Comic Cons and Crawling out of Holes

WTF!!!!!?!?!?!!
Really?!!
Whoa, I actually thought that you had gotten that picture from a game and photoshoped the Metro helmet onto there!!! It looks so Fuc#$&* awesome!! Really really really really really awesome! I can't compete with that

 

That is some major photshoping. The sling that you have for your gun (IDK what it is, looks like an AK-47) is the same kind that I have for a pair of binoculars. The items that I have are, for the most part, all American; but they look really metro-ie. Actually the only foreign object that I have is that gas mask, and that’s from Israel. The only thing that I’m really missing is a pair military pants, so if I were to take an RP picture, I’ll be wearing jeans; which I wouldn’t see why someone from the metro wouldn’t wear a pair of jeans, but for some reason it would feel a bit weird. I even bought myself a Russian watch because I fell in love with Artyom’s in the first game! Unfortunately though, the stem of the watch broke off because I was being clumsy and now I can’t wind it up.

Spoiler

As for your problem with your helmet not fitting correctly, I have the same problem. The gas mask tends to hold the helmet from sliding all the way down to where it's suppose to. What I did to fix the problem was that my helmet, and so should all helmets, comes with a liner and then the actual helmet. I just remove the liner from the helmet an it fits perfectly.

Who knows when I'll take my RP pictures, especially since I don't have the help from someone to take them of me :/. But really good job on your costume.

 

There's a comic con over here where I live, but I've never been.

Thanks. Too bad a watch smith would charge me an arm and a leg to fix it.

 

That's one awesome cosplay... I don't think I can compete with that either. The main problem with mine is that I don't have that much actual military stuff and the money I do have I am currently saving for something else (so far that's only 30 quid anyway hehe). I have some military-esque stuff because they're part of the normal stuff I go out in, but most of it doesn't look very tactical. I guess I could use the excuse of being a loner stalker rather than a Polis ranger. Or maybe a bandit? It might seem a bit lazy, but I think that if I went for the bandit or loner stalker - then even tracksuit trousers seem fitting. :lol: I have no problems with gas masks though, as they're both Warsaw Pact; I have two - one is from the People's Republic of Poland (the MC-1) whilst the other is Czechoslovakian (the M10).

DrDarcy is right about getting stuff from other Eastern Bloc countries. Back then, most of these countries used the same weapons, equipment and gear - and anything that wasn't the same was usually very close to what the other nations had (for example: most former Eastern Bloc countries still make use of their own Kalash derivative in the army). All of this stuff usually looks very similar and is more or less the same quality, but stuff that's directly from Russia usually has a higher price on it - even though there is usually much more of it - simply due to the huge market of Russophiles they can make money off.

 

Yeah, I wouldn't want to put on a WW2 gas mask - a bit too risky. Even the ones from the 60s can have asbestos in them. Both of my gas masks are from the 80s I think. I'm quite sure that the GP-5 gas masks often have asbestos in them (the one Russian thing you can get really cheap because it's probably the most widely produced mask ever). When it comes to more recent gas masks, you should probably be more worried whether the filter that comes with them is expired or not (I remember reading somewhere that all filters expire after 15 years). It's something to do with what happens inside the filter that, if inhaled too much, can basically kill you. hwell: My MC-1 has a filter that's much newer than the mask itself; it's from 1995, but that's a bit too old to be safe. I was thinking of asking someone with the tools to open up the filter, empty its contents and weld it back together so I can finally screw it onto the mask and get the full look.

As for that helmet... yeah, that's ridiculous. The custom-made one looks really nice though. But since I don't have the money or the know-how, I would rather use something like this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Polish-Ar...Collectables_Militaria_LE&hash=item233234ea2a Cheaper and would fit well with a cosplay that doesn't use much woodland camo. Besides, it's Polish so along with my Polish gas mask I could technically cosplay a stalker from Poland. We have a much smaller metro system in Warsaw (the only one in the country), but several of its stations were also built as shelters - so it would be lore-friendly, I guess. If I still lived there I could probably get surplus stuff like this for much cheaper.

 

Don't let the numbers fool you! THEY'RE CURSED, MAN! CURSED!

 

My gas mask should be safe as I have read that it is still in service in Israel. The only thing that concerns me now is possibly having a filter that contains asbestos. Like you said above, the GP-5 gas mask supposedly has asbestos. I looked it up on and found this article about in on wikipedia. Exclude the actual gas mask. What I'm looking at is the filter that they talk about, saying that it is know for that model to carry asbestos. As you can see in the picture, it has some sort of serial number: it has M-5, then bellow a triangle with the letter M in it, then it is followed by 1-83-63. My filter is a bit different though. Mine has M-5, then the serial number: 503-2-86. Could the last two digits represent the year? Model number? should I be concerned or is mine safe? I bought the mask and filter together so I figured that since the mask was okay, so would the filter.

