Saturday 20 February 2016

Coke Can Kürassier

Having decided on a push for Prussians, I've brought the second squadron of the Garde du Corps to the front of the painting queue.

Pictured is the trooper I've selected to carry the standard of the regiment. I thought I'd give coke-can metal a go for the flag to see how it behaved in comparison to paper. It was surprising simple to do, and I'm particularly pleased with the sharpness of the waves and folds that it was possible to put into it. It also looks as if it will be a lot more durable than any of my paper flags. The drawback is that I don't think it will be possible to paint designs on flags of this type before they go on to their poles.

The baldrick around his shoulders was made by simply hammering a length of solder flat and then cutting it into a strip. The whole assembly was then liberally stuck down with super glue.

I spent a very pleasant couple of hours putting this all together. It's going to take a little longer to paint!

WM

8 comments :

  1. Looks good - check your insurance to make sure you're Ok for visiting generals slicing their arteries, though. My Vistula Legion lancers have lance pennons which were made from some kind of tin can years ago - if they had been made by someone other than me they would have looked better, but I always have to tell visitors about them - which is probably another reason why people are seen running up the lane, screaming, to get away.

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    1. Yes, it is a little sharp! My plan is to keep adding layers of varnish until it takes the edge off, but it remains to be seen whether this will work.

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  2. Another fine conversion Matt, your hand painted flags add that extra dimension to your units.

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    1. Cheers, 'Lee. The flag is a little oversized, truth be told, but at only 15mm square it's as small as I dared to go given the intricacy of the design I'm intending to put on it!

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  3. Very nice - looks like the real thing (sorry just had to say that!).

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  4. Your Garde du Corps Fahnenjunker type is inspirational. Can’t wait to see him painted.

    I have no idea whether you still have quaint old fashioned milk bottles on your side of the world, but I have found there is no substitute for their foil tops for modelling colours, lance pennants and even straps. They are easy to cut and have the perfect balance between rigidity and malleability. Just a thought.

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    1. Alas, such things appear to be extinct in NZ. I'll say this for the coke can, though: it may be lethal but it's absolutely solid!

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