11-30-2012, 03:21 AM
Anything approaching thirty layers would be worn by itself. Anything layered with other armour would be a lot lighter. Six to twelve layers would be more typical for an additional outer layer (worn over mail or a brigandine) and even less layers were used for under-armours like a subarmalis.
Sir John Howard's text tells how one standalone quilted jack was made: Each front quarter was made of 18 folds of white fustian*, 4 folds of linen, and covered with a fold of black fustian (23 layers). Each back quarter was made with 16 folds of fustian, 4 folds of linen, and covered with a fold of black fustian (21 layers). The sleeves were lighter so that they remained flexible, being made of 6 folds of fustian, 2 folds of linen cloth, and covered with a layer of black fustian (9 layers).
* Fustian is made by weaving linen and cotton together - linen ran one way (weft) and cotton ran the other (warp).
Sir John Howard's text tells how one standalone quilted jack was made: Each front quarter was made of 18 folds of white fustian*, 4 folds of linen, and covered with a fold of black fustian (23 layers). Each back quarter was made with 16 folds of fustian, 4 folds of linen, and covered with a fold of black fustian (21 layers). The sleeves were lighter so that they remained flexible, being made of 6 folds of fustian, 2 folds of linen cloth, and covered with a layer of black fustian (9 layers).
* Fustian is made by weaving linen and cotton together - linen ran one way (weft) and cotton ran the other (warp).
Author: Bronze Age Military Equipment, Pen & Sword Books