If I was rich and wanted to build up my own armory just in case a zombie invasion, I would buy that expensive helmet. That's a cool looking helmet BTW (the Polish one).

I know that Bamul actually wrote one.

 

Found it: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BULGARIAN...ctables_Militaria_LE&var=&hash=item27d78d57e9 Looks really nice and they're selling it for even less. Good value for money indeed. I will have to consider that one when I actually get to buying more stuff for cosplay.

Yes and no. There is no full novel that take place there yet (though the publishers are looking for someone to write a really good one), but a series of short stories written by Polish fans has been officially released as a book - I think it might actually be free in digital form as a download, though I have not read it yet. I'm not sure if they plan to translate it to other languages, but I'm certain that the publishers are keen on getting a Pole to write a novel set in the universe of Metro 2033.

No idea. Though personally I wouldn't risk it. If you have the money, buy yourself a new filter (one that definitely isn't expired). Or if it's even possible, you could find someone who could empty the contents of the filter you own and put it back together - so it can be used along with the mask itself for cosplay, but without anything actually being inside of it. I'm no expert on filters, but I think that would probably cost less than getting a contemporary filter.

I did write my own book, but it's set in a fictional Russian city - not Poland (but I wrote it in Polish). I haven't tried to give it to the publishers yet as I want my family to read it and see if it's any good first, but they sure are taking their damn time with it. :lol: I actually regret not setting the story in Poland, as that would have made it more unique and gave it more of a chance to actually be published one day since that's closer to what the publishers are looking for.

 

hmmm. I'd imagine you can open the filter with a can open from the side you don't screw onto the mask and remove the insides from there. Then the tin circle that you cut out will more than likely be crimped on the edges; so I would use some stiff piece of metal to pull the tin back to how it originally was and then grab a hammer to try to flatten it back out. Now to put it back on to the filter will be more difficult. I would probably try some really strong construction glue or a sort of cocking to hopefully seal it back into place. If not, then welding will have to do lie you said -or, you can always solder it back together; It'll be safer this way.

I also imagine you can make your own filter since it's supposedly charcoal and some cotton looking stuff.

Well if it ever does end up getting published, I'll buy myself a copy even though it'll be in Polish. just make sure to have the publisher pick a cool cover; and sign it, if you will.

 

Damn, I want a Rys-T so bad but even the replicas are about $550.

 

I've heard that it's actually really hard to get the stuff out from the inside, but perhaps it's not true. Personally I wouldn't try to do the procedure myself in fear of breaking the whole damn thing. Also, I'd have to do it whilst protecting myself from inhaling what's in the filter - that's why I'd rather let someone else do it who has the tools and workplace for such stuff.

I doubt that will ever actually happen, but if it does - then why not. :lol:

 

A bunch of good links for Russian gear:
http://www.soviet-propaganda.com/
http://frontowiec.com/
http://www.theostfront.com/
http://www.varusteleka.fi
http://federalsecurityservices.blogspot.dk/
http://vitiazspec.com/
http://www.profarmy.ru/
http://www.skippersmilitarysupply.c...7F13143E6C82C19FB544F1430F0487F5.qscstrfrnt04
http://www.equipcenter.ru/en/category/takticheskoe-snarjazhenie/
http://www.srvv.org/
http://www.rodastjarnan.com/
http://www.redstar-airsoft.de/
http://www.red-reenactor.fr/epages/204048.sf
http://www.soviet-power.com/ (not too reliable)
http://www.sovietarmystuff.com/ (not too reliable either)
http://www.sovietarmystuff.com/ (not at all recommendable, might take months before they get your stuff in stock, but if you wanna try anyway, go ahead)

Also some real steel links:
http://www.theakforum.net/
http://www.rusmilitary.com/
http://soviet-military.com/
http://www.kalinkaoptics.com/
http://www.eastwave.ca/

 

^I buy my stuff at estate sales; usually, all of it comes from an old veteran who passed away and left their collection of war memorabilia at their home, and their family decides to get rid of it. As creepy as that might sound, I've managed to build up my collection of military stuff by just doing so -and all of which is good quality and well taken care of. I try not to get anything after 1975.

And I forgot to quote you on this.
I've never really been a big fan of the Russian Military apparel for some reason. Something about it, to me, is a bit off. Such as their field jackets. The camouflage on them is too pixelated. As much as I think Russians are cool, I don't think I'll ever grow to lover their uniforms. Though, I don't hate all their uniforms and equipment that goes with it. Just the majority. And if a lot of the Eastern Bloc countries basically carried the same uniform equipment, I have a feeling that I won't like much of it, either. I guess I'm more of a plain olive drab kind of guy.