How to Wear Samurai Armor, Quick and Easy (Iron Mountain Armory)

[@NiklasKlasen-bf2nj]

Thank you for making this video. I mean the following in the most respectful way I can: The srarachi belt you used as an Obi belongs under the armor. It's padded so the lower edges of the steel don't rub against your hip bones. I learned this the hard way. I understand that you didn't have an Obi but when you take the time and effort to make a video on how to do it, please don't teach people who are looking for help something wrong that will hurt them and make them look like fools in the eyes of people who know their business and might frown upon us westerners for wearing "their" armor. Aside from that, I think you have a beautiful set of armor.

[@uscsjsfshhussusxsh4114]

Imo samurai armor is one of the best looking kinds of armor it gives of confidence

[@Lex_Grin]

I used to think equipment takes longer, thanks, interesting !

[@bushimotter]

I could do it way faster too 🤯

[@Po_goes_brrr]

in movies and documentaries they never capture the amount of noise the armor made lol

[@bushimotter]

For sure, it is pretty noisy. Of course padding and such could be added to reduce nose

[@ormanerik]

I had to do a double-take when I saw a new video , you got some sweet armor brother

[@bushimotter]

Thank you good sir.

[@soundmind2555]

Thank you for making this video. I was considering this particular yoroi. I know you said you didn't have a sash (sarashi obi) Viewers should know that the black yoroi bi (padded belt) that you show actually goes UNDER the armor. The dō (cuirass) rests on it, around your hips. I don't know why the sarashi obi is something you have to order as an accessory.

[@danielrivera181]

If i had one of those, I'd cook breakfast in it

[@DouglasAlexanderRivas]

Dude I'll go out in public with samurai armor on!

[@subashini9155]

If I had one of those armor I would sleep, walk, travel, talk, eat, game and shower with it!

[@erichusayn]

The man is back! Good to see a video from you.

[@erichusayn]

Hammertime!

[@erichusayn]

Hammer time! You dont mind me asking, roughly how much did that entire setup cost?

[@bushimotter]

lol, thank you, hammer time indeed! If I recall correctly, I believe it was around $1400, I think that included shipping. This set was a special sale item though, pricing varies greatly.

[@erichusayn]

@@bushimotter welcome. Good to know. Eventually I hope to get a set.

[@blacksnapper7684]

In my fire fighting training we have this thing called “hit-it” drills, where basically when the chief said “hit it” you had to get into full gear in under two minutes, and I’m sitting here watching this thinking “imagine putting all of that on in under 2 minutes”😅😅😅😅

[@bushimotter]

I could do it if I swapped the ties for Velcro!

[@Moonwynd5]

Hello. The padded yoroi obi is meant to be worn under the do and it acts like a pillow to absorb some of the pressure/weight of the do on your hips which makes it much more comfortable to wear the yoroi if you are going to be in it for longer than just trying it on. Of course you did mention you did not have a regular obi but those are pretty inexpensive and well worth it. Always love Iron Mountain Armory's offerings. Thank you for the video.

[@LuigiCotocea]

I preffer Date Masamune's black lacqured armor more! Looks so cool!

[@ShiKage08]

Cool! Thanks for the video! I just ordered a set of armor from Iron Mountain a month and a half ago and they just started working on it about a week ago. I got my Hakama and Hakamashita yesterday and they're super comfortable. I've watched the old video from you of how to put on the armor and I'm most likely going to use some of your ideas when I get mine, assuming it fits right. I'm really tall (6'7"), so I'll be surprised if they get it to fit me correctly.

[@bushimotter]

If you let them know your hight, I'm am sure they would build it a bit bigger (if you got a custom order in). Most importantly will be the kote. As long as you tie them to the do is some way, all should be good. Let me know if you make a video at some point 😁

[@ShiKage08]

​@@bushimotter I recently received my armor. While I don't think it fits 100% correctly to my size, it does scale pretty decently to my height. The problems I have with it are the Suneate and the Kote. The suneate are a little short, so I have the option of it not coming up to my knees and cupping them entirely, or leaving a good portion of leg showing between the bottom of the suneate to my foot. With the Kote, I'm having the same issue as you -- it slips and the flaps come out over the armor all the time. I haven't tried tying it your way, but I'm still exploring how best to wear it. I noticed that it has two double laces on the top of the shoulder that I haven't quite figured out how those are supposed to be tied. I'm going to try a few different things with those and see what works best. That said, for putting only that I'm 200cm tall and 86kg, they got it to fit me quite well. Here are some images of mine: imgur.com/a/j3wjt34 I also noticed the bow on the back of your armor and the bow on the back of my armor are quite different. The one on the back of Metatron's armor is quite different as well. I was having some issues with the sode moving forward when I bend down, so I'll have to get creative with that as well.

