Shoulder Strap Question

[AAAutopsy]

Hey all,

 

Decided to take a break from putting together my kit (and give the room mate a break too), and update my profile. Figured I'd ask the question while I was on here: Shoulder Straps and hot to keep them down.

 

I've got an AP kit, and the shoulder straps are very straight, and don't bend very much.

 

Trial period one involved nothing but velcro on the inside of the strap and the outside of the chest/back piece. Of course, as soon as I put on the pieces and the straps start to bend into place, they snap back into a straight position and the velcro pops apart.

 

Attempt #2 involved the velcro again, and this time added a snap to the the velcro, much like what I found in this post: -----

Again, the shoulder straps just don't bend enough, and the snaps either hold but with a HUGE gap, or pop apart.

 

I've thought about added more snaps, but I don't really see that working.

 

I've considered gluing the straps into place with either ABS glue or E-6000, but for reason I cringe at the idea of putting glue on the outside of the chest/back piece.

 

Any thoughts or tips?

 

Other than that the whole thing is coming together nicely for a guy who normally isn't crafty at all!

Edited December 5, 2020 by gmrhodes13
link not working, removed gmrhodes13 2020

[snoberg]

I am at the same stage in my AP kit too, I have accepted that I will need to get a heat gun to give some bend to the belt, knee ammo belt and shoulder straps. I think it is just the fact that these pieces were not initially molded with a curve that makes them difficult to form. I will hopefully be using velcro to attach them to the chest and back pieces, but the actual force of the chest and back will be on the webbing beneath the straps holding them together.

 

Hope that helps.

[vecspeed12]

With my AP kit. I used a blowdryer to heat them up and then I bend them. I didn't want to use a heatgun because I was afraid I'd make them too wonky.

[TK bondservnt[501st]]

just glue em in front. then carefully bend them into shape. just a very small amount of heat over them in a curved position.

velcro does not hold the fronts in the film.

[Quebectrooper]

I have bent many armor parts on top of my stove without burning em.

 

Just be careful and heat it just a little then bend then try again.

 

Even small parts with a lighter worked for me (but it turned black and i painted it).

Edited July 13, 2010 by quebectrooper

[blueboxer[501st]]

With my AP kit. I used a blowdryer to heat them up and then I bend them. I didn't want to use a heatgun because I was afraid I'd make them too wonky.

 

 

I agree with the blowdryer method... much easier to control the amount of heat and gives you good results.

[john danter]

Hair drier for the win

I used hot glue to set mine down to the chest plate.

If I messed it up I could just use the hair drier and move them about a little