Origianl Armour Strapping System:

Ok lets look at the original armour strapping systems. Something that has been of hot debate for years; but in which the know-how has only been proven recently with the outing of the LFL archive pictures.

Starting at the top of the torso, the armour pieces were held together front to back by 2 inch white elastic, glued directly into the two armour parts. And to that elastic strap there is a large hand sewn snap on the under side placed on the inner edge closest to the wearers head for the biceps and arm strapping. Please see correct arm assembly for more details.

On some suits either by design or repair the front part of the white elastic connecting the torso were held closed by s spring snaps. Snap tabs were glued inside the front at the top near the neck opening and the snap fitted to the elastic.

To hold the plastic shoulder bridges that were purely cosmetic in place at the rear, a small thin piece of white elastic is just tied and looped over the rear upper torso section and when the armour is worn the shoulder bridges are just tucked inside to hold them in place.

Replica 1.5 armour
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Original armour
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Moving down the torso, the other parts were held together using a system of small bent metal bars or brackets screwed directly to the armour's return edge and simple looped pieces black of elastic in various length's.

The back of the torso is held by a 3 part system, with 1 in the centre and 2 towards the outer edge of the armour.

Starting at the top, the upper rear part to kidney pieces are almost touching, with the 1 inch black elastic being quite short - maybe 3 inchs in total doubled over making a loop. The metals bars or brackets have a shallow depth and are roughly 2 inches wide and small screws hold these in place directly through the armour return all equallly spaced.

Replica 1.5 armour
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Original armour
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The kidney to butt pieces were also held together by a 3 part system, with 1 in the centre and 2 towards the outer edge of the armour.

These pieces were fitted tightly together so they they looked from the outside to be almost 1 single piece. And the 1 inch black elastic still being quite short - maybe 3 inchs in total doubled over making a loop. The metals bars or brackets again have a shallow depth and are roughly 2 inches wide and small screws hold these in place directly through the armour return all equallly spaced. On replica elastic strapping systems the 1 inch black elastic used for conecting all the rear pieces together are all made the same length at around 3 inches doubled over.

TM 1.5 replica
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Original armour
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The front and back torso parts were held together under the crotch by having a length of black 1 inch elastic riveted directly through the armour at the front, with limited adjustment for the wearer by way of 2 snaps fitted directly through the butt piece facing inwards.

Replica 1.5 armour
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Original armour
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Moving around to the front of the torso, the ab plate to chest plate was held together by the 3 part system, with 1 in the centre and 2 towards the outer edge of the armour.

Now due to the chest plate overlapping the ab plate the metal bars or brackets on the chest are now a lot longer than any other metal bars or brackets used in the torso strapping system. They are closer to 2 inches tall to allow the various heights of the actors or extras that wore the armour to be accomodated, and to allow for limited movements easier. The bars or brackets on the lower ab plate are the same standard size as seen on the rear parts. The overlap also made the need for longer elastic strapping too. The 1 inch black elastic used to hold together the front of the torso is more like 5 or 6 inches long, looped over. The bars or brackets are roughly 2 inches wide as per the rear and small screws hold these in place directly through the armour return all equallly spaced.

Its also interesting to note that the return edge on the front of the torso, the chest in particular is larger than that on the rear parts of the torso.

Replica 1.5 armour
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Original armour
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Now lets take a look at how the sides were held closed.

The left side as you wear the armour, was closed with 3 pieces of 1 inch black elastic riveted directly through the armour making this a permanant fixture. To get into the armour it has to be opened up and stepped in to carefully from the right hand side. The armour parts are usually fitted so that the front and rear parts are touching.

The rivets used here are not the style commonly used today, but are split rivets seen more in leather work and need a speacial tool to use.

Replica 1 mm TM
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Original suit
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And finally the right hand side as you wear the armour was held shut by a single s spring snap fitted directly through the front of the ab plate just near the top corner and a 1 inch black elastic strap glued to the kidney plate. Just slip into the armour and close the torso by doing up the snap.

The lower part of the torso will be kept in place by the utility belt.

Replica 1.5 armour

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Original armour

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I found these. Although they are not entirely accurate they are close and great covers for your rivets on the side of the Ab plate.
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Nice find Mark

i posted something similar in a thread on fisd a while back ( Daisy Hotfix Rivet ) [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

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All most in the end of the scroll down bottom you will see them

yo rolf yeah i've seen those ones before
be nice to have a pic showing the other side of the flower head on the screen used piece

Rolf, you win!

sskunky wrote:

Rolf, you win!

Thanks bro.

Hope you can use the link

No excuses now for people not to use the correct rivets......

As far as i know, they used two different types of rivets.
The flower one, and the plain round head no details head.
Personal i like the plain rivet best, and not the flower one.

Plain:
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Flower:
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Cheers