Cuirass Lorica Musculata

Original Color restored

Cuirass Lorica Musculata how to make a cuirass how to make a roman cuirass Lorica Musculata

This page is very much in progress, just like my cuirass

Inspired by Travis Clark's essay on the Roman Cuirass I decided to make mine out of 1/4 inch leather. Which I water hardened and pressed pipes into to simulate abdominal and chest muscles.

Now, I used to think that leather was impractical as 'armor' however I was radically surprised at just how difficult this 1/2 inch leather was to cut.... my sheers and fabric scissors... for get about. My Dremel was red hot just scoring the leather and could not cut through, even after multiple passes over.

Cuirass Lorica Musculata how to make a cuirass how to make a roman cuirass Lorica Musculata

So, I went into my outdoors/camping equipment and pulled out my Ontario Knife Company US military ASEK knife. I used it to score along the cuts from the Dremel and it was able to slice through but, only after several passes.

Cuirass Lorica Musculata how to make a cuirass how to make a roman cuirass Lorica Musculata

After soaking the leather in the bathtub, I pressed metal pipes into the cuirass to form the abdominal Muscles

Cuirass Lorica Musculata how to make a cuirass how to make a roman cuirass Lorica Musculata

Just working out the details before affixing them to the armor
It's not quite how I want it yet... close but no cigar!

Large small

Cuirass Lorica Musculata how to make a cuirass how to make a roman cuirass Lorica Musculata

The next step was to dye the cuirass white, it took 10 coats of white leather dye to cover the black but, it was worth it to have the armor the correct color.

Next it was time to fabricate gryphons for the right and left abdomen, a gorgon, a candelabra, and a Lupa (she-wolf), Romulus, & Remus appliqué. Please click here Making Appliqués to see how I made the appliqués below.

After making the appliqués, I cut thin strips of 24 gauge metal to affix the appliqués to the cuirass however; I did not attach the metal clips to the appliqués first. I was worried that if I did, and then tried to match up the holes in the cuirass, the appliqués could easily wind up to be crooked.

So, I placed the appliqués on the cuirass, tapped around them for reference points, removed them, and drilled holes. Then I placed the metal clips into the holes and bent them over underneath the cuirass.

Lastly, I placed JB-KWIK cold wielding to the clip and then pressed the appliqués into it. JB-KWIK hardens in 4 minutes but that gave me plenty of time to tweak and adjust the exact location of each appliqués, insuring they were hanging correctly and lining up.

Shoulder Doublers

I had purchased the Roman Thunderbolts and Gryphon heads online last year but still affixed them in a similar way.

Cuirass Lorica Musculata how to make a cuirass how to make a roman cuirass Lorica Musculata