TK-31198 Requesting ANH Stunt Centurion Status [ATA*][108]

[SCTrooper[TK]]

Finished removing the seam between the kidneys and the side shims.  It looks pretty good, I'm happy with how that turned out even if it wasn't necessarily required.  Nice to have a bit of a push to go a step further tnan I would have on my own.

 

 

Meanwhile, I'm going on my first official troop tomorrow, and it's the biggest thing my garrison does each year.  Excited and nervous.  This will actually be my first in-person contact with other troopers 

Have fun on your first troop, relax and enjoy.

[Techne[TK]]

Anything else I need to do here?

[Techne[TK]]

Sorry, somehow there was a glitch and the thread didn't bump when I wrote my last post...anything else I need to do here?

[Darth Aloha[Admin]]

Chris,

 

Your side shims look great. I'd like to see a photo of them on you as well. 

 

So far I think you've only been talking about the thigh cover strip as a suggestion.  If you're making it a requirement, please let me know.  I used that thigh pic as a reference when building it.  I just can't make the cover strip that small and still have it fit me.  Or at least, if I made it that small, the flat ridge of the back of the thighs would show for about an inch on both sides of the cover strip.  Which in my opinion, at least, would look even worse than a wide cover strip.  A wide cover strip isn't great, I know.  It's inconsistent with the cover strips on the arms and the front of the legs.  But on the other hand a thin strip with a wide ridge on either side would look unfinished, to my eye, and also be inconsistent, since the ridge isn't visible under any other strip.  I just see it as the wide cover strip creating one problem (inconsistent with other strips), and the thin cover strip creating two problems (unfinished-looking and inconsistent with the lack of visible ridges elsewhere).

 

I'm sorry for the confusion. I was indeed making it a requirement. From what I can see from this photo is that there doesn't seem to be a reason for the wide cover strips. People usually use them to create a wider gap in the back for larger diameter thighs.

 

Here's a photo from your application:

 

I can see that your inner cover strip is thin and the two halves of the thigh come together not leaving a gap for fit. Based on this I asked that you put smaller cover strips to match what was used on screen.

 

If I'm way off base here please provide some detailed photos of the backs and inside of your thighs to continue the discussion.

 

Thanks!

 

-Eric

[Techne[TK]]

Chris,

 

Your side shims look great. I'd like to see a photo of them on you as well. 

 

 

I'm sorry for the confusion. I was indeed making it a requirement. From what I can see from this photo is that there doesn't seem to be a reason for the wide cover strips. People usually use them to create a wider gap in the back for larger diameter thighs.

 

Here's a photo from your application:

 

I can see that your inner cover strip is thin and the two halves of the thigh come together not leaving a gap for fit. Based on this I asked that you put smaller cover strips to match what was used on screen.

 

If I'm way off base here please provide some detailed photos of the backs and inside of your thighs to continue the discussion.

 

Thanks!

 

-Eric

OK, thanks for the clarification on it being a requirement.

 

First, here's a pic of me wearing the smoothed-over shims. Unfortunately I didn't line up the rivets when I was taking the pic, but it shows off the shims anyway.

 

 

When it comes to the thighs, the reason I haven't just gone ahead and fixed them (and why I made them like this in the first place) is because I think they would look worse if they were thinned down to the standard screen size--because in doing so, I would reveal the raised ridge behind them.  Excuse me for any repetition in explaining this, I just want to be clear what my issue is.

 

The ATA armor (and I assume others?) has a raised ridge at the spot where the two parts of the limb clamshell pieces come together.  The cover strip is placed on this ridge, covering it up.  Optimally, the cover strip and the ridge would only be around an inch wide.  (Obviously you know all this, I just want to explain from start to finish.)

 

But in order to fit me, my ridge had to be more like two and a half inches wide at the top and two inches at the bottom.  So I made my cover strip the same size.  If I made my cover strip an inch wide, you could see the ridge for 3/4" on each side of the cover strip.

 

It is my impression that both of these are true:

1) it is not screen accurate for the cover strip to be so wide

2) it is not screen accurate for the raised ridge to be visible

 

However, I can only do one of these, not both.  I can have a thin strip and visible ridges, or a wide strip and covered ridges.  So either way I have to have some inaccuracy in order for it to fit me.

