Yankee71

So these are the pieces of the vest armor back. This is the back plate of the vest put together.

I have a question about the CRL, in reference Trophy Sabers lvl 2 The CRL has: For level two certification (if applicable): Included among the trophy sabers are those of: Darth Vader One half of Darth Maul One half of Kazdan Paratus' saber pike Rahm Kota Shaak Ti The lightsaber of Galen Marek Looking at pics of Starkiller Darklord's armor or the Tatooine armor, I would like to break this down, going around his body and go around identifying the lightsabers. Starting with his front leg left is "The lightsaber of Galen Marek" Then the side of his left leg is "Rahm Kota" Then on his back side (Either hanging horizontal connecter together or individually hanging vertically) are "Darth Vader" & "One half of Darth Maul" (In game on Hoth, Maul and Vader sabers are Horizontal and joined together, but on all the game advertisements they hang individually vertical) Then on his right leg side is "One half of Kazdan Paratus' saber pike" Then on the front leg right is often "his own lightsaber (The one with the 3 spikes)", or "Darth Vader's", or no saber at all. I have yet to find a picture of "Shaak Ti" lightsaber hanging off his belt as a trophy lightsaber. This is an example of Shaak Ti Lightsaber below: So my question is: 1. Is my order and placement of the Trophy Lightsabers correct? 2. Why is Shaak Ti lightsaber listed as a requirement for lvl 2 Certification, if I can find no reference pictures of it any where on Starkiller? 3. For lvl 1 certification are any Random lightsabers acceptable as trophy hilts? I am starting off my costume with lvl 1 certification trophy hilts (random), and when I have money again (as this is a rather expensive costume) I plan on bettering my Trophy Hilts to lvl 2 certification. Before I fabricate or buy a "Shaak Ti" hilt, I would like to know it is actually part of this costume, and where it is worn on the body!? All my research leads me to believe that starkiller only has 5 trophy hilts, plus his own lightsaber with the 3 spikes. I have read where it says that starkiller has places that are empty on his belt where he could collect and hang more trophy's, but I can only find reference to 5 Trophy hilts, and the one he uses.

Has arrived in Germany, should be delivered tomorrow or Monday Helmet w/ Ponytail Undersuit (shirt and pants) Upper armor Belt, Belt Buckle, Cod Piece Skirt Lightsaber Red Day Blade Still waiting on Main Lightsaber to be shipped

Back to Leather Vest WIP

Gauntlet gloves and cables finished

Just for your information, my intent is to have this costume finished by the end of the month (well by April 3rd). I am taking a week off from work, so I can focus on this costume and get it finished. If every thing I am waiting on to be delivered, shows up at the expected time, then I will have the rest of the costume finished as well. Waiting for Delivery on: Helmet w/ Ponytail Undersuit (shirt and pants) Upper armor Belt, Belt Buckle, Cod Piece Skirt Lightsaber (Lights and sound) Red Day Blade I still need to finish: Back Plate for the Vest Snap connectors built onto the lightsabers Ring Claws

This is the Type of cable and connectors I was planning on using. I noticed in the CRL, the cables to the right arm are not listed or described in the requirements for this costume (Neither are the Gauntlet Gloves seen above). I went with a silver cable, covered in a clear plastic sleeve, as the exact type of cable used I can not make out from all my research looking at pics. The complete costume in the CRL shows the cables really long in a wide arc away from the arm. Tactically and logically, that just seems like a bad idea, as they would be easier to cut or be caught on something The reference photos I am using shows the cables all closer to the arm, and not sticking out in the air in such a wide arc. I can not find game advertisement pics or in game screenshots that supports the cables so long, in a wide arc away from the arm, as seen in the CRL for the complete costume. If I am mistaken in my research, please correct me if I am wrong, before I make any more cables, that would be the wrong length? CRL: http://databank.501st.com/mw501/images/b/b1/Starkiller_Hoth.jpg My Reference pics: http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/b/b8/GalenStalkerArmor-TFUUSE.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20090824182222 http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/b/be/SithStalkerArmor-TFUUSE.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20090730044105 http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/b/b1/Starkiller_Hoth.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20090824174849 http://static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/7/70801/2705007-star_wars_the_force_unleashed___starkiller__sith__by_mrgameboy2011_d4xi7vg.png http://s758.photobucket.com/user/ShadowAngel1992/media/transparent_starkiller.png.html http://orig06.deviantart.net/9938/f/2009/313/9/0/starkiller_lord_of_the_sith_by_agentqv.jpg http://s4.photobucket.com/user/silversorrow/media/zzSWTFU-9001.jpg.html http://img06.deviantart.net/3b99/i/2014/244/e/6/dark_lord_s_armor_2_by_jckspacy-d7xig54.png

So my gloves came back from the leather worker today, and I was really happy with what they did. I discovered one small problem once I got them home though, the rings in the bands are about 1mm too small for what I was planing to do with the cables that connect with the gloves. So tomorrow I am taking the 2 arm bands with the rings in them, with the right size rings, and get them to swap it out real quick, and then it will work as I had planned.

