Fw: [Groop]__Ruben's Groo Costume and Hello!

[Ruben A]

Yeah, the Blue Tape took quite a while to do.  Mainly because I had to 
source out a used BETA(!!) tape, open it up and remove the interior 
junk, re-assemble it, drill the proper holes, paint it the correct tone 
of blue, and string the brown cord through it.  I tried to make the 
sword rigging as authentic to Sergio's drawings as possible, however in 
my research I found that he drew the rigging a couple of different ways, 
so I had to pick the most common.  Also, for the added touch of 
authenticity (?), the hinged door on the BETA tape actually still works 
and springs shut.  

I also had to locate and custom paint the gauntlets.  The leather pouch 
was hand made.  All gold parts were custom painted with real gold paint 
(including dissasembling the sword handles).  The skull netsuke was cut 
from a rubber skelaton body and repainted.  I searched high and low for 
the nose, and happened to find it attached to a pair of Groucho-type 
glasses.  

Oh, and I had to wear some tight underwear under the tunic....  It is 
shorter than you think.....

Old-timer Ruben.