Leather armour scales

[UKRay]

I'm thinking about cutting and selling a range of natural leather 'armour scales' for making LARP and re-enactment style armour and wondered if anyone had any experience of making these? Do they all need to be the same size and shape or would it be best to make a range of sizes with a common shape - or maybe a range of sizes and shapes? Is there a shape that is better than any other?

Any help or suggestions gratefully received.

Ray

[RuehlLeatherWorks]

I'm thinking what you are wanting to make is called Lamellar Scales. There are many, many types depending upon the region and time period you are working with.

http://www.armourarchive.org/patterns/lamellar_templarbob/

This is one basic style of scale used for the SCA. There's an article out there that shows the different shapes and lacing styles of lamellar around the world but I've misplaced it. If I'm able to recover it, I'll post it here.

[yan]

As for shape I've seen feather shape, leaf shape, square, rectangular , etc

The most popular i've seen is square on one side and round on the other.

On one armor I've always seen the same size being used.

Witch market do you aim for

for LARP the fancier the shape, the better

for re-enactement the article "linked " by RuehlLeatherWorks seem logical.

[RuehlLeatherWorks]

http://www.daviddfriedman.com/Medieval/mis...I_Pfct_Armr.pdf

Here's the link. It begins on PDF page 5 of the article. The wax hardening stuff is dated, and the author has since refined the process to include water-hardening, but the lamellar scales are all here.

[hivemind]

FYI Ray: http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/search/..._4&kw=armor

[troy]

FYI Ray: http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/search/..._4&kw=armor

Cheers for that link hivemind, I've just emailed roy at tandy in UK to see when they might get them - of course doing a quick count from the article leatherworks gave, I may need about 10 - 15 sets for chest armour but after my experiance with sole leather, it beats cutting it your self.

[Vikti]

FYI Ray: http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/search/..._4&kw=armor

Most re-enactors down here in Texas won't buy these for the price. 25 pieces doesn't cover a lot. I think for me (at 6ft, 225lbs.) it would take somewhere in the neighborhood of 9 packs. Once laced together it takes about 11 pieces to make a 1 ft. strip. It would be more time consuming but I think it would work out better in the long run to make the pieces yourself.

Damon

[hivemind]

Yeah I'm with Damon. I wouldn't buy those either at that price. I'd consider it if they were already dyed and hardened and had nice finished edges, but for raw leather (particularly of that simple shape) I'd do it myself. I think I'd cut out all the scales, then clamp them in big stacks and use a drill press for the holes and do ten at once.

But, hey, there's the link.

[yan]

I am with hivemind, I would'nt buy basic shape at that price.

Since you can get a custom finish armor (dyed, treathed, assembled) for lest then the price...

[Suze]

And our little corner of the "Known World" (SCA) is going in for plastic scales right now

Cool color combos are possiable.....

[Barristan]

Hiya,

I recently got a price from a blacksmith to make a punch for cutting scales quickly and uniformly. It came in at £70 +VAT.

Might be a cheaper way to get hold of a load of scales easily if you have the money up front. You may even be able to use it to make some cash yourself?

Good luck :D

[Dmitri]

I play SCA as well.

I am having a fabricating friend of mine look at building my a scale punch as well.

I am hoping for atleast 10 in a shot.

Jig and drill press for the holes is a need.

I kind of like the idea of the plastic scale Suze. Our local group is working hard to get away from the pickle Barrel but scales would be neat.

Purchasing is way too cost prohibitive for me and I HATE lacing....lol

Cutting yourself although time consuming would be your better bet for the money.

[Charke]

I just made a suit of leather scale-mail. While it was not hard, it was a heck of a lot of work. The scales are diamond shaped. Each side is about 2 inches so they are about 3 inches long. I ended up needing 250 just to cover the front and back. Each needed 2 rivets, so I had to punch 500 holes and put in 500 rivets. The cost of the project shifted from leather to rivets. The leather came free and I was asked to make "anything" out of it. They had some 8oz and some 4oz. I suggested it would make good scalemail. I boiled the scales a fairly long time to make them fairly hard. Scalemail is very forgiving because of the soft backing. Your scales could be steal and on a soft leather backing the suit remains very flexible. The overlaping scales create an intresting bit of a spring-board effect. I'll grab a picture for you although, you've probably done your project by now.

Mark Charke