An Overview of Leather Armour
- E.MacKermak
- Amrod Rhandir
- Posts: 512
- Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2009 1:01 am
- Location: Lugoff, SC
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Re: An Overview of Leather Armour
I have used several methods for making cuir boilli armor for SCA and it provides pretty good protection from blunt force. I have yet to try it on a test cut with a sharp sword, but I suspect it would do well. The leather I use is 11 oz (11/64 in thick) or better veg tanned. Chrome tanned and soft leathers will not harden as far as I have been able to research. Rawhide of the same thickness would be really good but it is hard to find. My best results have been soaking the leather in a solution of 10 parts water to 1 part Titebond III wood glue until the bubbles stop, then placing it in an oven at 170-180 degrees for a couple of hours, taking it out occasionally to check the shape if it is not on a form.
Still round the corner there may wait a new road or a secret gate and though I oft have passed them by a day will come at last when I shall take the hidden paths that run west of the moon, east of the sun.