 

Here are some close-up pics of my thigh backs, with red lines where I would have to make cuts, and red brackets showing where the raised ridge would be visible.

 

 

 

 

Finally, here's a drawing of what it would look like if I cut the strips down to the screen accurate width:

 

Between the two possible non-screen-accurate options (thin strip/visible ridges and wide strip/covered ridges), it is my feeling that it looks better to have a wide cover strip, and a covered-up raised ridge, for the following reasons:

 

1) There are no visible raised ridges anywhere else on my armor.  This will make the raised ridge on the thigh back stick out as being inconsistent from the rest of the limbs, and especially the backs of the calves, which are obviously right next to them and can be seen and compared to each other easily.

2) Of course, the width of the thigh back cover strip is itself inconsistent compared to most of the rest of the cover strips on the armor, which is also a problem.

However,

3) the calf back cover strips are themselves wider than the screen versions (due to fit as well), and so the thigh back cover strips don't look as wide in comparison with them as they would in comparison with normal strips, and

4) if I changed the thigh back cover strips to be an inch wide, that would exaggerate the size of the calf strips in comparison.

5) As far as I can recall, I've never seen visible raised ridges approved before (at least not ones that would be so wide), so my general feeling has always been that they're a bigger problem than the wide cover strips.  Maybe I'm wrong here, that was just my impression after trying to look it up when I was building it (such as on the link I showed on the previous page).

 

Here's some pics of the calf strips up close, showing how they also can't be thinner or they would reveal the hooks and holes (and ridges), and of the calves and thighs right next to each other, showing how their cover strips look visually in proportion to each other right now.  I'm an artist, and these issues of proportionality and consistency are important to me.

 

 

The calf cover strips are about an inch and a half wide. The calf strips, like the thigh strips, have to be that wide in order to fit me, and in order to then cover up the hooks and holes attachment method behind them.  Unlike the thighs, they do, I suppose, have a gap.

 

I have to say I don't understand the gap issue.  I understand what you mean--I was able to connect the two pieces of the thighs directly against each other, so the interior and exterior cover strips do not cover a gap.  But I don't really see why that's a deciding factor.  From my point of view, it's still a matter of fit, gap or not.  My thighs are "wider diameter" and require a wider ridge, which in my mind also requires a wider strip to cover the ridge.

 

Just in case anybody doesn't believe that I need the armor to be so wide, here are some pics of it being tight against my thighs at both the top and bottom, from different angles.  It won't fit unless it's that wide.  (The same is true for my calves.)

 

 

So I am requesting to have the wider cover strips be excused due to necessary fit.

 

I'm worried that this sounds like a big legalistic excuse-fest.  I don't want to argue my way into Centurion, I only want to get it if I deserve it, but I do want to make my case.  And I don't mind making changes; I've already made several changes in response to other suggestions.  I am just trying to explain why I am very hesitant, at best, to make the strips thinner and thus reveal the raised ridges, which to my mind just aren't meant to be visible.  Thanks for listening.

[The5thHorseman[501st]]

Here's a picture from Leo/RampantLion's build thread:

https://sphotos-b-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1185358_10152185032805031_1833791179_n.jpg

He faced the same problem but he went with narrower cover strips and I'm sorry but to me it looks better.

 

And of course, resizing the thighs cover strips would imply to resize the calves cover strips too. 

 

Ungluing e6000 and resizing the covers strips mean some work but it's a fairly easy job in the end 

 

 

[Techne[TK]]

Here's a picture from Leo/RampantLion's build thread:

https://sphotos-b-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1185358_10152185032805031_1833791179_n.jpg

He faced the same problem but he went with narrower cover strips and I'm sorry but to me it looks better.

 

And of course, resizing the thighs cover strips would imply to resize the calves cover strips too. 

 

Ungluing e6000 and resizing the covers strips mean some work but it's a fairly easy job in the end 

Hmm.  I have to say it just doesn't look as good to me personally.  He also did the same to his other limbs, so at least his are consistent from one limb to another, whereas for me it would be the only one where it would be like that.

