Issue 38

This issue was not too difficult. The only part included was a large sheet of chainmail. I also used the parts from issue 37 and one other piece from issue 36. However, as I had no use for that part until now I just kept it in my toolbox.

For this issue I had to carefully extract sections from the chainmail to shape it, and then attach the parts at the top and bottom. As you can tell this process did not take a long time to complete. I believe this was the fastest I have assembled any issue to date. The next issue appears to be the more demanding one I have been expecting.

Issue 37

This issue was also not overly difficult. While working I started to feel an overwhelming sense of déjà vu, then I realized that I completed the mirror opposite of this part ten issues ago. I must now face the truth of my actions and admit that I have begun to assemble the other arm.

Unfortunately there is not much else to say about this part. I had to open and then close several tiny links of chainmail join these armoured pieces together. It was not overly complex or demanding work and that usually means a much more complicated issue is coming soon.

Issue 36

This issue was almost exactly like the the last issue. I made two more strips of armoured plates and then I attached them. There is nothing else to say about it. Next time I will be starting work on the armoured sections of other sleeve. Although it's a new part, I expect it to be the same as my completed one.

Also, astute readers may note a slight delay in getting this issue finished. It had nothing to do with the difficulty or technical demands of the work. Usually around this time of year I have less free time. However, I am excited about the progress I have made these last few months, and I am not ready to stop again.

Progress may be slow, but it continues...

Issue 35

This issue is the start of the next part of the armour, the upper leg guards. I found that after completing the plate sets that were attached to the body,  working with these is far easier. The main action of this issue was to create two strips of 11 corrugated plates then to attach them to the silk backing. Fortunately all the points where I had to punch through the backing were already indicated with tiny silver marks, greatly simplifying the process. This is the start of two identical pieces, each with six strips attached, for a total of 132 tiny corrugated plates.

There is not much else to say about this one, and I think I'll have even less to say about the next issue.

Issue 34

I assumed, when starting this issue, that things would proceed smoothly and simply. The only parts included were four very small pieces to make two opening joints and 105cm of leather cord. I don't think any previous issue has contained so few parts. Even issue 27, although it had almost no work, still included a handful of pieces. This issues was going to be the antithesis to that one.

It started rather tame, cutting the cord into 3 pairs of smaller segments. However, that would be the only easy part of this entire issue. Next, I did the finger and thumb loop attachments. This involved aligning the holes in the metal pates with the corresponding holes in the leather and silk layers, and then pushing the leather cord through each one three times. This process would be a reoccurring theme for the entire issue, forcing more and more leather cord through progressively smaller holes. Although was not impossible it was very exact, and if things were not done perfectly, they were not going to work at all. Had the designers of the armour increased the diameter of the holes by about 0.5mm I don't think any of the the visual or structural effects would be diminished, but it would have made the process so much easier by adding a tiny bit of much needed 'wiggle room'.

Eventually I completed the process. I am particularly pleased with how the knots on the back of the hand section turned out. Although I refer to them as knots, the cord is not actually tied. It is only twisted and held in place with glue. This issue also completes this piece of the armour, so now I have my second finished part. In the next issue I am returning to my classic armour building techniques. I'll be cutting and gluing silk string and then lacing together some tiny plates. Again...

Issue 33

This was a complex issue, and one that required more unique different steps then I have seen in a long time.

First I had to assemble the wrist strap. This part is like several similar pieces I made when assembling the plates that are attached to the main body. The second step involved the most labour intensive action of the issue, attaching the blue lining to the inside edge of the sleeve. This required gluing the lining to the leather edge and following almost the entire perimeter with close hand stitching. Several times I used a little too much glue and attempting to push a needle though became quite difficult. At these points I used the craft plies to better hold and push the needle. It took a long time, longer then I was expecting, because I tend to be very precise with the stitching. Third I had to attach the leather section over the lining in the hand area. This was also done by gluing it in place first, then stitching.

For the third step, after the stitching was completed, I used some new and old tools. A new punch, included in this issue, and my old hammer to make a series of holes along the edges for a cord to bind the two together. When starting this project the series guide included a list of (...and as I would discover, it's only a partial list of...) the tools and equipment needed to complete the project. On that list was a hammer and I spent a lot of time carefully searching for just the right one. However, until now it's just been sitting next to my toolbox unused.  Also for this issue bought a very hard rubber plate to strike the punch into. I found this was quite helpful, as I did not damage my work surface, or the punch itself.

The fourth, and final, step of assembling this issue involved threading the cord in the newly punched holes. This often felt like it was just beyond my ability. It was not a complex process, but I still made several mistakes. I had to reverse and try again several times before I finally got it right. Compounding the problem was the end of the cord was just encased in masking tape and that had a tendency to come off as I was working. I had to re-attach a tape tip several times to complete the process.

Now that this entire sleeve is nearly finished I'm starting to get excited about the future. Despite all these difficulties I feel that I have learned a great deal about the assembling of sleeves and I'm excited to get another chance to apply what I have learned when I assemble the other sleeve. What new mistakes will I make? Only time will tell...