Calf locks

[Kellygirl3]

Working on my second TK kit, I was never happy with the calf rear closures. I hated the way velcro looked, so I started with bra hooks and elastic and a slip channel, but they were a pain to hook and the ankles kept coming undone. I changed the lower strap to canvas and a snap, it helped and stayed shut, but it was really hard to reach. but the single layer thickness of the armor being slid in and out of the slip join was causing multiple cracks from flexing to slide in and out out the slip join. Fast forward to my new armor, I’ve solved both issues. I designed and printed up some interlocks with a hole through the center to insert a rod. I used E-6000 to glue them down, just tested them out and they are perfect. The calf edges are reinforced by the interlock, so they won’t flex and crack like the old ones, also the gap in the slip join is much wider now, the old slip join had to be tight to hold the cover strip down, with the new way, the interlock holds everything straight and tight. I just put it on, close the interlock and slide the rod in.

 

 

 

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[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

A nice idea, you must have a lot of room in those calves. 

 

I've seen a similar setup used on FOTK's to help hold the backplate together and instead of a pin, magnets are used on both sides, they are just recessed into the housings, could be a little easier than threading a long pin?

[Toddahhhh[TK]]

(My GF apparently logged in on my Tapatalk and I didn’t notice before posting lol)

 

I actually started with magnets, seemed like the cleanest way, but they weren’t strong enough, so I switched to the bra hook fiasco.

 

I was worried about that too, but even with the curve, the rod threads through really easily, the blocks are large enough that they stay lined up

 

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