Seeking advice on light, stiff leather

Tibbie Croser · Post by **Tibbie Croser** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 2:04 pm

I want to make female chest protection for SCA fencing out of leather. I'm looking for the best combination of lightness, thinness, and stiffness in the leather. Would something like 3-to-4-ounce tooling shoulders be a good choice?

I'd like to use the same type of leather, whatever it is, for plates for a jack of plates or brigandine for SCA rapier/cut and thrust. Also perhaps for sword scabbards.

Thanks for any advice.

InsaneIrish · Post by **InsaneIrish** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 3:20 pm

If you plan on water hardening it you will need minimum 6oz. And that is pretty thin. If you plan on dishing/molding it you will need thicker than that.

Oswyn_de_Wulferton · Post by **Oswyn_de_Wulferton** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 3:21 pm

For any degree of stiffness, I would advise 8-10oz leather. 3-4oz leather is fairly puncture resistant, but gives very easily, even if hardened (which would be difficult).

Tibbie Croser · Post by **Tibbie Croser** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 4:02 pm

I probably won't be hardening it in any way. Perhaps wet-forming it. I found some leather placemats at a thrift store which I estimate to be about 6-ounce leather. They're stiffer than garment leather but still flexible. About as stiff as a belt, a workboot, or a leather coaster. I'd like to find similar leather. This is for SCA rapier fighting, not heavy fighting, and it's not for any of the areas that require rigid armor, like a gorget.

Six or eight ounces sounds good for a single layer. If I were to layer the pieces, I'd want thinner leather, so that I could still feel blows through two or three layers of small overlapping plates. This would be worn in conjunction with a heavy canvas doublet.

Would I be better off with tooling leather or with latigo?

Oswyn_de_Wulferton · Post by **Oswyn_de_Wulferton** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 4:22 pm

What are you trying to do? My fiancee fences, and I was essentially thinking of preventing someone from "gakking" you in the chest. You would be able to feel things through 6-10oz leather, but still have protection.

Russ Mitchell · Post by **Russ Mitchell** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 7:56 pm

If you're not going to harden it, get hot-stuffed latigo in the thickness you want. Specify that you want it in a firm temper. It'll soften over time as it's abused, but it's your best bet until then.

Tibbie Croser · Post by **Tibbie Croser** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 10:22 pm

I was in error. I checked the 6-ounce leather placemats that I was thinking of using, and they're softer than I want for chest protection, although they'd be good for a stout jerkin. Yes, I would need the heavier leather, as suggested, to get the firmness I want. I already have some heavy saddle skirting. I think I can use that unhardened and get the "gack" resistance I want for my squishy female bits while still being able to feel blows.

I'd like eventually to do a brigandine or jack of plates for rapier, with layered unhardened leather plates instead of metal. The six- to 10-ounce leather might be good for that. How good is the Brettuns Village heavy cowhide scrap or Tandy tooling shoulders for that kind of application?

Oswyn_de_Wulferton · Post by **Oswyn_de_Wulferton** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 10:28 pm

The other thing you might want to look at is plastic circular thingys. Look like mini sleds. They make them for women who want a bit more in certain areas. My fiancee uses them, and apparently doesnt have too much of an issue.

losthelm · Post by **losthelm** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 10:48 pm

drop a note to Torvaldr about some leather scrap.
Last time aroud it was about 2$ per lbs plus shipping.
great stuff for a brigandine.
treat them with acrylic floor wax once you have all of the holes punched to seal out moisture.
If you have a pattern I can cut them for you, seal them and ship them out.

Diglach Mac Cein · Post by **Diglach Mac Cein** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 1:44 pm

Depends on home much "feel" you want ot have vs. protection.

I would be surprised if the placemats were 6 oz. - that's thick for a placemat. If it it the same thickness as a modern leather belt, you're closer to 4 oz. You could double them up in the critical areas. Harden them and lace "plates" to your under tunic/gambeson.

An option would be to line the softer leather with rawhide. Could help in the shaping, and stiffen it some.

Tibbie Croser · Post by **Tibbie Croser** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:35 am

I had another idea this weekend. I think I'll make an extra-long linen partlet with inner pockets for pieces of stiff leather over the chest. I can wear it over my shirt and under a doublet or jerkin. With multiple layers of linen in it, I could also use it as rapier armor in conjunction with a low-necked early-16th-century doublet or gown. I might even attach it to my coif-hood.