Yeah looks cool, nice job.

Back Panel of the Vest Armor WIP. Still needs Paint, String or wire, and the boxes that go in the middle to be finished.

Well let me take a step back, to explain myself, as I am afraid people will get the wrong opinion of me and my intent. I am not trying to rock the boat, just to rock the boat. I am not trying to say anything bad about other versions of this costume that have already been made, or that are seen in the CRL. I am new to the 501st, and this will be my very 1st costume, so I am trying to make it as accurate as possible. For the Boots, I just went with what was in the CRL, and my boots are done, so I don't plan on changing them. In all the advertisement pics of this costume on the cover of the game box, Starkiller has all 6 lightsabers hanging vertically down individually, it is only in game that you see Mauls and Vader's light sabers connected together and hanging horizontal on his back side. So My take on this, is you can use either method, so all six down or four down and two up. (I tried to add a pic, but I guess it was too large, as it was not allowed) http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/b/be/SithStalkerArmor-TFUUSE.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20090730044105 I also noticed that in the CRL, a bunch of items of this costume are not even listed: Belt buckle (with switches and control levers), Codpiece (that hangs under the belt buckle), Claws (how long, the look, the coloring, on which finger and on which parts of the fingers), Gloves (Leather, 3 thicker sections of the arm, coloring, 3 leather bands around the thicker parts of the glove, where the cables should be connected), Right arm cables (What is the look/color, are they clear or metallic, how they are fixed to the suit and glove), Pony tail (How long, color, look), Armored Neck Piece (Neck Sleeve). If you removed all the items from this costume, that are not listed in the minimum requirements in the CRL, this costume would look really empty and incomplete. In this pic, it appears that he is not even wearing a skirt, also notice how long his claws are, compared to other pics where they are shorter: http://img06.deviantart.net/3b99/i/2014/244/e/6/dark_lord_s_armor_2_by_jckspacy-d7xig54.png These are all crossroads I am coming to when trying to decide what path to take in my interpretation of making this costume. Since very few people in the 501st even have this costume, I would say just leave the CRL the way it is, as I could very well be the last person who even makes this costume. Just as a note to the people who will then have to approve or disapprove this costume, there are many different looks to this costume, so there is not just one right look for this costume, depending on what your source material was. Let me get my costume finished and approved, then you can have any pics you want lol.

2 points to be made about this screenshot: (Would love some support here, as once I make a decision, it will be quite hard to go in another direction!!!) 1. the skirt appears to be in 3 parts, not 4. 2. The 1/2 Darth Maul Saber in the screenshot is larger than the Darth Vader Saber. (1/2 of Darth Maul saber is actually shorter than Darth Vader's Saber, as I have the full Maul and Vader saber sitting in front of me now) To make it look right I will have to use about 80% of the Maul Saber, not half!!! If not the Maul saber will be quite smaller than the Vader saber, so not accurate to the screen shot. The CRL has level 1 certification pic (with the Maul saber being shorter than the Vader Saber), but not a level 2 Certification pic. So for level 1, I guess anything goes??? Not to mention the CRL Pic has the lightsaber emitters facing right, where as in this screenshot the emitters are facing left!!!

Thanks, yeah its a slippery slope lol. I am just using the CRL as a minimum requirement, and a starting point, and I will expand my interpretation from there.

1st mile stone reached, Boots are done! On the left 501st CRL / On the right mine

Prototype plexiglass claws. I am happy with the finger, I am not 100% happy with the back half of the thumb, I think it is too skinny. I am probably going to make the back end of the thumb piece bigger.

Vest back from the tailor, was cheaper than expected. Not 100% finished, I still need to do the back plate detailed.

So when I finish an item, you want me to post a picture of it side by side with the pics in the CRL of the same Item? I can do that I guess, once I finish an item 100% lol. Well I have decided to try and make the claws out of plexiglass, and the ring portion out of sheet aluminum, and either use rivets or very small bolts to hold it all together. I have bought the materials, but still very sick, so wont get anything much done till the weekend.

Cleaned up the claws, they look right, but are not as strong as I would like them to be. So looking for stronger building materials, and starting over on the claws.

Claws made. I wasn't 100% happy with the 1st ring, as it was a bit too thick. I am going to experiment with a thinner ring in a little bit.

Making the Steel plates for the back of the boots.

What do you think of this? Sits on glove good, need other peoples opinions before I make more of them like this!

The vest is still at the tailors, she was too busy this week so she has not even started it yet. I have decided to get the vest made soft. I am going to get the costume made per the minimum standards so it is finished and I can join the 501st. Then I will be working on improving my costume as time goes by.

My very 1st Finger claw, not painted or mounted on a ring yet:

Cut of foam claws: (I made 2 extra fingers and 2 extra thumbs, incase I need to make more later)