 

I agree that it would be an easy fix.  It's just a matter of principle and looks to me.  I couldn't really change the calves though, the interior edge is as close in as it can get without showing the holes underneath.  If I made the calf strips thinner I'd have to cut it all from the exterior edge of the strip, which would not only uncover the ridge but it would also be uncentered.

[Techne[TK]]

Here are some links to some of the threads that I was reading while I was making my build, just to clarify why I think the wider strip makes more sense, and why I've had the impression that it was the better choice.

 

I'm going to quote some of the opinions in them.  The quoted people may or may not have changed their opinions since then of course.  Also, these are all former or non-DOs etc., and you've got the right to your own rulings; I'm not trying to hold this thread to past rulings or random people's opinions, I just want to make clear where my own reasoning has come from.

 

Here's the one I linked to earlier:

 

http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/22285-quixotic5891s-anh-stunt-build-ata/page-3

Quixotic has large thigh-back strips like mine and asks if they're OK for EIB and Centurion.  Locitus says "As long as it's carefully done and looks good then it's no issue."

 

Troopermaster says "I have built thighs with strips as wide as yours and I think they look fine. You have to do whatever is needed to make your armour fit you and that is all that matters. I think you have done the right thing by putting the wide strip on the back and keeping the front as close to how they should be. I have put strips as wide as 40mm on the front to add a bit of extra girth too and they looked just fine since the wearer was a big guy."

 

Ravenwood says "I think they look fine. You have to do what you have to do to make the armor fit, and I think you did the right thing by making it look accurate from the front. Keep up the good work trooper."

 

 

 

In that thread, SCtrooper links to Wiggleplum's incinerator as another example:

http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/18177-any-major-problems-before-i-apply/

 

 

 

http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/21390-geaux-saints-anh-stunt-build-tm/page-4

Geaux Saints makes his arm strips thinner than the ridge, and there is a discussion:

Locitus says "Looks like you kept the ledges that the cover strip sits on a little wide though. If you can, it's better to keep those the same width as the cover strip and trim for width of your arm on the back only. So if you have big arms you trim less on the back. You have the right technique though. :)"

 

Troopermaster says "I was about to say the same thing on the flat joining edges. Only leave them bigger if you need more room and then use a wider joining strip to cover as much as the flat edge as possible."  (my emphasis)

 

 

http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/21702-ap-cover-strips-for-thighs-and-calves/

Discussing what's important in cover strip length, Locitus says "That is correct on. Commonly used widths are 20 mm for the legs and 15 mm for the arms, with a 25 mm strip for the back of the calves.  If you need to stray from these widths don't worry about it, but try to keep the proportional differences." (my emphasis)

 

 

 

http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/22913-finish-cover-strip-measurements/

Again a discussion of cover strip width:

Locitus says "The numbers are approximations that look good together. We know for a fact that they varied. For example the cover strip on one of RS's original thighs is something like 19 mm in one end and 22 mm in the other. The original suits are simply not built with the same kind of attention we build ours with.  I'm not really sure why this is such a big deal and why so many get caught up with it though."

 

Minuteman says "They width varied. Full stop. And that´s okay imho. Stay with the cover strip size near those measurements and if that´s not possible, e.g. because you are a bigger trooper, then keep the proportions right." (my emphasis)

 

tkrestonva says "Yes, I think it's just as important to have your cover strips proportionate to the actual size of your limbs. Too skinny or too fat would look off, even if it is the "correct" width."

 

 

 

http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/23710-cover-stripshim-help/

gmrhodes (granted, not a DO) says "Yes larger rear cover strips are aceptable for EIB and Centurion :D"

 

 

 

http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/22362-my-project-from-a-tm-kit-to-a-tantive-iv-boarding-party-stormtrooper/page-2

Here troopermaster discusses overall variation in cover strips:

"I go for 15-17mm on the arms and 20-25mm on the legs. On some screen accurate builds I put a 25mm strips on the thighs with 22mm on the shins or 22mm on the thighs and 20mm on the shins, but always 25mm on the backs of the shins (gluing 10mm onto the shin leaving 15mm to cover the gap). Sometimes I cut the corners at 45 degrees and sometimes I leave them square. Sometimes I do a mixture of angled and squared ends on the same suit and vary the widths on either side. These were just costumes that were assembled for a cheap sci-fi movie. They did not agonise over minute details like we do when building armour so you have to use a carefree approach if you want to achieve a truly screen accurate look."

