Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I searched the forums and found some threads about using actual cloth on miniatures for banners, dreadnoughts, etc, but what about bolter slings?

For those of you who have modeled with actual cloth, is this even a good idea or should I stick to plasticard/greenstuff for slings due to the small sling pieces possibly being fragile?

I was thinking of using thin strips of leather or buckskin for bolter slings.

I think leather strips would be best, they would look good and would be more durable.

Leather has a downside - only one face will be topgrain, while the other (and the cut sides) will be a much rougher split. Some materials, like stone, are unaffected by scale, something like the grain of split leather does not - it will end up looking closer to fur (not the exaggerated waves of fur we sculpt, but it's still rough). Those surfaces can be smoothed on larger pieces, but slicking is impractical on a piece 1/16" wide and 1/32" thick. Leaving it any larger will look horribly disproportionate.

GS, styrene, or lead foil, properly painted, will do a much better job of emulating finished leather straps, at scale, than actual leather or cloth. They're likely to be less work, too, and more resilient. In this particular area, at least, I think experimentation will mostly be wasted effort.

I use a mix of GS and Styrene. They both work well for straps. Easier to use and are more resilient. So I agree with oadie.

Having used leather to make a coat for a massive 54mm ork, I can affirm that oadie is absolutely right. I must say that I as using leather from an old wallet which had cost me nothing so it wasn't the thinnest leather but it was pretty thin and I would say, it would be horribly out of proportion for something as thin and small as a bolter sling. You might be able to get some very thin leather, perhaps from a pair of golf gloves or something but, if you have to buy them, you would have to weigh the cost and the alternatives would probably be a lot cheaper.

You might like to experiment with two alternatives. The first is to use thin cotton, I've used this recently to make a camo cloak using cotton from an old handkerchief. Give that a dip into some watered down PVA glue and then cut it into strips.

Then second, if you want a leather pattern, is to roll out some Green Stuff, very thin, and then press it down onto a sheet of leather to take an impression. Once cured the Green Stuff can be cut into strips and should be able to be bent into a strap without breaking although you might need to be careful.

Try a length of tamiya hobby tape and then put a coat of superglue over the top of it for strength

 Gogsnik wrote:
Having used leather to make a coat for a massive 54mm ork, I can affirm that oadie is absolutely right. I must say that I as using leather from an old wallet which had cost me nothing so it wasn't the thinnest leather but it was pretty thin and I would say, it would be horribly out of proportion for something as thin and small as a bolter sling. You might be able to get some very thin leather, perhaps from a pair of golf gloves or something but, if you have to buy them, you would have to weigh the cost and the alternatives would probably be a lot cheaper.

You might like to experiment with two alternatives. The first is to use thin cotton, I've used this recently to make a camo cloak using cotton from an old handkerchief. Give that a dip into some watered down PVA glue and then cut it into strips.

Then second, if you want a leather pattern, is to roll out some Green Stuff, very thin, and then press it down onto a sheet of leather to take an impression. Once cured the Green Stuff can be cut into strips and should be able to be bent into a strap without breaking although you might need to be careful.

Not saying it's not a good idea but greenstuff kinda ruins the point, lol.

 Ifurita wrote:
Try a length of tamiya hobby tape and then put a coat of superglue over the top of it for strength

That actually gives me an idea, I do have tape that might just be strong enough to do it. Hmmm...