04-27-2007, 03:36 PM
I fully support this construction even though leather cuirasses are not popular on this forum. In 1984 i worked for a "history" show that toured schools and the Roma 
n officer i fough every day wore a leather cuirass.
I believe that cuirass was 10 years old at the time and retained its shape admirably and was kept on an armour stand when not in use. 8)
In 1987 I broke my shoulder and my best friend cut me out of hide similar to Tonys a cuirass that we shaped as an 7th century Hellenic cuirass. He cut it out with a swiss army pocket knife, including cutting stylised muscles and patterns into it. 8)
It was shaped with water and afterwards he used raven oil to colour it. We were both surprised when the cuirass dried that it was as hard as , well, hardened leather because we had planned on boiling it in a pot of wax.
Unfortunately the cuirass is several sizes too small for me now, :oops: but it certainly was capable of taking sturdy blows in the first 10 years of its existence.
I am cognizant that there are no specific examples or records extant for leather cuirasses, however i believe that part of reproducing stuff, experimental archaeology, is to EXPERIMENT.
Having alienated my wife from reenactment because of a phase i went through of being an authenticity nazi i fully recognise now that
"There Can Be Only Fun".
Enjoy,
Regardz
Richard R
n officer i fough every day wore a leather cuirass.I believe that cuirass was 10 years old at the time and retained its shape admirably and was kept on an armour stand when not in use. 8)
In 1987 I broke my shoulder and my best friend cut me out of hide similar to Tonys a cuirass that we shaped as an 7th century Hellenic cuirass. He cut it out with a swiss army pocket knife, including cutting stylised muscles and patterns into it. 8)
It was shaped with water and afterwards he used raven oil to colour it. We were both surprised when the cuirass dried that it was as hard as , well, hardened leather because we had planned on boiling it in a pot of wax.
Unfortunately the cuirass is several sizes too small for me now, :oops: but it certainly was capable of taking sturdy blows in the first 10 years of its existence.
I am cognizant that there are no specific examples or records extant for leather cuirasses, however i believe that part of reproducing stuff, experimental archaeology, is to EXPERIMENT.
Having alienated my wife from reenactment because of a phase i went through of being an authenticity nazi i fully recognise now that
"There Can Be Only Fun".
Enjoy,
Regardz
Richard R