 

and

 

"That is the problem with all these builds lately. People trying too hard to do this or that a certain way when you should just trim the parts and get it assembled. I know not everyone wants to go for true screen accuracy even though they say they want to be as screen accurate as possible, but the going the way you are, Juan, is the only way to get a screen accurate look. This does not mean you have to take no care in what you are doing, quite the opposite, just look as though it has been rushed or slapped together.

 

Going back to what I said about using different width strips on the same suit, it is quite possible that a lot of the armours in ANH were made like this. For instance, a bunch of ABS formed sheets would be brought in for trimming and I would say all the parts got piled up after being assembled by several people. Each part would be slightly different yet a finished suit could have parts assembled by many different people resulting in wider strips on one side compared to the other."

 

 

 

I don't want to use these last few quotes to argue that we shouldn't strive for screen accuracy.  I'm just saying that there seems to be a decent amount of variation in cover strips (although not as wide as mine), and that when necessary, one reasonable option seems to be to alter the back strips to cover the necessarily-wider ridge, and/or to keep the strips in proportion to the person's larger body.

[Darth Aloha[Admin]]

Chris,

 

I'm back again with full time internet access with a computer. Give me another day or so to chat more with the staff and I'll get back to you. (nicely researched btw)

 

Thanks for your patience, 

 

-Eric

[Techne[TK]]

Chris,

 

I'm back again with full time internet access with a computer. Give me another day or so to chat more with the staff and I'll get back to you. (nicely researched btw)

 

Thanks for your patience, 

 

-Eric

Bump

[Daetrin[Admin]]

Well, it's up to the powers that be, but for my $.02...the hooks/eyes closure is not mandatory, and the fact that you used a larger cover strip to allow this closure method is a choice on your end. It would seem to me that you could have used a narrower cover strip had you used velcro. Is that a correct statement?

[SCTrooper[TK]]

The width of the strip is questionable, but the length... 

[Techne[TK]]

Well, it's up to the powers that be, but for my $.02...the hooks/eyes closure is not mandatory, and the fact that you used a larger cover strip to allow this closure method is a choice on your end. It would seem to me that you could have used a narrower cover strip had you used velcro. Is that a correct statement?

If I had used velcro, I wouldn't have to worry about visible holes, but the strip would still have to be the same width in order to cover the raised ridge.  So basically it wouldn't matter which way I had attached them.

 

 

The width of the strip is questionable, but the length... 

I have to admit I had missed this detail completely.  I thought they were supposed to go up to the top, and the only reason some of them were cut at the bottom of that ridge was because most of the actors had cut the back of the ridge off for mobility.  But looking at more examples, you're clearly right.  This, I will definitely fix.

[SCTrooper[TK]]

If I had used velcro, I wouldn't have to worry about visible holes, but the strip would still have to be the same width in order to cover the raised ridge.  So basically it wouldn't matter which way I had attached them.

 

 

I have to admit I had missed this detail completely.  I thought they were supposed to go up to the top, and the only reason some of them were cut at the bottom of that ridge was because most of the actors had cut the back of the ridge off for mobility.  But looking at more examples, you're clearly right.  This, I will definitely fix.

One thing you could do to make the shins close better is tape the shins closed and  gently heat them with a heat gun. I have done this on a few builds including ATA armor and the shins will close much easier. Then the holes for the elastic won't show  and maybe a thinner strip could be used, if possible. 

[troopermaster]

The widths of the joining strips are fine in my eyes. You should cover the flat area of the moulded-in strip with your cover strip. Having thinner strips on armour that needs to be wider than standard looks bad. I always make the cover strips as wide as needed for larger folks.

[Techne[TK]]

I'll be out of town for the holidays and will fix the tops of my strips when I get back.  Darth Aloha, can I get an official response on the strip widths?

