I went ahead and measured out a Newstead shoulder section, although I took some shortcuts along the way. I broadened each lame a bit, and I made the upper shoulder as a single plate (since I didn't have any brass for hinges at that time). I rushed through a number of steps in my excitement to see real metal plates draped over my shoulder. There are a number of problems with the result, but fortunately I learned a few things along the way.
- Resist the urge to tweak measurements just to simplify your cutting.
- Do not bend the lames before planning the leathering and making the holes.
- Make sure you measure twice and cut once for the leather! As you can see above, I have two straps which are too short to reach the breastplate.
- Adjust the amount of overlap in the lames so that the result fits on a human shoulder!
I will be (at least) re-leathering this one to adjust overlap up to a more manageable size. I may also cut some of the lames down a bit. Or even cannibalize parts for a different shoulder... we'll see.
PS. The more observant will note that I am cheating by using belts to make my strappings. This might not be acceptable in any of the reenactment groups I've read about, but it's certainly more convenient -- especially during the prototype phase. I picked up a few belts for less than $5 each at a second hand store. Just make sure you pick ones which are a single piece of plain leather.
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