[MR] Fwd: Re: [rapier_in_SCA] Buff coat trials

[David Chessler]

------ Original Message ------
Received: Mon, 20 Apr 2009 12:37:37 AM EDT
From: Erasmus MacBain <razness at yahoo.com>
To: rapier_in_SCA at yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [rapier_in_SCA] Buff coat trials

I fight in a buff coat I made from a pattern (1640s) I got from a (now out of
print) book from the Royal Armory at Leeds specifically on buff coats for
fencing in the SCA. I used 4oz leather (chrome-tan as that is all I could
afford at the time) and have been fighting in it for at least 5 years and it
has never even hitnted at failing a punch test. Nubuck leather is about the
closest thing I've found on the regular
leather market today if you want to make your own and it even comes in
that safron yellow (work boot) color that is appropriate.
I've seen many of the buff coats in the collection at the Armory at Leeds and
3-4mm thick material seems about right. My understanding from the interpreters
that that time was that they used buffed Ox hyde in period and still do at the
armory on the reproductions they make.  It's been 6 or so years since I was
there, but that is my recollection. You really do need a thick leather to get
the standing seams to look correct. Thinner leathers make for thin seems. The
seams on the extent coats at the armory I recall being almost 8-10mm thick
(depending on the coat) and standing about 4mm high off the body of the coat.
The seams on my coat are only about 6mm wide, but do stand around 3mm off the
body.
I did an A&S documentation on the coat back when I made it back i the day if
anyone wants a copy, just e-mail me off list and I'll repost it somewhere.
-Raz




________________________________
From: David Chessler <chessler at usa.net>
To: atlantia at atlantia.sca.org
Cc: rapier_in_SCA at yahoogroups.com; sca-rapier at ansteorra.org
Sent: Sunday, April 19, 2009 6:17:06 PM
Subject: [rapier_in_SCA] Buff coat trials





The SCA considers 2 mm (4 oz) leather "puncture
resistant."  Information on commercially available buff coats
indicates that they are made of 3.5 to 4 mm. leather, which one British
seller says is the thickest made. (Tandy sells 4-5 mm)  I have seen
one indication that, in period, buff coats were made of 1/8 inch (3 mm)
suede.

My shop apron is made of 1.56 mm suede, of no especially good quality.
(It was a cheap one). I put it in my drop tester. It passed two drops
with barely a scuff mark.  



--

YIS

Davitt il Bigollo da Pisa
Erudit de l'Academie de Espee de Atlantia
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