 

One thing you could do to make the shins close better is tape the shins closed and  gently heat them with a heat gun. I have done this on a few builds including ATA armor and the shins will close much easier. Then the holes for the elastic won't show  and maybe a thinner strip could be used, if possible. 

Thanks. I'll see what I can do, although I did already do some heat bending on them.

 

The widths of the joining strips are fine in my eyes. You should cover the flat area of the moulded-in strip with your cover strip. Having thinner strips on armour that needs to be wider than standard looks bad. I always make the cover strips as wide as needed for larger folks.

Thanks for your input!

[gazmosis[501st]]

There are factors regarding the ATA molds that we just have to deal with. It is just my $.02, but I believe there are far too many raised cover strip ridges that need to be removed from the molds. Biceps, forearm undersides, rear of both thighs and grieves. But until this happens it is what it is. The fact that there is extra material on the back for us larger troopers is a gift. In my opinion, the rear cover strips as you have them are far more distracting than the ridge that is molded into the armor. Since the cover strip in its final resting place sits higher than the surrounding armor, it becomes the prominent focus of the eye. If you make your cover strip the 25mm width it should be, the eye will focus on that.....not the molded ridge. You can't change the molded ridge, buy you CAN change the with of the strip.

[The5thHorseman[501st]]

There are factors regarding the ATA molds that we just have to deal with. It is just my $.02, but I believe there are far too many raised cover strip ridges that need to be removed from the molds. Biceps, forearm undersides, rear of both thighs and grieves. But until this happens it is what it is. The fact that there is extra material on the back for us larger troopers is a gift. In my opinion, the rear cover strips as you have them are far more distracting than the ridge that is molded into the armor. Since the cover strip in its final resting place sits higher than the surrounding armor, it becomes the prominent focus of the eye. If you make your cover strip the 25mm width it should be, the eye will focus on that.....not the molded ridge. You can't change the molded ridge, buy you CAN change the with of the strip.

I agree with that. IMO from distance, most people won't even notice the molded lips if you reduce the cover strips width, whereas they will notice the extra wide cover strips.

 

[Darth Aloha[Admin]]

Chris,

 

The official ruling is that since your wide cover strips are not meant to improve the fit of your thighs they should be narrowed for Centurion on the back of both the calves and thighs. 

 

 

-Eric

[Techne[TK]]

There are factors regarding the ATA molds that we just have to deal with. It is just my $.02, but I believe there are far too many raised cover strip ridges that need to be removed from the molds. Biceps, forearm undersides, rear of both thighs and grieves. But until this happens it is what it is. The fact that there is extra material on the back for us larger troopers is a gift. In my opinion, the rear cover strips as you have them are far more distracting than the ridge that is molded into the armor. Since the cover strip in its final resting place sits higher than the surrounding armor, it becomes the prominent focus of the eye. If you make your cover strip the 25mm width it should be, the eye will focus on that.....not the molded ridge. You can't change the molded ridge, buy you CAN change the with of the strip.

 

 

Chris,

 

The official ruling is that since your wide cover strips are not meant to improve the fit of your thighs they should be narrowed for Centurion on the back of both the calves and thighs. 

 

 

-Eric

I understand where you guys are coming from.  (And by the way congrats on becoming DO, Gazmosis.  I guess I'm officially talking to you now.)  Hell, I agree, Gazmosis (and 5thHorseman), the wider cover strips are more visible than the exposed flat ridges would be.  But to me, if that's the distinction, that seems more like a question of taste..."I would build it the other way if it was my armor"...more than a question of what should and should not be required..."this is or is not up to Centurion standards of excellence."

 

The whole question of fit is something else, but I still think of it according to my definition of fit, which is, "given that the flat ridges should be entirely covered, the cover strips should be made as close to accurate size as possible and still fit."  From my point of view, the thicker thigh backs are what is meant to improve the fit of the thighs, and the cover strips are just cut to fit the thighs the way they are.  But I don't make the rules.

