Loose Ends, Obsessions

 

Thought I might chat about loose ends, things I've finished, and what I was up to while submerged plus new skills I acquired. But first, brother Weed. Turns out he was offering variolation, popular among rich families and the educated classes. It was a chance for doctors to make money from preventative medicine for a change. Lots of money. Small pox was endemic to Philadelphia and variolation was known in Africa and Asia for centuries before it was brought to the West. Pure chance that 18th-century doctors added something effective to all their purgatives and bleeding. Amazingly, they also knew staying out of the sun on a hot day, fresh air, and exercise were good for you.

Above, I am channeling the Shrinking version of Harrison Ford in a throwback outfit. Turns out there are FOUR shirts in Blade Runner, plus three ties, two pairs of trousers, and the coat and trench coat. Oh yeah, and the sweater. All in all, a pleasant diversion. This was the golden age of sci-fi films: obscure accessories and cobbled-together props. It's all 3D printing now. The badge was made by the same house that still prints ephemera for Hollywood, using the old machines, signed by the same dude who signed Deckard's name for the movie.

Unclear why I did two of these, obsession brain probably. The bottom one is a kit, mostly from zinc pot metal, with a steel barrel and a dozen or so different screws holding it together. At top, a Japanese replica I was lucky to get, which I disassembled and refinished. The Japanese models were used in Blade Runner 2049. The original firing prop was built from a revolver and a rifle with a custom grip and scavenged items. Made famous in Star Wars, parts-bashed weapon props like this were notoriously heavy. Harrison Ford complained about it in both films. OF COURSE, the hero blaster in Blade Runner had one different part on it not seen in the film, when it reappeared at a Con after many years. So I made both versions. It took me a while to figure out the right Vietnam-era radio part and scope knob for one of them and acquire them online. Therein lies the problem: this level of obsession can be dangerous. if the creativity dries up suddenly, the brain can easily turn to bad things.

Cosplay has a nasty tendency to get bigger and more complex fast. Why not spend years instead of a month putting something together? It's only money. Granted, I learned electronic wiring and a bunch about 3D printing along the way. Aliens found items are hard to come by hence more expensive. The only things I could afford were the M1 steel helmet (modified with diamond-tipped tools), boots (German copies), watch, and the camera lens. The shoulder lights were originally made from a 1980's British home alarm system, with a video light rig and diving lamp handle added on. The microphone is an insanely expensive stereo model actually used for dialogue on set. As with the poor Star Wars ship modelers, the best solution is 3D printing. Many plans are free online, and Etsy offers custom printing. Thank the FSM there are passionate individuals willing to do some heavy lifting. Chef's Creations makes great replica armor and uniforms, with video tutorials on how to assemble the former. The original armor was hammered out of metal and hand-painted with Humbrol model paint. Painting my armor felt very nostalgic.

Needless to say, after this project I crashed hard. I was living alone at the time and with nothing to follow it, things got dark. I finally sacrificed my short commute to move in with Kitty again and with her help I'm back. She suggested I wear all this stuff to work rather than have it just clog up her closet. Maybe not the armor.

High Life under the stairs

It's been awhile. Kitty and I have been engaged in long discussions about time drag and what we want to do in the future. The amount of misogyny and prejudice in certain time periods is depressing. Guns are nice, but I'm having a hard time getting excited about recreating conflict and nothing else.

Deckard's rain coat is a welcome distraction. Kitty's Bernina sewing machine is a joy to use, even for button holes. Collar quilting became swift and actually presentable. Can't wait for the first rain storm after it's finished.

July 2nd, 1777 at Fort Ticonderoga: Always count on these folks to create a rich 18th-century environment of all classes. Their latest event included a servantpalooza of sorts. The New Englanders that made up the Rear Guard included a dozen officers. There was not quite enough help for all of them, and some had never taken on the role of servant before, but it went surprisingly well.

Kitty was tasked with feeding the servants (the officers had their own cook.) Since we were not paid, she broke into the Officer of the Day's quarters and stole from the Army payroll. There was a pleasant tension between the camp followers and the servants. If done correctly, serving is hard work. Lots of stairs between kitchen and quarters. What happens when your captain is late to a meal and the lieutenant asks you to do some sewing for him? Cleaning and polishing shoes in the dark is tedious. Without an actual economy it's hard to do things like laundry and gambling. It's also hard for 21st-century Americans to stop saying "please" and "thank you" to those below them. Maybe they were never good at it.

