Scalps Where to get hair for braids?

[Eli Jinn]

What do most people use for the wookie tropies and where did you get it?
I thought about just getting some synthetic hair extensions, but I can't find any that get nearly as long as I need, since I am led to believe the black/brown braid is 44 inches long BRAIDED.

 

[Irongladiator]

Eli Jinn
Which version do you intend on doing? Cause the braids are different from The Empire Strikes Back to Return of the Jedi. I, myself am a Return of the Jedi Boba Fett. According to the 501st's CRL (Costume Reference Library) for Return of the Jedi, the Wookie Braid prop is made from horse hair. This, I think is what most folks use for either version of braid.....
Here is a little snippet from the 501st's CRL on ROTJ Boba Fett...

And here's the snippet from the 501st's CRL on an ESB Boba Fett...

You'll notice that the ESB CRL doesn't make mention of the material to be used for the braid, but again, I think most people still use Horse Hair for it.

During my build this task seems pretty daunting, so I went to a vendor well known here on The Dented Helmet. He goes by the name of woodman . He produces what most refer to on here as thee go to braid. I'd recommend shooting him an PM on here. I have a set of his braids, here is how I received them....

All I needed to do was dust up the pineapple knots a bit, but that was easy to do (I used Vallejo Pigments and brushed them on)

Hope this information helps!


Cheers,
-Iron

 

[Eli Jinn]

I'm building an ESB suit. I've heard that the braids on that costume were synthetic. Does woodman sell both ROTJ and ESB?

 

[Irongladiator]

Hi Eli Jinn ,
Yep, I do believe he does sell both versions.

-Iron

 

[Daltana]

I'm a noob too, only just starting, but the braids are the first bit I've done. ROTJ, so it might be a bit different for you, but the way the wraps are placed, I could easily get two hanks of much shorter horsehair and link them together into what looks like one long braid. I managed to find horsehair from a string instrument supplier on ebay.

As an example, the blonde braid there is four of these: 1 HANK OF REAL HORSE HAIR FOR 4/4 VIOLIN BOW, NATURAL WHITE, UK SELLER!!! | eBay . Two braided together for the loop at the top, then the other two braided together for the free end coming out the other side. Similar with the brown one.

 

[AlphaCloneFett]

I'm building an ESB suit. I've heard that the braids on that costume were synthetic. Does woodman sell both ROTJ and ESB?

just go to any beauty salon and buy synthetic hair, braiding hair is simple, youtube has plenty of tutorials,
woodman is so backed up, it's unknown when he will accept orders again

 

[Eli Jinn]

just go to any beauty salon and buy synthetic hair, braiding hair is simple, youtube has plenty of tutorials,
woodman is so backed up, it's unknown when he will accept orders again

Ok! I really hope he doesn't mind that I already sent him a PM

 

[ShortFuse]

Ok! I really hope he doesn't mind that I already sent him a PM

I doubt it.

 

[JiM]

Go to a costume shop and buy a long blonde/white wig. Use wood stain to color them. Get the cheapo spray bottles from Dollar Tree to spray the stain on them when they are laid out. Wait until they dry (~2 days) and then braid them. For the longer ones, gently glue the ends together with super glue and braid making sure that the glued parts will be at the top or where they are threaded together. Good luck.