 

It all boils down to me to a basic case of truth in design.  The flat ridges are obviously intended to be covered by the cover strip.  You can tell just by looking at them when they're not covered up that they look wrong, that they're intended to be covered.  I'm a big believer that you've got to go with the intent of the design.  Design is based on utility; the shape of the ridge is made that way so it fits the strip; if the strip doesn't fit, the design essentially becomes a visual lie.  Does a wide strip look bad?  Yes, it's visually cumbersome.  Does a thin strip, which doesn't cover the wide flat ridge, look even worse?  Yes, to my mind.  A cumbersome visual is better than a false design.

 

Is the uncovered flat ridge more visible from a distance?  No.  The wide strip is more distracting...at first.  But when you look up close the ridge is sure visible, and it creates a clear flaw that just sticks in your eye once you notice it.  You can't un-see it.  And not only is it against the truth and intent of the design, visually it creates a set of multiple parallel lines that aren't anywhere else in the suit, something that throws off the aesthetic of all the limbs.  Of course the wide cover strip does the same, but it's not as bad.

 

The strip on the calves, I have to reiterate, really just physically can't be changed.  There is a gap between the halves there, and also if it was made thinner, the holes it's covering would be visible.  I could only cut it in from the outside side, and then it would be off-center.

 

Anyway, I've argued all this before, so I'll move on to some pictures.

 

As a last-ditch effort, I went ahead and switched one of the thigh's cover strips over to be 7/8" wide, which is the width of the strip on the front, and ATA's recommended width.  Here are pictures of my original strip and the new thin strip, side-by-side for comparison:

 

 

 

 

 

At first glance, the thin strip looks great, much better than the other one.  And then you look closer, and it just looks silly.  The proportion between the outside of the ridges and the width of the strip is goofy.  And that raised ridge is just asking to be covered.  I just don't like the look, or knowing that the strip is not doing its job.

 

I did cut the tops off the strips on the claves, as SCtrooper had mentioned.  The gap between the halves is showing there now, so I'll have to do something about that, regardless.

 

So anyway, assuming that my arguments and these pictures don't convince you, I guess I've got two choices.  I can convert the strips so they're both thin, and do I-don't-even-know-what to the calves, and presumably get Centurion...but not be happy with my own armor because I made it look worse, from my perspective.  Or, I can keep the wide strips, be happy with the armor, and withdraw my Centurion application, which itself would be tremendously disappointing and frustrating.

 

I'm going to have to meditate on this for a while.

[troopermaster]

From my perspective the wide cover strip is fine. The idea is to cover the ridge no matter how wide it is. ATA has the moulded in ridges and there is nothing you can do about that. If I was building that kit I would use wide strips like you have.

 

The gap on top of your calves is fine too. Again, there is nothing you can do about that since your legs are wider than the armour. The only thing I could suggest if the gap bothers you, is to trim the backs to a 'V' so the gap is cut away. This will make the gap at your knees look bigger but it will get rid of the gap on your calves. Personally I would leave it.

[SCTrooper[TK]]

The shins look fine from here. If the powers that be won't go for the wide thigh strip, maybe you could compromise and make the strip the about the same size as the shin strip. Not as much of the ridge will show and it would look more uniform, just a thought. 

[gazmosis[501st]]

Hey Chris

Thank you on the congrats! Let's see if we can;t work out something here. I was thrilled to see the improvement you made with the thinner strip and how good it looks. I also appreciate your willingness to work with this. I think you will find that the vast majority of troopers will favor the thigh on the right, but let's focus on your concern. We are dealing with a couple issues here. You had mentioned about the raised areas on the armor and their intentions to be covered. I agree with that......on the raised areas that are supposed to be there. I speak mainly about the top of the forearms and the fronts of the thighs and shins. Now, if you were 5' 11" and 165 with bird-like legs we wouldn't even be having this discussion because the ridges in question on the back of YOUR legs (ATA) would have been cut away and/or completely covered. However, Like many troopers with larger legs (including myself who also own ATA) this just isn't the case. Why these raised areas are even present on the backs of these parts is still a mystery to me but they are and there isn't much we can do about that. However, do I believe that just because there is a raised area it is meant to be covered regardless of the width? No. 

