Journal & guides
Field notes on commissioning, collecting and caring for replica armor.
The Unsent Letter: A Love Etched in Bamboo
In 1930, beneath the dry earth of Gansu, two wooden slips emerged from the ruins of a Han Dynasty frontier garrison. They were part of the Juyan Han Slips, but they held something far more intimate than military decrees. They carried the handwriting of a soldier stationed at the edge of the empire, writing to…
Before the crate is closed.
A practical list for reviewing your finished commission before dispatch. Review photos, then video Ask for photos of the finished piece from six angles, then a short video with the piece turned slowly. Stitches, lacings and articulation look different in motion. Check the practical five Lacing and stitching tension; hinges and pins on moving parts;…
One question first. Wear it, or display it?
How intended use changes the questions you ask about fit, finish and presentation. Wearable means fitted A wearable suit lives or dies by measurements: height, chest, waist, shoulder width and the underlayers you plan to wear. Replica armor is costume-grade: it is built to look and wear well, never rated for impact. Display means presence…
A good commission begins before the first sketch.
References, scope and the decisions that turn an idea into a useful workshop brief. Start with the reference, not the price Museum photos, film stills or a rough sketch all work as a starting reference. What matters is what the reference is being used for: a display piece, a wearable costume, or a film prop.…
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