Leather used in Seggys.

[Crispianus]

Did anyone ever try using fish oil (or garum) to soak untanned cow hide? I've read the linked topic and saw no mention of it.

If neatsfoot oil counts, then I have two test pieces of modern Bovine rawhide soaking for about six months, one was put in thoroughly soaked with water to represent raw leather(although it obviously isnt), the other dry, I did take them out a while ago but there seems to be no discernible difference to when I put them in....
Clearly the rawhide needs manipulation for the oil to penetrate effectively.


However there are many other possibility's for the use of untanned skin or cured leather, though some may cause a good deal of corrosion on the metal parts of the cuirass.....

I have had/have used several different types of Elk skin , Oil cured and partial tanned veg/oil cured, the second one might be possible as its more like regular veg tanned leather, though highly flexible, but the other is like skin and way to stretchy.. really worse then using tanned goatskin.... I used most of it for making simple primitive shoes, for which its entirely suited because of its superior flexibility...
I'm not suggesting Elk was used or even deer, but its the closest that I've used, Oil cure/brain tanned Bovine/calf I think would be more durable but there's no supply that I know of off hand, though there is a type of half tanned leather available for making knife sheaths... the untanned core hardens after dampened moulding....