 

I am willing to meet you in the middle here. 7/8" as you have it, is actually a little short of what is typically applied for the rear cover strips(15/16" or 25MM) . There has always been a plus/minus factor here. I am wiling to "plus" this by suggesting a 1 1/8" (30MM) strip.That should make things more symmetrical between your calf cover strip and the back of your thighs while covering up more of the ridge that concerns you. Nick's illustration above is close to the way that would look.

 

When it comes down to it, Centurion is awarded for ultimate accuracy. Although raised ridges on the rear of the thighs and grieves were never there and something we just need to deal with, the cover strips are documented and need to come as close to originals as possible. 

I hope we can meet on this compromise and get you that badge!!!

[Techne[TK]]

Hey Chris

Thank you on the congrats! Let's see if we can;t work out something here. I was thrilled to see the improvement you made with the thinner strip and how good it looks. I also appreciate your willingness to work with this. I think you will find that the vast majority of troopers will favor the thigh on the right, but let's focus on your concern. We are dealing with a couple issues here. You had mentioned about the raised areas on the armor and their intentions to be covered. I agree with that......on the raised areas that are supposed to be there. I speak mainly about the top of the forearms and the fronts of the thighs and shins. Now, if you were 5' 11" and 165 with bird-like legs we wouldn't even be having this discussion because the ridges in question on the back of YOUR legs (ATA) would have been cut away and/or completely covered. However, Like many troopers with larger legs (including myself who also own ATA) this just isn't the case. Why these raised areas are even present on the backs of these parts is still a mystery to me but they are and there isn't much we can do about that. However, do I believe that just because there is a raised area it is meant to be covered regardless of the width? No. 

 

I am willing to meet you in the middle here. 7/8" as you have it, is actually a little short of what is typically applied for the rear cover strips(15/16" or 25MM) . There has always been a plus/minus factor here. I am wiling to "plus" this by suggesting a 1 1/8" (30MM) strip.That should make things more symmetrical between your calf cover strip and the back of your thighs while covering up more of the ridge that concerns you. Nick's illustration above is close to the way that would look.

 

When it comes down to it, Centurion is awarded for ultimate accuracy. Although raised ridges on the rear of the thighs and grieves were never there and something we just need to deal with, the cover strips are documented and need to come as close to originals as possible. 

I hope we can meet on this compromise and get you that badge!!!

Steve, thanks for your willingness to discuss this and possibly compromise a bit.

 

I am getting over my feelings on this a little and can probably deal with a thinner thigh strip even if I don't really think it's the best thing to do (partly because my wife is telling me to gve it up already!). 

 

Let me just argue once more for the hell of it in favor of the wider thigh strip, in response to your points:  while I agree that the cover strips are documented with what I understand to be a fairly standard width, and I also agree that the raised ridge on the back of the thigh is not in the original armor as far as I can tell, I'd also argue that it is precisely because of this that it makes sense to cover it up.  In other words, since there's not supposed to be a raised ridge on the back of the thighs, it's inaccurate for it to be visible--just as inaccurate, I'd argue, as it is for the thigh strip to be wider than the standard width.  Given a choice between these two inaccuracies, I think it makes more sense to cover the ridge and hide it from view.  This is because in all the other spots we have a raised ridge, the cover strip covers the ridge.  So, looking at the armor, if you see a raised ridge and suddenly it's not covered, it doesn't make sense.  I would argue that the flat raised ridge visually implies that it should be covered, regardless of its position on the armor, and that it only makes sense to follow the implication of the design, especially since it makes it consistent with the rest of the armor.  And again everything I've found on this topic on this site, before this, seems to support this approach.

 

Anyway.

 

But let's say I go with the 1-1/8" strip.  Again, I think I can perhaps live with it even if I think it's not as good.  The thing on my mind with 1-1/8" is that it's still smaller than the calves' strip (1-1/2"), and I'm kind of concerned that that's going to look a little wonky.  How about 1-1/2" on the thighs?  I can try out some models with paper to test various widths to see how they look proportionally, but I've only got so much ABS left and can't make too many more strips, so I want to make sure the next strips I make (if we can't agree that the originals are the best) are the last ones.

[gazmosis[501st]]

What is the current width of the strips on the calf closure now?