[@sleepingturtle32]

What colors?

[@a-sheepof-christ9027]

Great video. Love to see the full armor worn. Maybe some sword cutting in full armor with suneate too? Many people leave the seemingly minor parts out but they do seem rather important.

[@bushimotter]

Thank you, and I agree the minor parts are quite important. I skipped suneate in other videos because I couldn't get them set right before I received the bakama. Also, I would have shown a great tie method for the kabuto and mempo, but I need a much better tie. Cutting video with the armor is something I could do. I haven't even done a normal cutting session since covid-19 started. Everything has been rather messed up lol.

[@a-sheepof-christ9027]

@@bushimotter I'd go out and cut regardless. A mempo lends itself perfectly well for covering a facemask. Anyway : love to see the armor anytime and maybe showcase your Katanas in a new video, they do look similar in regards to the sori.

[@tntanto2]

The sunate need to be mounted a little higher. This will also prevent them from getting lose.

[@bushimotter]

Thank you, I'll try it out.

[@B.R_stacks]

That suit looks awesome I might buy it self

[@Katana-Karl]

Finally! Been patiently waiting for you to upload some more content. Awsome video. Would love to see you do some cutting with the armor on.

[@bushimotter]

Cutting in the armor, sounds like a few others would like some more of that too. Maybe when it cools down a bit, it's so damn hot right now!

[@Katana-Karl]

@@bushimotter so true. Although here in SW Michigan it's been 70° for a coupla days. Its been real nice. I'm just happy to see you put up another vid. We all really enjoy your channel

[@drakarra]

AWESOME menpo, my dude! This was a really cool improvement compared to your previous video, thanks for the update! I'm looking to make a costume samurai kit, and I'd like it to move and look as authentic as possible; watching your armor's movement and how it's worn is a big help. I've seen quite a few videos of people being dressed in samurai armor and taking a good 20+ minutes, with multiple people, and I was thinking to myself: "There has GOT to be a more efficient way to do this". Thanks for proving that suspicion right! xD If I may ask, what are the plates made of? Is it iron, or something like pvc? Would you also mind sharing how much the kit weighs?

[@bushimotter]

Thank you. The armor is much faster to put on as long as you attach the kote (arms) to the main body piece. This set is made primarily of iron, leather, cotton lace, and a bit of I think brass. I don't recall the exact weight, but I think it's somewhat in the 35-40 lbs range. The iron mountain armory website has much more info, and with it good info for an aspiring costume designer. They have lots of images too.

[@lexidushavenspire2108]

Just got my Iron Mountain armor, Daimyo class, but the neck and menpo seem to interfere. Also, the menpo is heavy and the string digs into my ears... then when I tighten it, the bridge of the metal noseguard digs right between my eyes... am I doing it wrong?

[@bushimotter]

It does not sound like you are doing it wrong, though the mempo string do not necessarily need to be around your ears. Once you have tied the mempo to the kabuto, the ear strings dont do anything. You could remove them altogether if you wish. I would say the mempo/neck are not comfortable at all. I have even heard the samurai may not have even worn those parts in combat, and used the mempo primarily for displaying the kabuto. I do not wear the mempo, but I did purchase nodowa (neck armor) separately. Some modifications could be made. I had to alter a number of little things to get the armor to fit me better. You can bend the nose guard (I did this), or you should be able to completely remove the nose since you have the higher quality armor. It should click right off.

[@jorgeguanche5327]

If you have free time, please check one of the last vídeos of The metatron where he speaks about his armor. Youre love raff 😁

[@deathwish_bigboss]

I recently bought tattsuke bakkama from Iron Mountain Armory but mine are way baggier than yours appears to be, it's so baggy it comes all the way down to right above my ankle area and covers the entirety of the shin wrapping area. I emailed them to ask if this was by design, because the photos on their website make the pants look much less baggier than this- I ordered a small btw.

[@bushimotter]

Hard to tell without seeing them, but the upper part where it's tied should be about naval height, while the bottoms should tie around your shins. If they are way too long, that may be a problem, but you may be able to just tie them higher up on your hips.

[@gabrielgood.gamer9444]

brooo the katana handel to the right side? you do not know the meaning right? but that aside really nice video :)

[@OssBozz_210]

Would you tie a Japanese flat-knot for the Haidate?

[@aayazahmed5389]

Fun fact: Batman's costume is a modified samurai armour.

