Death Trooper - Belt

[marktoots[501st]]

This thread will detail the specific parts of the belt of the Death Trooper and shall be updated with any new details/information that comes to light during the research and building of this costume.

 

Belt

The belt itself is made from fine fluted rubber safety matting with a triangular profile.

It has 28 ribs across its width making it approximately 80 mm wide (the ribs are at 3mm centres).

 

 

 

The belt has no visible join. It is assumed that this is hidden behind one of the pouches.

One of the SWCE mannequins had black duck tape wrapped around the belt behind the rear pouch on the right side. While it is unlikely that this was the means of joining the belt in the film it does support the theory of the hidden join being behind a pouch.

 

Belt Buckle

There is a Vader style belt buckle (without the black backbox) located centrally on the front of the belt. It has an elongated "D" shape with overall dimensions of approximately 50 mm high x 110 mm long. There are four square ended graduated height coin slots cut into the left hand side of the buckle (as you look at it) but it DOES NOT have the disk that is evident on the Vader buckles.

 

 

The buckle is made of brushed aluminium and is constructed of at least two layers with a total depth of 6 mm. It is believed that the top layer is 2 mm thick and has the coin slots cut straight through as high resolution images indicate that there are no tool marks on the metal exposed at the base of the slots.

 

Pouches

There are three large fabric pouches attached by belt loops to the belt: two at the front either side of the buckle (see photo above) and one on the right side of the wearer and towards the back. These pouches are constructed of black duck cotton fabric and have hard covers attached to the flaps.

The pouches are believed to be approximately 170 mm high x 70 mm wide x 35 mm deep and are constructed from three panels (front, rear and one that wraps around to form the sides and base) plus the flap. The flap looks to be attached to the rear panel rather than being an intregral part.

The pouches have a webbing belt loop sewn onto the rear panel.

 

 

There is a fourth pouch of a different design and material located to the front left of the wearer. Clear images of this pouch have been difficult to come by but the general concensus is that it is constructed of a thick black leather with a single snap fastener on the flap.

 

 

 

Belt Boxes

 

There are two belt boxes of a hard construction installed on either side of the belt slightly to the rear. These have not visable mechanism for attaching them to the belt and it is assumed that they are bolted to some form of hidden plate installed on the inside face of the belt. The boxes are 70 mm square and 35 mm deep with a pertruding front panel that has a "flap/handle" at the top.

 

 

Holster

 

To the right of the wearer there is a holster for the SE-14R sidearm. It is made of black leather and is attached to the belt via a belt loop. The sidearm is held in place by a leather strap which wraps around the barrel behind the pistol grip and is secured by a snap fastener. There is a second strap with a snap fastener that either wraps around the scope or is attached to it's mount.

 

Latest images show that the width of the strap that forms the body of the holster changes with the belt loop being approximately double the width of the main strap.

 

[marktoots[501st]]

Details updated

 

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[ISD Vengeance[501st]]

Great writeup. Scratching my head a little on the holster. Have a mock up or sketch?

[marktoots[501st]]

Great writeup. Scratching my head a little on the holster. Have a mock up or sketch?

Thanks. I've been scratching my head about how it might look as well we may have to wait until the film is released to know for certain assuming they actually use de-holster the sidearm!!

 

While having another look at it I have just spotted a snap fastener that I had previously overlooked! Meaning that the loop at the top of the holster is not continuous.

It also explains the seemingly random piece of leather that is sticking out in the reference photo used in the write - up ☺

 

 

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[marktoots[501st]]

I think spotting the snap fastening was a pivotal moment in my thoughts on the holster! Sad I know!!!!

Anyway, I have now produced a sketch of what I think it may look like having dug around in my reference photos a bit more.

I've marked one of the snaps as double sided as this maybe how the belt loop is made rather than a seam. This is an assumption based on the photo in my previous post above.

 

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[Griffin-X[501st]]

It's a very odd holster, that's for sure. But great drawing of how it might look. I think you're onto something there and it would be functional, although not really good in a fast draw gun fight!

[marktoots[501st]]

It's a very odd holster, that's for sure. But great drawing of how it might look. I think you're onto something there and it would be functional, although not really good in a fast draw gun fight!

You wouldn't need to draw it you could fire while it was on the belt!

 

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[DeadpoolTK11686[TX]]

Mark that design looks spot on based on all available info and would be..shooting from the hip on this one.

 

I suspect given the strapping on all guns and action to come, these and other troopers may be changing weapons a little more frequently?

 

 

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[marktoots[501st]]

Has anyone else noticed that the sidearm on the two SWCE Death Troopers are secured differently!?

 

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[Griffin-X[501st]]

Has anyone else noticed that the sidearm on the two SWCE Death Troopers are secured differently!?

