An exercise in basic hammerwork, finishing, and assembly
by Eric Slyter
Page 7 of 8
Finishing, Continued
Next up are the lames. These are easy to sand since they have no hammer marks, but it is still necessary to do so in order to create a smooth grain and consistent finish. Simple back-and-forth movement as in Figure 31 will do the trick.
Figure 31
Figure 32 shows the sanded cop and lames laid out.
Figure 32
To add a matte finish to the pieces, I use WD40 and a purple metal finishing scrubby pad as in Figure 33. I scrub first with the grain, and then diagonal to it.
Figure 33
Figure 34 shows the spaulder pieces after adding the matte finish.
Figure 34
You will now need to cut out all the leather components. You will need 4 internal straps, and 2 each of the bicep straps, buckle straps, and, in this case, a strap and buckle for the tops of the spaulder cops also (3/4" wide in that case). On these spaulders I chose commercially available brass buckles, rivets, and washers, as well as 2-piece "pop" rivets for some parts. You will also need 20 "armyng nayles." These are all pictured in Figure 35. The sides of the leather pieces that will be seen on the outside should have their edges dyed (they are not yet in this picture). (see also: Beginner's Tips for Leatherworking)
Figure 35
It is time to start assembling, and for this you will need a sturdy piece of steel to work on. In this case, my "anvil" is a sledgehammer head clamped in my vice as seen in Figure 36.
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