Materials used in Kamen Rider suits?

[wavehawk]

The real-life materials, I mean. Does anybody have any idea what they use, how they sculpt the armor and helmets, if you can actually duplicate some of those techniques to either your own homebuilt costume or a suit for a small action figure?

I just realized, instead of waiting my life away for RAH to produce a 1/6 (12-inch) Kamen Rider Faiz figure that'll demand my soul and six generations of my grandchildren, I might as well take a shot at building one from scratch.

 

[Undrave]

I'm pretty sure they use a Vacuform machine for the most solid part.

 

[CaptainB_Money]

Why's it always got to be Kamen Rider? How bout asking about the material in all tokusatsu suits. everyone fucking favorites kamen rider.

 

[Algo Fonix]

Probably because asking about all Tokusatsu suits wouldn't prove them with the answer they were looking for?

 

[PriestTimeTraVelX]

You could probably get away with using Styrene sheets that have been painted and cut to form, and use home sculpted modelers putty to make things like the helmut.

Look for Jin Saotome or Kyle Robinson tutorials in google for tips on stuff like that.

 

[Kamen Rider Chalice]

For most tokusatsu armor, it's either fiberglass or foam depending. Sentai usually involves foam covered in vinyl (or fabric) while Kamen Rider employs more fiberglass.

All the helmets are made of fiberglass.

To sculpt them you would either have to start with clay or some people employ a polyester putty, while others mish-mash whatever materials they can into a master helmet that is then molded in silicone and cast in fiberglass.

I'm mainly a sentai fan so the stuff I work with is foam but also do helmets and other props in resin and fiberglass.

Examples of some stuff I make:

Sorry no Kamen Rider stuff since I've mainly focused my prop work to sentai. I'll try to get some pics uploaded of unfinished rider gear.

 

[Kamen Rider Armor Ninja]

Why's it always got to be Kamen Rider? How bout asking about the material in all tokusatsu suits. everyone fucking favorites kamen rider.

i guess asking for one is like asking for all...

Get it?

 

[wavehawk]

Why's it always got to be Kamen Rider?

- Maybe because I'm trying to build a Kamen Rider Faiz suit for a 1/6 figure? No offense meant--if I ever get around to making a Ryuukendo or Garou 1/6 figure suit, you'll be the first to know. The reason I mentioned Kamen Rider is because of the specific suit design, and I figured it might be easier to ask people who've done their own cosplay with KR suits (and then downscale it) than ask if anyone's actually built their own 12-inch Kamen Rider figure.

@Kamen Rider Chalice: So all helmets are custom made, then, not modified (i.e. taken from an existing motorbike helmet)? Might be a bit harder for me to replicate in a smaller scale, then (cost, availability, legal concerns). How about the 'eyes'? I recall a Kabuto costume that actually have eyeslits cut into the eyes, but is there another way, to actually make them look like the translucent eyes seen on TV on the actual suit? Or is that currently not possible?

I've used epoxy putty (Milliput) before, still need to work out sculpting because I take too long (and it dries out). Plus, hardened Epoxy Putty is a bit tough to sculpt, since I don't have any machine tools. Polyester putty seems easier, but it's going to be more fragile (i.e. liable to break if dropped)?

Also, damn. Your name and avatar just reminded me of another Kamen Rider character I'd probably like to make in 1/6 scale. It took me almost forever to decide doing Faiz instead of Kabuto, now I'm thinking of Chalice as well...

@PriestTimeTraVelX- Will look those guys up, thanks. I'll probably use styrene plastic for the smaller bits, like the Faiz Phone, Shot, and Pointer. The armor (chest, shoulder, helmet) are the tough parts for me to work on.

I'm tempted to try light strips on it (this being Faiz), but I'll have to shelve that idea until I can get the basic sculpts/parts working first.

 

[Kamen Rider Chalice]

@Kamen Rider Chalice: So all helmets are custom made, then, not modified (i.e. taken from an existing motorbike helmet)? Might be a bit harder for me to replicate in a smaller scale, then (cost, availability, legal concerns). How about the 'eyes'? I recall a Kabuto costume that actually have eyeslits cut into the eyes, but is there another way, to actually make them look like the translucent eyes seen on TV on the actual suit? Or is that currently not possible?

I've used epoxy putty (Milliput) before, still need to work out sculpting because I take too long (and it dries out). Plus, hardened Epoxy Putty is a bit tough to sculpt, since I don't have any machine tools. Polyester putty seems easier, but it's going to be more fragile (i.e. liable to break if dropped)?

Also, damn. Your name and avatar just reminded me of another Kamen Rider character I'd probably like to make in 1/6 scale. It took me almost forever to decide doing Faiz instead of Kabuto, now I'm thinking of Chalice as well...

From what I've been told is that Toei has a base 'blank' helmet form. It's just a very basic head shape that is used to make the helmets that is sculpted and cut and made into whatever.

The eye parts are usually either clear colored resin ot vacuformed transluscent styrene over another background piece.

Try Apoxie sculpt from www.avesstudio.com and see if that works better.

Oddly enough though you could have asked the 1/6 figure question too since I do both 1/10 and 1/6 figures. Most of the time finding exisiting 1/6 vinyl figures, cutting their armor apart and putting it onto a blank 1/6 or 1/10 figure. The last time I did Rider eyes, I made a quick mold and cast in clear resin all available from the local hobby shop.

Example (bad one before I redid the eyes):

1/10 figure:

 

[wavehawk]

Oddly enough though you could have asked the 1/6 figure question too since I do both 1/10 and 1/6 figures. Most of the time finding exisiting 1/6 vinyl figures, cutting their armor apart and putting it onto a blank 1/6 or 1/10 figure.

- O_O Okay, I assumed no one would be doing 1/6 figs, guess I was dead wrong. I'm currently working on a 1/6 IXA, but that's by cutting up the 28cm "Big Soft Vinyl" figure and putting it onto a Dragon body.

Your work looks fantastic, judging by those pics. Is it OK if I PM you on occasion if I come up with a sticky problem with my projects? ^_^

Clear Resin sounds pretty good, but I guess that means I still have to sculpt a master out of clay or epoxy putty and mold it. From what I hear about Apoxie, it cures much faster than Milliput, but otherwise is the same. I might decide to give it a try, though I've got LOTS of Milliput at home, so...^_^

Thanks!