 

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I'm not too surprised. I still think it's a funky way to hold a blaster.

[K@nne]

Hey Folks,

working on the buckle of the belt for the DT of my wife. On the picture I got from my friend (taken at CE) it looks that the buckle is not thin.

Thickness between 5 and 10mm? What do you think guys.

 

 

From the informations already collected I made a frist drawing. And will ask a friend to lasercut it for me.

[marktoots[501st]]

Hey Folks,

working on the buckle of the belt for the DT of my wife. On the picture I got from my friend (taken at CE) it looks that the buckle is not thin.

Thickness between 5 and 10mm? What do you think guys.

...

 

Hi and welcome.

The DT belt buckle is approximately 6mm thick and is constructed in at least two layers. The top 2-3mm plate has the coin slots cut all the way through it is then bonded to the plate underneath. The evidence for this can be seen in the photo you have posted from celebration where you can see a seam running along the vertical edge of the buckle. Furthermore, hi res images of the buckle show no tooling marks on the base of the slots indicating that were not machined part way through the metal.

The dimensions you have are very close to the ones I calculated and against which I am having a sample machined from aluminium. There have been a few small tweeks to ensure symmetry. Go work

 

 

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[K@nne]

Thx a lot mate for the informations we are on a good way, I already ask a friend of mine to machined one from aluminium for me

[K@nne]

Found some german shops were to get the rubber material for the belt from.

 

http://www.ebay.de/i...t-/281650401796

 

http://www.mattenlag...CFUEo0wodnm4DIQ

[marktoots[501st]]

Additional images of the 4th "Leatherman" style pouch. WE NEED MORE ESPECIALLY HIGH RESOLUTION ONES........

 

 

 

 

 

 

The last image comes with a health warning. What looks like a crease in the side of the pouch closest to you which suggests that the pouch body is a different material is the flap of the canvas pouch in front of it! It's not clear in this image but the original shows the velcro at the base of the flap which holds the hard plate in place when you zoom in.

 

 

Here's a slightly clearer image:

 

[joshjango]

Any intel on belt pouch suppliers or suitable alternatives?

[marktoots[501st]]

Any intel on belt pouch suppliers or suitable alternatives?

Have not managed to find anything that remotely matches the leather belt pouch. In fact, I any considering speaking to someone who makes custom leather items to see if they can help.

 

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[marktoots[501st]]

Have not managed to find anything that remotely matches the leather belt pouch. In fact, I any considering speaking to someone who makes custom leather items to see if they can help.

 

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Well I gave up trying to find the leather pouch and made one myself.

 

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[marktoots[501st]]

Details at top of thread updated.

 

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[Griffin-X[501st]]

Awesome attention to detail Mark.

[marktoots[501st]]

Here is an update on my belt prototype. I don't have all the armour plates in place but everything else is there.

 

And here is a photo of the leather goods:

The rubber belt is backed with webbing which has velcro stitched to it in order to provide the hidden closer mechanism.

I have overlapped the belt on the right is with the free end being hidden behind the rear pouch which seems to match what was seen at SWCE. The advantage of doing this is that all the fixed items .ie. belt boxes, buckle and leather pouch can be spaced appropriately and this won't the change if you have to losses or tighten the belt. The holster and front right canvas pouch provide a means of holding the overlap together tightly and I am considering adding some velcro to the part of the belt being overlapped in order to provide extra fastening.

 

For information the leather pouch does not seem to have a belt loop on the screen used costumes so I am attaching mine with snaps.

 

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[sandmann66]

Looks good

[ksunole[TX]]

Question, does the belt rest mainly on your actual body/undersuit? It looks like it barely covers the top of the butt plate and the cod piece. Maybe a little of the power back plate also.

 

 

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[marktoots[501st]]

Question, does the belt rest mainly on your actual body/undersuit? It looks like it barely covers the top of the butt plate and the cod piece. Maybe a little of the power back plate also.

 

 

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For what I can tell the belt is meant to cover the joint between the back and butt plates and cover the top of the cod piece but sits just below the ab plate.

 

The thigh armour is held up by webbing straps on the SWCE costumes which could be attached to the Undersuit and therefore the belt is there to cover all of that.

 

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[ksunole[TX]]

For what I can tell the belt is meant to cover the joint between the back and butt plates and cover the top of the cod piece but sits just below the ab plate.

 

The thigh armour is held up by webbing straps on the SWCE costumes which could be attached to the Undersuit and therefore the belt is there to cover all of that.

 

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Thanks Mark. I just wanted to make sure that I was looking at it correctly. It feels odd to have it against you after wearing the TK belt so much.

 

 

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