The right tools help. At left are the contents of a simple American servant's wallet. Clockwise, from lower left: Napkins, a rag and tin cup, "The American Crisis," wads of tow, shoe cleaning and blacking brushes, a linen cap, brick dust, a sewing kit and white ball, an oil bottle, comb, and dish washing brush, a pipe, button stick, and black ball. Not pictured: a clothes brush, apron, and a nice bottle of port stolen by the colonel's servants. This just in: prosthetic muttonchops have been delivered via post. More on that later.


  

Interlinked

A quick Preenacting update. Detective Deckard's coat is a strange one. Aside from the color choice, external pockets and cuffs, the outer sleeve is actually part of the back shoulder yoke. The shoulder pads improve the shape, but there is no seam there.

The yoke is also padded, and there is only one button. The shirts from this film are pretty garish, and complicated. Fortunately, the cosplay crowd gets support from some excellent vendors. Need a Skyfall suit? These folks have that and more. It's not cheap, but all clothes are made to measure. Very nice stuff.

Magnoli carries two Blade Runner 2019 shirts, both bonkers. Also two tie designs. The black shirt could use some toning down, and what better way than with Japanese dye pens. A touch of gray over the white makes a big difference at a distance. Mind you, we can't color over the pink top stitching. It's like a coloring book, a terrible one.

After a bunch of screen shots from the movie, it should be possible to make two complete outfits using the coat and trench coat. The shoes are still available. Magnoli makes sweet tweed trousers. Deckard's wrist watch is a 1970s Intel Microma that cost $200 new. The original black watches now sell for between $1,000 and $2,000 (!!!??) on Ebay. Much easier to get a steel three-button model and paint it.

For the history-minded among you beginning to despair, fear not. Kitty got us something really cool for Birthday. If you need a Federal hat (or other 17th, 18th, or 19th century one) Matt Brenckle is your man. Most of the Drunk hats were made by him.

This tasteful, understated chapeau bras is for civilians. The pantaloons cry out to be finished. Braces, a new tail coat and waist coat will also be required.

Future Noir

Crank up the Vangelis, y'all. Somewhere in this pile (circa 1950-81) is inspiration. If any of this looks interesting to you, start here. You might bump into Adam Savage. Actual props and costumes have become big business, and like surviving historic clothing can be expensive.

Charles Knode created this coat from silk herringbone for Harrison Ford. No doubt there were several.

Ridley Scott describes it as "a Harris Tweed," and the Phillip Marlowe, detective with only one suit vibe is pretty strong. The shoulder yoke and back belt are a nice touch. Between still photos and the film there appear to be three different shirts and pairs of pants also, with one matching. Everyone knows the trench coat, but most miss the suit.

After weeks of searching for material, this appeared. Not silk, but they have a similar weave, which is fantastically soft. Shipping was fast. If you need linen, consider Lithuania. Previous experience with fiber reactive dye makes them an option. The terracotta color is misleading, in most images it is a warm golden orange with brown tones.

Perhaps some pants first to get the hang of the sewing machine.

Preenacting

Whoa. Has it been that long? Well, shit.

Getting thrown chez Calash leads to more adventure than anticipated. There have been excellent discussions, several detours and few new rabbit holes, but progress continues. This chap, discovered by Kitty, provides some cool details about bearskins. Turns out the lining comes right down to the edge of the cap. Unsurprisingly, the top of the tassel is painted to match the cord. Here's to completing modifications and finishing a new pair of drill overalls by the third weekend in September for some fusiliering.

Living history is weird. Information about the past is limited and trying to recreate a world from it is bound to be flawed. It's fun to try. Why not take the insanity one step further? How did people in the past view the future? This 1988 LA Times Magazine took a stab at 2013. Always interesting to see what they miss. Don't worry, we aren't leaving our favorite centuries behind, just exploring a side street. If you don't like science fiction or the 1980's you can skip some entries.

Speaking of which, here is what 1982 Hollywood thought an LAPD detective would look like in 2019. Yes, it is a movie, which makes it surprisingly harder to recreate. Isn't this just cosplay or costuming? Perhaps, but it's also history and that rain coat has to repel acid rain. It's still a uniform and a gun. Hot Topic, anyone?