The Armour Archive

I recently purchased 500 Stainless steel plates from Polar Bear forge. Jamie recommended I go to http://www.vtarmynavy.com/parachute_cord.htm for the 550 cord to lace it up. ‘cept I have a problem… there are too many damn color options! My device is a variation of Black, White, and Green and I was planning to use black leather to edge the harness and do the straps.

Bottom line, what color do you or would you use?

Black. It's what I use.

-Ivan

Green. You have black, white (metal), and green is your other color, so, yeah...

Since there isn't any evidence of heraldic lacing on lamellar, the correct (if boring) answer is black or brown.

Are you going for an authentic period look or an SCA look? If authenticity is your preference, skip the cord all together and use leather. If you are set on cord I'd go with brown. If you want the SCA look, choose a color.

G

Greenshield you are correct on the leather, but I'm going for low maintenance.

I'm torn between black, brown, and green for the same reasons you all mentioned.

GAAAH, color and style are not my thing!

you are going to have a constant relacing battle with any lamellar kit. It's just part of what having that kind of armor means.

hrolf wrote:you are going to have a constant relacing battle with any lamellar kit. It's just part of what having that kind of armor means.

I agree with this.

Dosen't mean we can't do things to minimize it

That being said I am still strongly leaning towards leather cord for the next set.

Ogedei

Lamella will have a certain amount of upkeep.

I lace used for my first set was macrame cording. It held up quite well with a little repair needed in some spost (I sacrificed some modern laces from my shoes to repair in field damage).

I bought some of the Blue chord from Vt army Navy to re-lace mine last year. Haven't used it since I've moved further forward to early 14th. Matty D recommends removing the white inner strands from the paracord. I've decided since it isn't my primary armour, I will probably go with brown leather.

If it's your primary kit, I'd go wih brown or black paracord, or leather. Just know that you will need regular maintenance, and be ready for it.

Rudolph wrote:Matty D recommends removing the white inner strands from the paracord.

Yup!
Greatly increases cord life.

I got a side of a nice oiled leather and stripped it into 6mm wide strips and laced my lam together with that. Going on 2 years with ths set I have only broken 1 lace and it doesnt look like parachute cord like my last set.

Cassius the Rabbit wrote:I got a side of a nice oiled leather and stripped it into 6mm wide strips and laced my lam together with that. Going on 2 years with ths set I have only broken 1 lace and it doesnt look like parachute cord like my last set.

And just so we have an idea of useage. How often are you in that lamellar over the 2 year period?

Jakob Hildetand wrote:
I'm torn between black, brown, and green for the same reasons you all mentioned.

x

Use black. Brown and Green will look like brown and green paracord. The black will "fade" into the background more.

Do other things to create a heraldic display.