ROTJ Cape Information

[GrendelPrime]

Pffff... Boba! Clone! Wannabe! errr.... uh oh. I mean.... errr... nevermind! Just kidding.

Well - good reference for that. I guess I'm more questioning the EU Manalorians with capes. Were they under as fire retardants or over as "hiding" the equipment? Color me confused.

 

[Jangos kid]

Well, from a certain perspective, I suppose there could be advantages to concealing your JP in the "real" SW world , but then everyone would ask what the heck is that big bulge on your back!!. If you are going to put all the work & $ in & make yourself a nice JP, why not show the thing off???I say wear your cape under the JP, but thats just my 2 cents
Damian

 

[GrendelPrime]

Jango's kid wrote:
Well, from a certain perspective, I suppose there could be advantages to concealing your JP in the "real" SW world , but then everyone would ask what the heck is that big bulge on your back!!. If you are going to put all the work & $ in & make yourself a nice JP, why not show the thing off???I say wear your cape under the JP, but thats just my 2 cents
Damian

See - this is what I mean... I understand the "concept" of hiding it (like the "Good, Bad, & Ugly" pre-pre-pre-pro shot now on display in the Saarlac Pit where you're basically hiding all you your weaponry and armor, but not the pack) but it seemed to me the cape would go UNDER the pack for functionality (fire proof - protecting your legs from the exhaust of the pack) more than looks -- but has the advantage of looks because you're showing off your badass pack.

Thanks for the input.

 

[mike]

Thanks man

 

[Art Andrews]

mike, Bobafettish is absolutely correct about cotton canvas based materials. However, here is a word of warning from my own experiences. Wash but do NOT dry in a dryer!!! Just line dry. Drying in a dryer will madke all the torn and shredded edges get all fluffy and fat. It looks REALLY silly and once it is there it is very difficult to get rid of it without just CUTTING it out.

 

[carbonitekid]

My first attempt at a cape was made from thin material (cotton I think ) and to weather it I just carefully applied a lighter flame to the edges and a lit cigarette to other areas.8) A few tears and voila.

 

[Fetthunter]

So, what's been found to be the date of manufacture on the shelter halves with the "correct" stitching? These things have been made for the Army for 60+ years. Knowing a ballpark range of years would help to locate one of the "correct" ones, since the stitching was changed at some point.

Any ideas? Are the halves stamped with manufacturer information on them?

 

[Trooper TK409]

I don't know that there are different manufacturers. In my search, they haven't ever been listed by a manufacturer name. Just by "half shelter". They do however come in two different weaves. There's one type that is canvas and another that is a cloth (finer weave). I believe the MoM version is canvas.

 

[Jodo Kast 2749]

Slightly off topic but thought I'd throw it in.

I receieved my TK409 ESB cape today! What a big piece of...
freakin' awesome!!!!!!!!!!!! Top notch amigo.

 

[slave1pilot]

Well, I checked on eof my smelter halves (with the correct stitching) & this is all I could find

I hope that this will help some.
I bought mine off ebay (of course) But you need to make sure that it is the canvas one & not the newer polyester/ nylon one.
If you have surplus stores, try there- mine were over 60 bucks at the surplus. I think I spent 25 for 2 halves, the stakes,the ropes, & the pins

 

[Fetthunter]

Thanks for that pic.

Obviously, the ROTJ cape was from a half shelter that was made BEFORE 1983 (before 1982, actually). There are alot of newer (Gulf War era) half shelters out there, and they are most assuredly the newer "material". I would think that any of the "Vietnam era" shelters would be "right", unless they used Nylon for it's water-repellent properties in the jungles of 'Nam... hmmmm....

I think I'll still gamble on the Vietnam era shelters first, then go backwards from there. People think you're on cRAcK when you ask them for a picture of the stitching (It IS just a tent, after all). It's easier to just buy the cheap ones, and do something with the "wrong" ones until you find a "right" one. :facepalm

 

[Fetthunter]

Trooper TK409 wrote:

I don't know that there are different manufacturers. In my search, they haven't ever been listed by a manufacturer name. Just by "half shelter". They do however come in two different weaves. There's one type that is canvas and another that is a cloth (finer weave). I believe the MoM version is canvas.

Just to clarify, I never said anything about different manufacturers - just different stitching patterns. I'm pretty sure that one company has had the contract for YEARS.

 

[Fetthunter]

slave1pilot wrote:
Well, I checked on eof my smelter halves (with the correct stitching) & this is all I could find

I hope that this will help some.
I bought mine off ebay (of course) But you need to make sure that it is the canvas one & not the newer polyester/ nylon one.
If you have surplus stores, try there- mine were over 60 bucks at the surplus. I think I spent 25 for 2 halves, the stakes,the ropes, & the pins

I just grabbed a few off eBay for cheap ($3.25). If they're right, I'll make a cape for myself and resell the rest. If they're the wrong stitching, I'll make capes and sell them to people who aren't worried about the stitching pattern but just want it made out of the right material.

For the price, I couldn't resist buying them. Shipping was more than the half shelters! I should have them later in the week.

 

[Rammage]

You can find half tents at military surplus websites, as well. I bought one for $8 at http://www.cheaperthandirt.com You can see their list of surplus tents here. I got the Dutch tent, which has two halfs that are both different colors. One's an army green (which to me looks pretty accurate to ROTJ Boba), and the other's more of a brownish-green. They've also got a single replacement tarp for US half tents for about $6, but they don't have any pictures of it, so I don't know what it looks like.

I'll try to post pictures of my tent soon.

 

[Fetthunter]

Here are the 2 halves I picked up for $3.25. They may be "pre-weathered" when I get them! LOL

I picked this half up too on eBay for cheap... It was made in March of 1967:

 

[Fetthunter]

Fetthunter wrote:
Here are the 2 halves I picked up for $3.25. They may be "pre-weathered" when I get them! LOL

::UPDATE::

These 2 halves came in today, and are pretty much in PERFECT condition! And get this: BOTH of them have the CORRECT STITCHING!!! FOR $3.25!!!! WOOHOO!!!

Correct pattern, per Brak's:

:cheers

 

[Fetthunter]

Another update:

I got the piece from the half shelter sewn, grommeted, weathered, and washed. It's outside drying as I type this. It looks really nice (not my construction job, but the material/color/size of the cape). I'm really happy with it!

 

[Tambo Fett]

Jamey you should of told me you were looking for one of these, I have one in my locker and I picked one up at one of the several surplus stores right outside the main gate of Ft. Campbell that was worn and weathered for a few bucks. I guess you can't beat the price you got it for..good score.

 

[Fetthunter]

Tambo Fett wrote:
Jamey you should of told me you were looking for one of these, I have one in my locker and I picked one up at one of the several surplus stores right outside the main gate of Ft. Campbell that was worn and weathered for a few bucks. I guess you can't beat the price you got it for..good score.

Yeah, For $3.25 for both of them it comes out to about $1.63 each. Can't beat that!

The "real parts" on my costume are growing! WOOHOO!

 

[Fetthunter]

BTW, it appears that the ones with the correct stitching pattern are VIETNAM ERA half shelters. Mine were made in March 1967. That might be useful information for someone looking for the "right" one when searching online and without much else to go on.

I knew it wouldn't have been made post-1982 (since that's when ROTJ was filmed). Since the Vietnam War had recently ended in the previous years, I'm sure Vietnam era half shelters were plentiful in surplus stores at the time. I should have thought about that connection earlier!

I hope that helps someone when shopping!