RomanArmyTalk

Anybody have a favorite stateside source?

Many upholstery warehouses stock cotton duck canvas... check your YELLOW pages... also, check places that sell material for awnings, sails, etc....

Or visit the topic:
www.romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic.php?t=4662

Hibernicus: No, cotton would be EASY to find. It's heavy-weight linen that I'm curious about.

Andreas: While I do dream that I'll have some Cezary-grade garments in the future, what I'm looking for now is backing for a squamata. I'd hate to waste such precious stuff on something that'll never be seen!

There will be no problem to find fabric linen in Poland in good - low price. But I could tell you something more tomorrow evening

You are too kind! But I'm afraid the shipping to the US would make the whole thing not worthwhile.

Of course, if you want it now (by DHL for instance) but not by surface mail, however it takes time unfortunately. Though I think that it is worth checking, because Polish linen is a good quality fabric and you can choose what you need.

Fair enough!

LINEN canvas.. doh!!

Check artist supply stores such as
.. Artist and Craftsman Supply
http://artistcraftsman.com

http://www.fabrics-store.com best place state side that i know

Art supply stores... yes. Go to a real art supply store, not a chain hobby store.

There is a flax linen made in different weights that is a pale brown color. It is used by painters who wish to duplicate the old master's look. Or for to make out-and-out forgeries, for all I know.

If you need to paint or harden the surface for whatever reason, like for a linothorax... The well stocked art supply store will also have rabbit skin glue for treating the surface, and a lead based white wash. This last is sold in a can only because it is highly toxic. I did post all this on the Linothorax thread a bit back.

The rabbit skin glue is authentic in that it has been around for a long time. So is the lead white wash but you probably want to skip that little detail of authenticity. The store staff in real art supply stores are fairly knowledgeable, mostly being artists on the "to be discovered " list and if you explain what you want to do with the linen, they may not understand anything pre-Pollock, and could care less, but they can make very helpful suggestions.

Gaius Decius Aquilius
(Ralph Izard)
still waiting to be discovered

Quote:There is a flax linen made in different weights that is a pale brown color.

I thought linen was made from flax. Are there more kinds of linen?

Btw, I use hemp canvas for my squamata.

Why not use hemp? Its mold resistant, and by far much more durable than linen. https://www.hemptraders.com/

Quote:

Gaius Decius Aquilius:255qp9d9 Wrote:There is a flax linen made in different weights that is a pale brown color.

I thought linen was made from flax. Are there more kinds of linen?

There is "linen" made from cotton called linen. Fine weave with high tensile strength, often mixed with polyester. Linen can be a catch all phrase meaning anything to do with table ware or the bedroom. There is a rough cotton linen with an uneven weave called "Onasberg" or something like that. It is used for lining drapes and in some furnature. Cheap and good for undergarments or lining that itchy wool tunic. Also good for layering between the flax linen for that padded look. You can get this at the Hobby Hell chain store chains. Or rip it out of your Aunt Trudy's drapes for free.

Ralph

Quote:If you need to paint or harden the surface for whatever reason, like for a linothorax... The well stocked art supply store will also have rabbit skin glue for treating the surface, and a lead based white wash. This last is sold in a can only because it is highly toxic. I did post all this on the Linothorax thread a bit back.

There is no evidence to suggest that the linothorax was hardened with glue or anyting else. In fact the slim documentary evidence we have suggests that glue was NOT used. Most likely it was made of multiple layers of light linen quilted together. Jason Hoffman has done the most detailed research on this subject. IMO you don't want heavy canvass at all. Better off finding the fine flax linen used today for things like tablecloths and quilting 12-20 layers together (depending on the weight of the cloth). This would not only be suitable for cloth armour such as a linothorax but would also be authentic as a backing for scale armour (at least in the Aegean and Near East).