The
Rhino is my fourth gas mask. The first one—simply called
Gas Mask—was the first steampunk item I ever made. Since making other styles I now refer to this design as
No. 43.
Pictured above is a No. 43 showing the straps, with the buckles attached to the mask surround and the straps made up of four pieces of leather, riveted (or sewn) together. My second gas mask was
Pachydermos, which combined elements of No. 43 and the canisters of my first respirator, the
Bad Air Transmutator. It kept the same straps as used in No. 43.
My third gas mask was part of the
Sentinel ensemble, shown above. The straps were once again similar to the first two, with slight design modifications.
For the
Rhino gas mask I've decided to make two major changes in regards to the straps. First of all I have streamlined the pattern into just two pieces, seen below.
And secondly, I've reversed the buckles and straps from the previous versions. On the Rhino, the free strap ends will be pointing
away from the face.
I've made a simple one inch wide band and temporarily attach it to the mask to see how the beak will sit on the face.
That will basically work, but I need a nicer way to attach it, and I need a strap running over the head (front to back) to keep the beak cantilevered and off of the chin. Here I've added tabs to the leather mask to accomplish both things.
I've decided to make this mask white (a classical plague doctor mask color), and so I paint it with acrylic latex paint. I also finish the eye and beak hardware and attach them to the mask.
And here it is with my first attempt at the straps. I think that they are too busy, and so will simplify them before moving on. The challenge is to have it be adjustable, both circumferentially around the head, and over the top of the head.
