What to use for Lorica laces???

[sillious saurus]

I was wondering what would be the best thing to use for the laces on my somewhat soon to be completed Lorica Segmentata. I found 1/8 x 50 natural rawhide laces? Would this be adequate? Is that a good thickness? Anybody have an estimate of how much I would need length-wise?

[Primvs Pavlvs]

I use standard alum tanned boot laces that have been well oiled. I cut them in 8 inch lengths to tie each set of loops individually.

[claudia crisis]

Make each lace about 10 inches (perhaps 11inches & trim down)
Would think best to use individual laces rather than these ones we see with one continuous front & back.
If you strike one long continuous lace with a sword cut, the whole front (or back) will fall open in one go.
Separate laces seems stronger option.

Hilary

[Matt Lukes]

Regular 1/8" lacing that's available from pretty-much any leather supplier is fine Kevin- the stuff I just bought is from the Tejas Lace Company (got it at Tandy). Do have a good look at it though, sometimes it can be dry and that's definitely no good. It's very hard to bring back dry leather even with lots of oil (I've never been successful). Try a test lace using string to determine what length is best for you- based on the size of loop you tie. Personally, I like about 14", but then I tie them like shoelaces- knot then the bow, so like a little more than some it seems :wink:

Hilary is definitely right about not using one long lace- one little cut and you're laid open to the world :lol: Definitely not a good thing when people are trying to poke you with sharp objects. I suppose some might argue that individual laces become time-consuming to tie, but since there never seems any reason to me to untie the back, all you're left with is either 5 or 6 laces in the front and those only take a minute or two to tie up.

[claudia crisis]

If you're making your own lorica (as it seems from your previous posts) & you have cut lots of internal leathers (each probably over 12inches long) from veggie tan, why not make your lace strips from these. Either cut offs from the remnants of the hide (if you bought one) or if you bought the strips ready cut, just divide one up. You need lots of them anyway, cos they break regularly & you'll find you're forever losing them in the back of the chariot on the way to events, so you need the spares.

Hilary

[A_Volpe]

Claudia said it well - why not use some of the scrap veggie-tanned leather used for the harness straps in the armor?

Also think about cutting a strap long enough so you can tie the strap onto one of the lacing loop, with enough length on the ends so you can loop it through the other loop and tie it up. That way you won't lose the straps when you take off the armor, and they'll always be on there so you don't have to go looking for them when you go to put it on.

Always try to have lots of scrap leather and lacing to replace broken ones and whatnot. Put them in a [linen] bag with a small pair of needle-nose pliers, they will come in handy! (make sure you get pliers with a wire-cutting groove, you should be able to cut the leather with that, one less tool to pack)

I've also gone to a local Crafts store [Michael's] and gone to the leather crafting section and grabbed a spool of brown natural leather. It's cheap and they're easy to work with, rather strong. (I don't know if they are vegetable-tanned, so you want to consider that for authenticity, as zinc or other metal/modern tanned leather isn't authentically historical)

I'd also recommend tying each plate seperately over tying it "shoelace" style - individual ties are easier to adjust as you get the armor on, and if one loosens or breaks, the whole armor won't come loose/undone.
Personally I've also found tying square knots is easier and more secure than tying a bow like you would tying up a shoe.

[sillious saurus]

I have a square foot of veggie tanned 5oz side, will that work for laces or is it too thick? What thickness would you recommend I cut the strips?

If you're making your own lorica (as it seems from your previous posts) & you have cut lots of internal leathers (each probably over 12inches long) from veggie tan, why not make your lace strips from these. Either cut offs from the remnants of the hide (if you bought one) or if you bought the strips ready cut, just divide one up. You need lots of them anyway, cos they break regularly & you'll find you're forever losing them in the back of the chariot on the way to events, so you need the spares.

Hilary

[M. Demetrius]

I have a square foot of veggie tanned 5oz side, will that work for laces or is it too thick? What thickness would you recommend I cut the strips?

Cut the laces as wide as the leather is thick, giving a "square" lace. A metal straight edge and any razor knife will work well. Likewise, a roller cutter like used for quilting will cut leather.

If you cut the laces much wider than that, it will be hard to tie, and if narrower, they may be too weak. The real strength of that leather is in the "skin" or epidermis side, not the "flesh" or dermal side. So narrower laces are not as strong.

[sillious saurus]

Excellent, that is what I am goign to do! Thanks for all the input everybody. I am going to have a go and see if my inferior cutting skills can rise to the challlenge.

I have a square foot of veggie tanned 5oz side, will that work for laces or is it too thick? What thickness would you recommend I cut the strips?

Cut the laces as wide as the leather is thick, giving a "square" lace. A metal straight edge and any razor knife will work well. Likewise, a roller cutter like used for quilting will cut leather.

If you cut the laces much wider than that, it will be hard to tie, and if narrower, they may be too weak. The real strength of that leather is in the "skin" or epidermis side, not the "flesh" or dermal side. So narrower laces are not as strong.

[Primvs Pavlvs]

You will get way more lace if you cut that piece of leather in a spiral.

[M. Demetrius]

You will get way more lace if you cut that piece of leather in a spiral.

You sure will, and Tandy leather company sells a neat little tool that uses a disposable razor blade that should give you at least twenty continuous feet or more of lace from a piece the size you describe. It takes a little practice to get the use of the tool down, but once done, it's great!

I use small cut off pieces of deerskin, and "deer tanned cowhide" to make laces for shoes of all kinds, and other tying function.

[sillious saurus]

what is that tool called? Do you know? I was looking but I didnt see anything like that.

[Primvs Pavlvs]

Craftool Lace Maker
3784-00 Turn scraps into lace! Turns a 4 inch circle of leather into 8 feet of lace. Cuts 7 widths in up to 8 oz. leather. Includes one blade. (Additional replacement blades #300200.)

Part number included from Leather Factory runs 6.99

Trust me its well worth the investment.

[sillious saurus]

Awesome! That price works for me.

Craftool Lace Maker
3784-00 Turn scraps into lace! Turns a 4 inch circle of leather into 8 feet of lace. Cuts 7 widths in up to 8 oz. leather. Includes one blade. (Additional replacement blades #300200.)

Part number included from Leather Factory runs 6.99

Trust me its well worth the investment.