Wee Ninja - Part 7

If you didn't guess this by now you'll get it when I post up some of my previous projects, I've got a bit of a knack for utilizing everyday materials in unconventional ways to build out whatever I happen to be working on. Tonights products were a good example of my creative use of materials at work.

First off, the jacket. I trimmed it using some more leftover bag straps from old laptop bags.



I also made the cod-piece for the front armor plate. This is one piece I didn't want to remotely make out of fiberglass for the simple reason that if he falls, squats, or generally moves around while wearing the uniform this part has a high probability of causing an injury on someone too small to recognize how to move around it. Rather than fiberglass, I cut up an old thin plastic school binder and used that as the base to glue the pleather to. The binder was stiff enough that it'll hold a shape, but flexible enough (even after applying the leather) that it will bend completely in half with relatively little effort. You can see some more of the bag strap that I used for the shoulder straps holding the codpiece to the breastplate.



I used this same construction method (and thought process) to construct some side plates. If you look at the BBN, the front and back are connected by yet another plate that sits under the arm and ties the two sides together. I want the armor to have at least some flexibility, so plastic here seemed like a good idea.



I'm in the process of figuring out how to make two of the more interesting pieces: the facemask, and; the boots. I've watched the scenes where Bruce Wayne is training at the monestary at least five times in the last two nights and I've yet to get a good angle on what the boots are supposed to look like. I think this just gives me some creative license to make whatever I think makes sense.

Your average set of Samurai armor (which is ostensibly what the BBN is modeled off of) has firm shin plates and some form of foot covering. I recognize there's no way I'm going to get tabai socks (the ones with the slit over the big toe) on to a three year old so I'm just going to go with boots of some sort and maybe the shin guards as well. I'll hit Target or Walmart tomorrow night and see what I can find.

In terms of the mask, I think I'm going to start out with one of my old baseball caps and see if I can't cut that down to fit the huge noggin' then add some material to cover up his neckline.

Given what I've already made (which looks awesome!) here's what I've got left in order to finish up project Wee Ninja:

1. Forearm guards.

2. A belt or sash.

3. Boots/shinguards

4. Hat/mask.

These are famous last words but it feels like I've already knocked out the hard stuff. We'll see over the next couple of nights whether that's true or not. More to come!