Steam Punk Corset Busk

Making the busk started with a search for metal mesh. First I went to Home Depot but they only had large mesh hardware cloth that came in pieces 3 feet by 12 or something like that. Headed next to Lowe's. It took a bit of explaining about how I was looking for metal mesh, preferably steel. A Lowes sales clerk with tattoos and piercings helped me out. We found galvanized Kwikmesh in rolls in 6" by 25' rolls. I only need two little pieces but bought the whole roll. Then the fellow asked me what I was making. Turns out he also writes science fiction and we discussed the relationship between steam punk and goth. Pretty funny I don't look like the sort of person who would know about goth.
With the mesh home, I traced the cardboard busk onto the mesh and cut it out with tin snips leaving 1/4" 'seam allowance.'
Here I have half the busk clamped ready to bend the edge under. Actually I had to use larger clamps. These two kept slipping.

Here are the two halves of the busk with the edges turned under.

I've bent 16 gauge galvanized utility wire into the hooks. On the right is my layout drawing. Sorry I didn’t take pictures while bending. It become awkward to put down pliers and take off gloves to operate a camera.

Attaching hooks to busk with what I think is silver wire. I bought the wire at Black Elk Leather. It's for jewelry, and the wire has tarnish on it that looks like silver tarnish. On the right is my gloves. I started off not using them and got a blister on my hand.


I coiled then ends of the silver wire and attached the ends down with brass wire and coiled those ends in turn. Sorry didn't take pictures during this process. Too hard to put down gloves and pliers. Here is a detail of the finished busk.