Meet Duane Leicht, a Roughriders chainmail specialist
Leicht expanded collection to bow tie, watermelon helmet
When's he not sitting in town council meetings or working for SaskPower, Kipling, Sask. Mayor Duane Leicht is busy looping metal rings together, sometimes 75,000 of them.
"The pattern is based on European-style armour: four in one. Every one ring has four other rings in it. It can get really intricate," he said while on CBC Saskatchewan's The Morning Edition.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders fan's first go at the metal work was his green, #34 George Reed jersey, an item he can be seen wearing to football games. Leicht estimated it weighs 15 pounds.
He first got interested in the craft when his town was having a medieval feast.
"I did some research on Google, and I became interested. I was hooked," he joked.
Leicht said he gets interesting reactions to his metal attire, when football fans meet him. He said the most interesting times are when "no matter what team a person is fan of, they want to touch it. I'm okay... if they ask for permission first. If I'm with my wife, they ask her first."
His newest venture is a chainmail, Riders-themed bow tie and the iconic watermelon helmet.
He was showing off the bow tie on Wednesday morning. He had the helmet too, though it's not yet complete.
He said he aims to have it ready to wear to the Banjo Bowl in Winnipeg, when the Riders play the Blue Bombers.
Aside from his civic duties, It's fair to say Leicht is dedicated to his craft: he spent 600 hours and used 75,000 metal rings constructing the jersey. As of right now, he said he has no plans to sell the jersey, but the other crafts could be up for grabs if he gets a good offer.
"I'll work on these when my wife is driving, or when I'm watching T.V. Or sometimes I'll sip a coffee in the food court and work away at it," he said.
He didn't comment if he has the same patience for the Roughriders to win a game.