Living History in the Star Wars Galaxy
applying the methods of progressive historic reenacting to the Galaxy Far, Far Away
The quarantine project queue continues apace! It’s been a couple months since I started my functional A295 blaster rifle project, so I thought it was time for an update on how things are progressing.
Since I’m not scratchbuilding a prop gun, the steps to convert from StG44 to A295 are actually relatively simple, and most everything is reversible:
-Step 1: cut off the protruding rod* (okay, that one’s not reversible 😉
While doing research for my vest project this spring, I came across the following passage:
“Most sentients who make their livings as common crew aboard large civilian vessels tend to be lifelong transients, wandering from ship to ship and world to world in search of employment. A spacer might serve on dozens of ships during his career and travel untold millions of light-years, his only home the crew berths of cargo ships and the hostels, bars, and entertainment districts of spaceports. Such beings tend to travel light, carrying their entire lives with them from job to job in large cylinder-shaped bags colloquially known as spacer’s duffels. Roughly half the size of a grown human and featuring one large compartment, a sturdy zipper, and a single shoulder strap, spacer’s duffels have become a symbol of the free-and-easy life of the common spacer. Made by many different textile and storage-technology companies, these bags are as essential a piece of kit to the survival of a spacer as his certificates and his spacesuit. Among ship captains and recruiting agents, one of the most common sights in the spacelanes is a grizzled spacer with a hopeful look on his face, approaching with his duffel slung over his shoulder to inquire about work.” FFG, Edge of the Empire – Enter the Unknown, 53.
As soon as I read it, this M1943 duffel bag I inherited many years ago (and which has been kicking around the back of my closet for quite a while) immediately came to mind. I thought it would be a nice challenge—to take an Earth-specific piece of gear and try to make it better fit the Star Wars aesthetic!
In the course of a recent apartment move, I realized that I had a large project kicking around that I never got around to sharing when I finished it (probably because it’s not technically finished! 😉
Continue reading “Project: ‘Strength and Obedience’ Imperial propaganda”
With the holidays behind us, I have recognized a pattern in my kit’s evolution over the last few years. Although I always have several projects in the Work-In-Progress phase, it seems I like to set aside a bit of time around the New Year to create something special:
(Part 1 of the Wookiee shield project here)
With wroshyr trees a little hard to come by in this galaxy (likewise quality hardwood lumber in the 10”x4”x8’ range), I’m keeping the woodworking on hold until I can acquire an ideal piece of wood (paying in terms of time by choosing ‘I want it Good’ and ‘I want it cheap’ from the Designer’s Paradox). However, the Wookiee battle shield also includes some metal (‘bronzium’) elements which I thought I could try my hand at fabricating in the meantime. This gave me another reason to play around with sculpting wax, and I continue to enjoy working with this material. When I take my time to get a piece sculpted and cleaned up, I am extremely pleased with the feeling of having made a real prototype.
(Apologies for my delay in postings of late…with winter holidays arrived I now have a few weeks’ reprieve from school-matters, which I intend to use to finish up some posts and projects for this site).
Last winter, as I reskinned my Swedish milsurp hat, I was left with a few quibbles. (I find it’s helpful to write down these thoughts for just this very reason, so that I know what needs tweaking should I decide to revisit the project down the road):
“Were I to undertake this project again, I would’ve done a few things differently:
-using a heavier khaki material–like the plentiful scraps I had leftover from my donut helmet (uncovered only after I had finished this project!)
-only using two layers of wool for the flaps, instead of three.
-better copying the shape of the curvy panels that are added to the flaps.
-making the rear ribbed panel shorter (to better match the original artwork), while extending the neck coverage and shortening up the flaps a bit.”
As the weather has been getting cooler, I’ve been having to wear my flap hat more often, and as I’ve also been integrating more and more Star Wars style into my daily wardrobe, I finally felt that the vaguely-close-enough-ness of my hat just wasn’t accurate (or hardcore) enough.
And so, after pondering on what would be involved, I decided to go ahead and tackle the Pfilbee Jhorn Hat, Mark II.
^ The look we’re going for^
In my continuing quest to subtly apply a Star Wars commoner’s aesthetic to my everyday wardrobe, I consistently make at least a weekly pass through my local secondhand shop to look for garments which have GFFA modification potential. As someone who also puts a lot of focus on having a wardrobe that not only looks good but also is practical for outdoor use (i.e. I try to avoid slow-drying cotton and melty synthetics as much as possible) I have been searching for a good Star Wars-y jacket that looks the part but isn’t plain unlined cotton or light linen.
Thankfully, I’ve had some good hunting of late; so when a fine 100% wool ladies’ blazer ($6) made by PENDLETON came up the other day, I quickly snatched it up with an eye for modification.
Continue reading “Project: Modding a Jacket”
In his Getting Started In Living History series, Master Jon Townsend suggests that the small items carried on one’s person are a great way to add depth to a living history impression, as well as create a more intimate connection to your persona. Reenactors refer to these items collectively as ‘pocket trash’, and can be anything from a love letter from the homefront, empty brass and small change, to an interesting rock or a pocket compass.
Continue reading “Whittling & galactic ‘pocket trash’ – R4 Astromech”
(My apologies for the unintentional hiatus, dear readers. Back-to-school is a hectic time, but as I get back into the swing of things, I am able to get back to work on projects and keeping up the blog.)
Between the cooler temperatures, low humidity, and new-fallen leaves (ideal for making debris shelters and leaf mattresses), it’s no surprise that autumn is the go-to season for most reenactors.
Even though the events that are most welcoming for a Star Wars ‘living historian’—sci-fi cons and the like—are traditionally held in air-conditioned hotels in summer, there is no reason why you should limit yourself to such controlled indoor events! I believe that if this particular hobby is to (one day ) be taken seriously by the larger Historic reenacting community, we should be as equipped as they are to deal with weather of all seasons, and not be afraid to get Out of the convention center!
Continue reading “Project: modding the Naboo winter shirt”
While I’ve been humping my Bergan external frame pack around for almost a decade (and I’m very pleased with it!), I’ve been starting to wonder if maybe it isn’t…overkill. As an aspiring minimalist, I like to try and pare my outdoors kit down to the bare essentials, and a large frame pack with lots of attachment points—in a gear version of Jevon’s Paradox (as one’s pack increases in capacity, the expanded space cannot help but be filled)—only makes it too easy to throw in everything but the kitchen sink.
I realized then that while the Bergan is perfectly suited to be a winter pack—able to carry a tarp, sleeping pad, and blanket/sleeping bag, plus a drybag of spare clothes and other seasonal necessities—I might need something a bit more modest for the rest of the year. Continue reading “Building the Outer Persona: a three-season pack”
Living History in the Star Wars Galaxy 
