11-29-2012, 09:09 PM
Markus,
Sorry I'm coming a bit late to this, but I wanted to tell you just how very nice your armor turned out. You've done a terrific job and made some very thoughtful decisions as to details. I think your decision on the side closure was well done.
I had a few thoughts that I wonder if you could address. On the right side of the armor you made an opening as opposed to just having an opening on the left (shield covered) side. Was this because it would have been impossible to wiggle into? Was it for symmetry? I ask because its an issue I will be grappling with in the not too distant future. It strikes me that having a solid right side would be preferable in terms of protection. Regarding the edge binding, there has been some discussion in this thread about the use of rawhide. I have been looking at the surviving examples from Dura on the Yale Museum website and have noticed that the thonging surviving on iron scales seems to be dark color tanned leather, while that thonging on bronze scales tends to be light colored. I wondered if instead of rawhide it might actually be tawed leather or oil tanned (buff) leather. The former method would result in white leather and the latter in cream colored. Either method would result in a soft, pliable thong which would be I think easier to thread through the holes in the edging.
Again, you've done a great job! Thanks so much for sharing it with us.
Best,
Lucianus
Sorry I'm coming a bit late to this, but I wanted to tell you just how very nice your armor turned out. You've done a terrific job and made some very thoughtful decisions as to details. I think your decision on the side closure was well done.
I had a few thoughts that I wonder if you could address. On the right side of the armor you made an opening as opposed to just having an opening on the left (shield covered) side. Was this because it would have been impossible to wiggle into? Was it for symmetry? I ask because its an issue I will be grappling with in the not too distant future. It strikes me that having a solid right side would be preferable in terms of protection. Regarding the edge binding, there has been some discussion in this thread about the use of rawhide. I have been looking at the surviving examples from Dura on the Yale Museum website and have noticed that the thonging surviving on iron scales seems to be dark color tanned leather, while that thonging on bronze scales tends to be light colored. I wondered if instead of rawhide it might actually be tawed leather or oil tanned (buff) leather. The former method would result in white leather and the latter in cream colored. Either method would result in a soft, pliable thong which would be I think easier to thread through the holes in the edging.
Again, you've done a great job! Thanks so much for sharing it with us.
Best,
Lucianus
L.E. Pearson
