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Not much going on in the saddlery workshop at the moment, seems dead all round but I think it's the economic climate, no one is buying much!

I have had Roman leather armour in for repair and restoration that is owned by the National Theatre, was in a very sorry state of repair!

I was asked by a local design centre to restore it as much as I could as they had hired it from the National Theatre and were making items for the Minack theatre based in Cornwall.The Minack are putting a play on locally to me (Anthony and Cleopatra) hence the need to for local company to sort the armour out!

I was given a piece of VERY dry russet shoulder leather, about the same thickness as we use for panel hides on saddles.

I knew that this leather was not going to be substantial enough to make straps out of so I double it up and that seemed to work!

The design centre were trying to keep their costs down of course and I had to try to work with what I was given!

This is the result, the armour is being used on stage in Cornwall here, I had only a few hours to do this as it was the next day is was being used.

I had to sort out the leather pieces hanging off the shoulders and skirts too.

 

romanarmourone_zps80d90615.jpg

 

 

The straps that are light brown on the ribs of the actor using it are mainly the one's I made but I have done a lot of work on it you can't see.

I also had a Roman sandal I had to repair too!

The Minack theatre and the play using this armour is here, very fine setting for it too, high up on Cornwall's cliffs and totally outside!

 

http://www.minack.com/showantcleo13.htm

 

Other things I have been making include a small leather handmade pouch to slide on to a belt to house a small penkinfe

 

as in photos below.

Leatherpenknifepouch1_zpsd6a927b2.jpg

 

Leatherpenknifepouch2_zps946bdb6c.jpg

 

Leatherpenknifepouch3_zps6c12715b.jpg

 

Leatherpenknifepouch4_zps3cdfffb3.jpg

 

Other things I have been doing is presenting articles for horse riders to read up on on my website, they are saddlery demonstrations and advice.

Still too quiet though for this time of year, right in the show season and things should be busy.

Oz

Edited by unicornleather
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Hello Gaffer, no I have never known it so dead, for repairs, alterations or bespoke work, my colleagues are saying the same thing apart from one who works in leathergoods (we both trained together in Cordwainers college) and works for a high class company.She was commissioned to make a bespoke handbag out of crocodile skin, which is hard work to use as you have to becareful cutting the scales as well as matching and blending the scales in.It was sold to a customer in Saudi for £14,000 now that's the sort of custom I'd like!

Oz

Edited by unicornleather
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