07-03-2006, 10:09 AM
Quote:Layers of leather glued together will not breathe at all. It doesn't particularly matter how the leather is processed or what glue you use.
We don't glue layers together - the leather is only used as a core, to give a firm base for gluing the linen and to save time and effort in the construction, in much the same way as you suggest using cotton or other fabrics internally, to save money. Remember, we are not aiming for 100% accurate reconstruction, but we do want to get the VISIBLE details right.
This also answers Jason's point about leather not being supported by finds as the material for linothorakes. Mind you, absence of evidence is not evidence of absence, and this applies to the notion of gluing, too.
Even so, I'd be quite happy with a sewn Linothorax, rather than a glued one, if I had the time to make one. Sewing 16 layers of cloth together is damned hard work and very time-consuming. The Hoplite Association has set its standards to achieve a "united front" - we all agree to do things the same way. This extends as far as agreeing to use brass helmets so that the equipment becomes affordable to more people. Gluing the armour brings the construction within the reach of those who are more dangerous with a needle than they are with a dori!
I sometimes think that trying to achieve consistency across a group is unnecessary, but I would draw the line at using fibreglass armour. Others wouldn't.
