[MR] [RN] Buff coat trials

[David Chessler]

------ Original Message ------
Received: Mon, 20 Apr 2009 01:12:49 AM EDT
From: James Crouchet <james at crouchet.com>
To: RapierNet - Fencing in the SCA <sca-rapier at lists.ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [RN] Buff coat trials

> Well, I have never seen a buff coat in a museum made of suede. Instead
> they were made of rather substantial top grain leather, typically
> oiled ox skin.

Ox skin is documented. I thought that the "suede" refered to the skin being
used smooth side in. A lot of boots used to be made that way for scuff
resistance (to protect the hair side, which is the strongest side).


The idea, after all, was to turn glancing musket balls,
> pike thrusts and sword strokes, though they would not, of course, stop
> a direct shot or thrust.
> 
> An accurately made buff coat would far exceed our standards for
> puncture resistance. The stuff being sold as re-production -- who
> knows? But if it passes the punch test then it is good enough. Be
> aware that leather is much less stout when wet so that may be
> something to consider if you tend to sweat out your armor. Also,
> leather it is not exactly cool and comfy so it may not make great
> summer armor.
> 
> BTW, if you got your information from a wikipedia article, I'll say
> that article has some significant flaws.

I got some information from Wikipedia, but most of it from a variety of museum
websites.
> 
> Buff leather protective gear for soldiers is certainly period but I
> suspect most of the buff coats for sale out there would have styling
> more appropriate for the English Civil War period rather than the
> Elizabethan and Tudor periods.
> 
> Christian Doré

Indeed, the reason I posted my original query was that I wasn't finding
anything on elizabethan websites. It turns out that most of the documentation
is for the Civil War period, and even later. The coats were apparently fashion
statements, and in use into the 18th C. 

> 
> 
> On Sun, Apr 19, 2009 at 8:17 PM, David Chessler <chessler at usa.net> wrote:
> > 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
> > Storvik (rapier)
> > Roxbury Mill (other things)
> >
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