Armstrong Bulwark Vision Encapsulators

I finally added another set of goggles to my etsy store to try to expand the inventory a little bit.  Check out this new photo I have used to show off the details a little differently.  Go over to the store link and check it out then let me know what you think.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/105128256/armstrong-bulwark-vision-encapsulators

More etsy Tweeks

A few more tweeks have been made to the etsy store and my partner has also started his own store for hand made bird houses and other cool things made of wood.  Check out my store at:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/blaylocksteamworks?ref=si_shop

And look for the bird house store at:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/BlueRidgeBirdHouses?ref=si_shop

The bird houses and other items that James makes may not all be in the actual steampunk realm, they are all really well made plus interesting and beautiful.  As we continue to build or stores we will noth have a lot more items for sale so check them out.

Excelsior etsy Banner

This a new banner I created a few days ago to put on the top of my etsy store for the Blaylock Steamworks Emporium. It's taken from the photo I did last fall of my Excelsior Goggles and top hat. I will probably keep working on a few more.

Loupes Update

It turns out that I ended up running across a set of jewler's loupes being sold at a local harware store today.  The Harbor Freight carries these as well as other styles of magnifying loupes and the prices are similar to what I paid online.  Just like the silicone for making molds and resin to make gears I can now get loupes for my goggles locally whenever I need them.  This same store also had several items that might work to steampunk a gun like bubble levels and bullseye levels so I think I'll be going back again soon.

Top Hat Follow Up

It turns out that if you do a search on Amazon for top hats you get some pretty interesting results.  Related searches are Black Top Hats, Bowler Hats and Mini Top Hats.  The prices range quite a bit from $2.40 for a white satin top hat up to $75.00 for a Jaxon Victorian top hat.  So this would be another avenue to try when starting on your own hat finding excursion for your steampunk outfit.  This is what the search looked like tonight:



*Please note that I do not own, nor claim ownership of Amazon, Amazon search results nor any of the listed hattery items pictured above.  All implications of such ownership are due primarily to the fevered imagination of the reader(s)

Nothing Like A New Hat

In order to start your steampunk look you have to begin collecting the right items to modify whether they be goggles, weapons or articles of clothing.  I started in earnest with one of the most basic things, a top hat.  This goes in line with what I envision when I think about making a steampunk outfit.  A basic black top hat can be modified with a leather hat band that has gears or some type of metal/mechanical pieces added to give it a sort of petrochanicle look.  I have decided to opt for a modified set of goggles to be worn around my top hat to give it the steampunk look I'm going for.

The best advice I can give anyone who might be trying to make their own outfit for whatever occasion is to try to invest the least money initially as possible.  This is usually easier said than done but trying to stick to thrift stores, yard sales or even postings on Craig's List can help you save a lot of cash that you can better spend on things that may not be able to be found second hand.  Paints and some types of hardware that may be needed to help with your project will normally have to be bought new so I try to save as much as I can on everything else.

I purchased my top hat almost one year ago right after the Halloween season was over with from a specialty store, Spirit, that is only open during that time of year.  My brother and his wife had just moved out of state and their old townhouse was just around the block from the costume store that was having huge markdowns since the season was over with.  The polyester hat that I bought is not necessarily the highest quality head gear you can find but it looks good and I'm not worried much about experimenting with it since I don't have a lot of money tied up in it in the first place.  For right now it is simply a black hat but once I start adding more stuff to it there should be a distinct look achieved.