Update time!! I have had the shins glassed for a couple of weeks so with a little nudge from a small friend I decided to add a little humor to this build and get it goin.
After I realized my hoof is to big to fit through the shin without major hacking I decided to make a hinged 2 piece setup. I started this by marking a viable split line on either side of the shin then finding a pivot area that would give me the largest opening without comprimising (sp) the look of the piece. With a cut off wheel in my dremel I cut a slot to accept the hinge barrel so it would sit flush, I then mounted a small section of stainless piano hinge and bolted it to the shin on either side of the cut. After I got it all tight and a couple of deep breaths I started cutting along the lines I had marked. After checking to make shure everything cleared and didnt bind I did a test fit to make shure it cleared my knee and rode well on the boot top. Then using large popsicle sticks as a frame I glassed in some latch surfaces to help keep the halves lined up when closed. heres how it looked at that point.
This morning while I was trying to wake up, drink yesterdays leftover coffee, and light a smoke without burning my beard off I heard muffled grunting and cussing coming from my workbench which is unusual even from the deep piles of junk I have collected over the years. "Good lord Private do you ever police this crap into some simblance of order, it looks like a damm cargo vessel ditched in here!!" Now in my early morning stupor I replied without thinking "you try to R&D equipment, build armour, keep the wife a 4 kids out of here and keep it clean, even a spartan would be overwhelmed!!." "well son lets finish this and go frag some covies" then out of the pile of half finished pep work and helmet wiring parts a blue spartan climed up and gave me a crisp salute. "Snap to boy this aint a damm officers lounge lets get these shins started first thing this morning"
(You have to be the most unorganized person I know Private)
(tape up those seams so we dont have to cut em again to wear this thing)
(Your weapon Sir)
(No comments soldier)
(This is more fun than C-7)
(Geit it nice and smooth or we will be sanding for days)
(Poor excuse for a combat knife boy, trim the excess before it sets completly)
(Lets sand those edges clean and retape em before we put filler on the other half)
TO BE CONTINUED.............