue stripes.

 

probably will go for flat black.

 

I like the texture of a canvas belt such as this...

any way to make it shiny?

Edited August 23, 2010 by TK Bondservnt 2392

[DarkTrooper[TK]]

Sorry your topic got "side tracked" Robert. Nice belts though. Well done.

[TK6294]

Yes they look way Better in a gloss black, Even though TK's have the canvas, which looks killer, a Dull black belt on a TX doesn't look as sweet as a Gloss Black. Plus the SPEC OPS Guide line.

I use Patent Leather for mine.

 

Where did you get the patent leather. it looks great and i like that option better than bending the ABS to cover.

 

I went with the black canvas when i did my belt because it matched the requirements for a TK.

[TKittell[501st]]

Wow! What a firestorm of discussions I've started up. I was just helping out a fellow trooper with his request for a black belt.

 

Personally, I think the fabric I used has a nice texture to it and the polyester blend gives it a nice sheen. It's definitely not a dull cotton fabric. But that's something Spec Ops would have to modify in their CRL, and not in my control. In the mean time, I'll be content helping out the troopers in white.

 

I tried to join the Spec Ops Detachment to pose the question and they're no longer accepting new applications. What's up with that?

 

BTW, you can get the black patent leather at JoAnns (to answer the question above).

Edited August 25, 2010 by TKittell

[DarkTrooper[TK]]

The Special Ops Detachment recently changed their website.

 

Here's the current forum 501st Special Ops Detachment

 

I'm on there everyday so I know its up. Several new members just joined this week in fact.

[TKittell[501st]]

Thanks. I just sent izzi a pm about the material.

[Daetrin[Admin]]

Al - you're TX is *tight*!

 

My $.02 - since a TX is just a black TK I'd think they'd allow fabric. The reality is that most source for the TX are comic books and a few figures, and like many figures a lot was speculation back then. I'm not sure why the difference between the two is so stark in terms of allowances.

[izzi[501st]]

Al - you're TX is *tight*!

 

My $.02 - since a TX is just a black TK I'd think they'd allow fabric. The reality is that most source for the TX are comic books and a few figures, and like many figures a lot was speculation back then. I'm not sure why the difference between the two is so stark in terms of allowances.

Show me a LFL reference with a recognizable cloth belt, and we'll add it to the Det CRL. Until then, Crazas and I will support the belt that matches the source material.

 

I'm going to use your arguement here, it's to be used as a REFERENCE not a list of REQUIREMENTS. In the end EU is up to the LMO, not the Detachment or even the GML on what's approvable anyway.

 

I'm sure you can get approved with cloth, I've just never seen anyone try it.

 

Oh yeah, they're not just black TKs... The armor was made out of different materials. stygian-triprismatic polymer instead of Plastoid. Would make sense that some parts wouldn't be exactly the same material only in black.

 

-iz

Edited September 17, 2010 by izzi

[TK bondservnt[501st]]

yeah... and that pesky lord using the armor itself to control the troops... genius!

[Daetrin[Admin]]

Show me a LFL reference with a recognizable cloth belt, and we'll add it to the Det CRL. Until then, Crazas and I will support the belt that matches the source material.

 

I'm going to use your arguement here, it's to be used as a REFERENCE not a list of REQUIREMENTS. In the end EU is up to the LMO, not the Detachment or even the GML on what's approvable anyway.

 

I'm sure you can get approved with cloth, I've just never seen anyone try it.

 

Oh yeah, they're not just black TKs... The armor was made out of different materials. stygian-triprismatic polymer instead of Plastoid. Would make sense that some parts wouldn't be exactly the same material only in black.

 

-iz

 

Well, one can argue that on many EU LFL references there are many other details of the suit that are not distinguishable. We approve suits all the time with things like latex hand guards, hand painted tears/traps, etc. LFL materials can't always be used either - if you look at clones there is no way the human body can be made to wear a uniform that looks like that (your neck would surely snap), so allowances have to be made.

 

I see nothing wrong with allowing an interpretation of the costume based on film canon sources, esp. considering that many EU references also take liberties with such details.

[TKittell[501st]]

I agree Paul. The cotton/polyester material I used looked realistic/canon to me. I'm sure the LMO wouldn't have a problem passing a TX with that belt. Plus, the majority of it is covered up anyway

[izzi[501st]]

As I stated before. No one but the LMO can say that you can't do it.

 

-iz

[Daetrin[Admin]]

Understood. I'm half thinking of getting a TX just to see what Thomas would say. Perhaps swap out the TD for a sweet Nova Elite

[izzi[501st]]

There's someone in for approval with a cloth belt right now, so I think we'll find out.

 

-iz

[TKittell[501st]]

I just looked at submision photos. I have no problem with the belt . I believe the photos are too dark to judge the costume. But you're right, it is a fabric belt.

[Torisempai]

well i do have a cloth belt lol and untill izzi gives me my legs i would work to get approve =D so we can wait till then i think

[Defiance7x13[TK]]

There's someone in for approval with a cloth belt right now, so I think we'll find out.

 

-iz

 

I'm interested, did this person pass with this belt? And was it one of Rob's black belt?

[TKittell[501st]]

Yes. He was approved by the LMO on Sept 23.

 

Here's a cut and paste of the LMO's approval: "202. (Name Removed) as Shadow Stormtrooper Status; Approved, but suggest adjust of fit of thighs towards the knee openings."

 

Here are 2 of the submission photos showing the fabric belt.

 

 

 

To answer your question, no that's not one of my belts (his name didn't come up in my records). But I'm glad to see it is possible to pass with a fabric belt none-the-less. If you could see one of my belts in person, we wouldn't be having this debate. I know I'm biased, but the belt I made looked pretty sweet with the polyester sheen to it and is not "unrealistic" that that material would/could be used.

[Defiance7x13[TK]]

Got my new belt today! As always, an excellent product with excellent craftsmanship

 

If your looking for a belt, for your TK or TX Rob is the guy to speak too! I ever heard he lowered his price for black friday..... To bad I missed out

[TKittell[501st]]

I'm sending another one out to Ian Ward in Ireland tomorrow. He picked up a Shadow Trooper and wanted a belt that wouldn't crack. The black belts are rare, but sweet!