[@Majima897]

That’s badass. Does it get too hot or is it rather airy?

[@bushimotter]

It gets pretty hot, especially if you are moving around in it a lot. Its really good in the cold though!

[@Artyom_Alekseyevich_2033]

Amazing armor! I have two questions: 1) how much did it cost 2) is it made of metal or plastic? And if its from metal then there is a third question 3) are all of the armors from iron mountain armory made from metal? Even the cheap ones?

[@bushimotter]

Hello, I believe the total cost of the armor at the time without shipping was $1400 USD. This was a special sale item. Shipping can easily reach $350 if I recall. The armor is made of metal, I believe it is Iron, but am not 100% sure. I know the IMA website lists all of the materials used and what gague iron/steel is used. And yes, all of the armor is made of metal unless otherwise stated, even the less expensive "lower class" sets.

[@Artyom_Alekseyevich_2033]

@@bushimotter thank you so much for the info!

[@adventuretiu3629]

Hi, where did you purchase your armor? And is it strong enough to hold up against heavy sparring with wooden sticks?

[@bushimotter]

You could definitely use the armor to protect against sticks, though heavy sticks will damage the armor (maintenance would be required), and the impact could still hurt in some places (arms). The armor sets can be purchased and customized by Iron Mountain Armory: US: shop.samurai-armor.com/ Worldwide: ironmountainarmory.com/

[@sniperimperium9923]

Hey just wondering what all parts should I buy for a full set of samurai armor? I am trying to get a full set and have put in my cart the gashira Takeda set but I don't believe it comes with thigh, shoulder or the arm gaurds, what would you recommend?

[@bushimotter]

The description of the item should tell you exactly what you are getting, also the picture should also show what it comes with, but the Customer Support is very good. IMA would be happy to answer any questions about what specific orders come with. However, the main armor sets usually come with these main parts: Kabuto - Helmet (comes with maedate/crest) Mempo - mask attaches with the kabuto (some come with a detachable nose [hana]) Sode - Upper arm guards (pauldrons) Do - Main chest armor Kusazuri - Plates that hang from the Do (attached) Kote - The full arms Haidate - These are the big plates that cover the thighs/upper legs Suneate - Shin guards and a puffy belt. I dont thing I am missing anything, but one helpful extra piece would be Bakama - pants worn under the armor. These make it much easier and comfortable to wear the Suneate) Also a Yoroi Bitsu, or armor box. The box itself is expensive, but is pretty important for display and transportation. So if the set you are looking for is missing parts, you could order the rest individually. IMA can easilly create the rest of the parts with the same design scheme.

[@sniperimperium9923]

@@bushimotter thanks, I'll try and email them see what they, I only wondered cause they have pretty good customization options and I didn't see any for the sode or kote

[@bushimotter]

@@sniperimperium9923 Definitely ask about custom work, Both kote and sode should be quite customizable, both in color and style!

[@sniperimperium9923]

@@bushimotter While thier wasn't any options in the menu they did actually reply, if I really wanted some custom options I could just let them but it's almost hard to believe they sell all those parts for that good price heh

[@josephbevacqua9217]

Nice video

[@Wafulcopter]

So fucken cool dude 🤙

[@TheCrusader1099]

thanks for the video! i'm really interested in getting one of those for month;) is this gashira class armor? i'm typically wearing size XL, i think they make this only in standard size (gashira) s/m or l/xl...you think it would fit or better go for taisho class with exact fitting? thx from Germany

[@bushimotter]

This is basically a gashira class with a couple minor upgrades. I don't know if the customization differs based on the class, but I am sure iron mountain armory will build the armor to whatever specifications your request (especially body sizing). If you have a little extra money, I would go for the hight class armor, but the gashira class is quite good.

[@MrTakeshi628]

The reason your kote keep slipping is because you aren't tying them to your body correctly. Each side is meant to tie under the armpit opposite the arm you're putting on. I get that you're doing by yourself I just figured id let you know in case you weren't aware

[@bushimotter]

Thank you for that tip, but after tying this in the past as you suggested, the sewing would blow out quite bad. I had to tie to the do to prevent more tearing. I believe the sleeves of the kote were either too short, or they were designed to slip of the shoulder (which I don't like). Also I was unable to freely move my arms when the kote were tied traditionally. I almost modified the kote before I realized I could tie them to the do 😅

[@MrTakeshi628]

@@bushimotter that honestly makes a ton of sense and it probably is a sizing issue because high quality armor like this shouldn't be able to rip like that unless extreme force or strain on the stitching is applied and having stuff be too short can do that.

