Strong, breathable backing for scalemail?

[Vendrad]

I'm planning on making some late period kievan scalemail. I'm looking for suggestions on whät would be a good backing material. I do have more than enough leather but I'm looking for something that might be a little lighter but will breath a little better. Thinking that last thing I want at Pennsic is armor that has no airflow, but also will be able to hold plates without tearing. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks.

Vend

[Cian Shay]

If you are willing to sew on the scales vice riveting, I would suggest canvas. Personally, though, I think most scale armor benefits from a leather backing material, at least 4 ounce. It looks better, lasts longer, etc. The way you cut the armor helps decide what kind of air flow you will have in the final product as much as the backing material does.

[Dan Howard]

Linen was used traditionally. It is strong, it breathes, and it wicks away sweat. If you want it to be stronger then add more layers. Tut's armour, for example, had six layers of linen (64 threads per inch)

[woodwose]

Dan, would this be like a canvas weight linen, or the thinner stuff that is more like regular cloth?

Also, Vendrad, I'm not sure what kind of leather you have, but don't underestimate the breathability of leather - especially thinner stuff like goat, deer, pig, etc... I have joined hosen that are lined with goat to mid way down my thigh. I've worn them fencing and fighting in 90(F)+ degree heat and taken them off to find they are completely dry inside... and it's not that I wasn't sweating, they just breath that well. Like skin, leather is full of lots of pores that help it breath (effectiveness probably dependent on method of tanning, type of hide, thickness, etc.).

[Konstantin the Red]

Listen to Woodwose, he knows.

Welcome and well come to the Archive, Vendrad.

Scale is scale, mail is mail; they work very differently and I wouldn't make a compound word of the two. Not around here, anyway; they're allergic to such usages.

Heavyweight linen is guaranteed to ride cool, and to wick. At worst, it makes a fine undershirt for under-armor wear. Double- or triple-thick heavy linen backing sewn-on scales will stand up well and ride about as cool as armor can, even for a sweatlodge environment like Pennsic.

So, how big a scale coat? And late Kievan is -- 15th century? or 16th? Heavy Turkic influence by then anyway.

[Konstantin the Red]

A project in leather scales -- is this relevant?

[Dan Howard]

Dan, would this be like a canvas weight linen, or the thinner stuff that is more like regular cloth?

Just regular cloth. According to Hulitt, Tut's armour had a backing consisting of six layers of linen (64 threads per inch) plus an inner layer of fine leather (probably goat skin).

I tried to copy it using six layers of tablecloth linen (80 threads per inch) and attached it as a liner to several types of mail. It was very comfortable and provided more than enough padding. I asked a friend to stab me with a staff and hit me with a couple of blunt swords and I could feel the hits but there was no bruising - just temporary red welts.

[Ernst]

The Roman scale fragment from Carpow, Scotland still attached to linen twill backing, 6-holes per scale.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/2341710/Carpow-Roman-Fort

The scales are laid out in rows and are fastened together with pieces of bronze wire which went
through the holes on the sides and are then bent over towards the back. Each row was then
stitched through the top holes through a tough backing cloth to a string running the length of the
row.