Very cool! When you get the pourpoint you MUST reinforce the holes with some leather!
As soon as I try it on, it's the first thing on my list.
I would've had I known you were, Sir James! I still need to get the tabs on the legs, then punched, then grommeted to accept tying to the c-belt. From what I'm hearing though, is a pourpoint's a better option? You actually gave me one that needs to be reinforced but is ready for service thereafter. I gotta get to the cleaners to have them sew on leather tabs to that. Ugh...too much work. lol
Sounds like a project for our next meeting!
I'm still flip-flopping on the c-belt. I made some adjustments to it last night, and it sits better. What I'm almost confused on, is why the two big "U" parts on it. I've noticed my leg harness seems to sit worse pointed to the middle area of the c-belt:
rather than just pointing it to a "normal" belt. I think since I use multiple leg harnesses, what I'm going to do is remove at least the lower half of that "U" - it makes high-lift leg motions, including sitting, uncomfortable. I think a better design is a simple belt style, with a number of lace points along the belt so the legs can be pointed at an "optimal" position - but with the benefit of the concave shaping of the belt itself to try to keep it from sliding down. If I'm going to go more historic on the arming clothes as I'm trying to do, I'll need a pourpoint to support the split hose - so it's looking like a required item anyway, regardless of how the c-belt does.
The pourpoint prevents sagging by keeping itself up hanging from the shoulders, so it can be moderately loose; too loose, and the weight is all on the shoulders, but it doesn't need to be "girdle" tight. Whereas the c-belt seems to need a bit more tightening to stay in place, and sometimes gets uncomfortable. I'm still going to work at it a bit, it seems to has potential. I think like most things it'll boil down to personal preference.
That pourpoint is the one I wore at VARF - it worked great until the original points failed (tore out completely). What you'll want for the reinforcing is 4 of these:
http://historicenterprises.com/arming-doublet-point-reinforces-leather-p-1298.html?cPath=99_112The holes in the pourpoint should match up with those very closely; after the original points (only 2 holes) tore out at VARF, I did the best I could with fixing it, then making 2 more holes so each point would have 4 holes to it using those reinforce tabs as the guide. I had laced up the new points with tabs and put the pourpoint on to see how it would work before I realized either it shrank considerably in the wash or I ballooned up 8 sizes. Actually, you might want to pick up 6, 8 or 10 of those reinforcing tabs - you can use them with your arm harness / shoulders for added "insurance", too. At $1 each, might as well grab a few spares.
Look at the pic on the HE site - the laced point itself will hold the tab in place, and it doesn't need to be sewn to the pourpoint at all. The 4 holes also spreads the "load" much better than 2 and leaves the brunt of the weight on the leather and not the fabric. Just remember the irony in that while this is an awesome way to do it so that you can remove the laces and leather tab to wash the pourpoint ... machine washing shrinks it. :facepalm: