Since I am a costumer, I guess it makes sense that Halloween would be my favorite holiday.  Well, here is this year's costume.  The chainmail shirt is made of 16 gauge 1/4 inch aluminum rings.  It took more than twice as long to make using the smaller rings than when I use the standard size 3/8 inch rings, but the density of the rings makes the shirt look better in my opinion - as well as being as strong as steel chainmail with 3/8 inch rings.  The leather vambraces are attached as are the leather yoke and hem.  The shirt weighs about 7 pounds.  

Now for the Crusade portion of the journal entry.  I urge everyone to watch the documentary films, The Corporation, Kilowatt Ours, and An Incovenient Truth.  I try to be as much of an activist as I can.  That also means trying to make my business as environmentally friendly as I can.  I am phasing out the use of chrome tanned leather because the chrome tanning process is very toxic and produces waste which pollutes our lakes and rivers.  Luckily, all of the major components in the armor I make are and have always been vegetable tanned leather, which produces the least amount of ecological damage.  I will be substituting oil tanned leather for the chrome tanned leather in most applications.  I now exclusively use Eco-Flo dyes and finishes which are non-toxic and biodegradeable.  Though I am trying to limit my impact on the environment, the business of making armor and weapons still does harm to our planet.  I will be seeking new methods of making armor and weapons which will be safer, less wasteful, more energy efficient, and ultimately renewable.  I will also be urging my suppliers to start selling post consumer recycled metals and materials , and to pursue new ways to produce leather which do not pollute. 

I hope those of you, who feel inclined to do so, will help me persuade manufacturers and suppliers to change the way they do things in order to preserve our world.  I will post links to take action as soon as I gather them.  Until then, let's reuse, recycle, use compact fluorescent light bulbs instead of incandescent, and make the effort to conserve.  Thank you.


Michael Cook
Studio Kensai, Makers of Eco-Friendly Armor and Weapons