[@bushimotter]

@@MrTakeshi628 it is likely they were a bit too short for me, I bought this set as a sale item that was not built for me and I am a bit taller than their average sizings. Fortunately minor alterations have made this set fit me way better. /bow

[@MrTakeshi628]

@@bushimotter how does one go about getting a set of armor completely tailor made to their size?

[@bushimotter]

@@MrTakeshi628 I believe you can enter your specific sizing during the ordering process (arm length, height, body girth and what not). Also, anyone can send an email directly to the Iron Mountain Armory retailers, I can pretty much guarantee they will gladly help with sizing concerns, specific customization, special painting, and personalized modifications. Basically, they will build the armor specifically to your requirements if you request it.

[@zalop.]

i have heard a lot of bad things about IMA like it won't look like in the pictures

[@bushimotter]

I have not heard that myself. I know a number of people who have had no issues with their own orders. I would check out a few of the video reviews on IMA. Myself, Metatron, Samurai James and a couple others have posted pretty good review videos, what we experienced with our orders is probably typical.

[@AXAH78]

beauty

[@yakopopsagabey3170]

Can you get shogun armor?

[@bushimotter]

Reproductions, yes. Check out their site, the variety is pretty good and orders can be customized as much as you want.

[@yakopopsagabey3170]

@@bushimotter black armor with red cloak

[@carn-evil_1315]

Is your armore tempered?

[@bushimotter]

Apparently the armor is made of steel, a direct quote from the IMA store: "We use 18 gauge cold rolled steel plating for the key parts of the armor and a 20 gauge cold rolled steel for the menpo (mask)." The metal is hard, The only thing I would add if I were "going into battle" would be mail underneath for extra protection.

[@unknownsoldier399]

wow❗️💯 that's one awesome armour brand❗️💯👍🙏⛩️🐉⛩️

[@migzahoy]

will it fit really skinny people like asian skinny build i want to purchase mine but afraid it would be took big for my skinny body type

[@bushimotter]

That shouldn't be too much a problem. First, upon ordering, one can give their body dimensions and have the armor designed to fit their body. Also, the puffy belt I wore in this video can be tied around the waist under the armor. This creates some girth for the armor to sit on, helps with sizing issues.

[@bayururonnin]

Nicr armor

[@xavierabowers3800]

I have 2 questions; one is this the $999 armor on the website. Then two is this armor battle ready?

[@bushimotter]

The armor from Iron Mountain Armory is considered battle ready, and would perform similarly to period armor. If you buy a set from IMA, I suggest getting the middle level class armor as it comes with better padding and such. But if you plan on using it, maintenance will be required. As to the price, no this was a special at the time. Unless you are referring to a special, at that price it is probably a low class gear, which is fine too. My other armor video has a bunch of info in the description about my specific armor if you would like to know more about this specific set.

[@almorarask2532]

Just to chim in here about it, I have a suit of mid level armor from them and it is effective in fighting but you will need padding. Like a gamberson or such if you aim to spar with blunt steel. Also will need more protective gauntlets. For light sparring say with wood if you trust your partner then its good. That said though iv sparred heavy with wood for example and felt nothing when iv been hit at full strength. aside from when i got hit along the chainmail. That you will feel without the extra padding but its meant to stop a cut not impact.

[@bushimotter]

@@almorarask2532 I fully agree, if someone plans on actually using these for sparing and such, padding would is recommend. Also, if this were to be used in actual combat, a whole bunch of other auxiliary armor pieces would be highly recommended.

[@govindrao6978]

I think it was better to wear a morphsuit inside which also covers you eyes😂😀

[@harryh4rp4n31]

May i ask how tall you are? i'm around 180cm so i don't know if i should ask for anything specific when ordering armour, like longer kote or suneate

[@bushimotter]

You are almost exactly as tall as I am, you will probably be just in the best range.

[@bushimotter]

For kote, if you tie them directly to the Do, it will be fine. They are a little short if you intend to tie them traditionally. I would ask for the fabric around the shoulders to be a bit longer on the kote possibly. They will be happy to answer questions directly too, so their answer will be a bit better than my own.

[@harryh4rp4n31]

@@bushimotter Thank you for the fast reply! i will review the armour once i recieve it

[@zalop.]

how much did it cost?

[@bushimotter]

I think it was around $1400 at the time, as a special sale item.

[@_joosama]

Stealth: 0

[@bushimotter]

So true, can't sneak around with this! 🌑

[@tahayazc8275]

can you gift me this armor mr. bushi

[@bushimotter]

I wish i could, but then I would be armorless!

[@warpedbrownlee1091]

satanic!