06-01-2007, 08:03 AM
Wolfgang: I used Elmers wood glue...I know this isn't authentic, but my father owns a cabinetshop and buys the stuff in huge buckets, so I can get lots 
Glue would definitely explain the stiff epomides, its alot stiffer than quilting, while still remaining flexible enuff. OTOH, I must admit that I don't know of any ancient adhesive that would work as well as the modern glue I'm using.
I have two kinds of linen I'm using, neither was handwoven. Both appear to use a standard 1over1under weave. The lighter fabric is 9.5oz and has a very smooth finish, this came undyed (natural) and was a beigeish color. The heavier fabric is 18oz and has a very textured finish, with the individual threads being much coarser. The heavy linen came dyed a hunter green that is almost certainly a modern artificial dye.
My wife dyed the lighter fabric with some cochineal dye she made...it came out a lot more vividly red than I really wanted, so she ran it through an iron mordant bath after dyeing and it came out a very nice dark crimson. (BTW, this will be the main color of the linothorax, I'm thinking of black for trim...you know, around the edges of the pteruges and epomides, etc.) Although the ancient greeks would not have had cochineal, kermes is a nearly identical dye (not quite as intense, so you'd have to use 50% more dyestuff) that apparently was used around the Mediterranean since the neolithic period.
I must say, I really like linen...its been so thoroughly replaced by cotton that I'm not sure I've ever had anything made from it until now...its very comfortable, and strong. I have a good pair of scissors I use for cloth...usually, even with denim, I can just 'zip' thru fabric with them after the inital cut...not so with even the light linen, and for the heavy linen I ended up resorting to my pinking shears!
Archimedes
Glue would definitely explain the stiff epomides, its alot stiffer than quilting, while still remaining flexible enuff. OTOH, I must admit that I don't know of any ancient adhesive that would work as well as the modern glue I'm using.I have two kinds of linen I'm using, neither was handwoven. Both appear to use a standard 1over1under weave. The lighter fabric is 9.5oz and has a very smooth finish, this came undyed (natural) and was a beigeish color. The heavier fabric is 18oz and has a very textured finish, with the individual threads being much coarser. The heavy linen came dyed a hunter green that is almost certainly a modern artificial dye.
My wife dyed the lighter fabric with some cochineal dye she made...it came out a lot more vividly red than I really wanted, so she ran it through an iron mordant bath after dyeing and it came out a very nice dark crimson. (BTW, this will be the main color of the linothorax, I'm thinking of black for trim...you know, around the edges of the pteruges and epomides, etc.) Although the ancient greeks would not have had cochineal, kermes is a nearly identical dye (not quite as intense, so you'd have to use 50% more dyestuff) that apparently was used around the Mediterranean since the neolithic period.
I must say, I really like linen...its been so thoroughly replaced by cotton that I'm not sure I've ever had anything made from it until now...its very comfortable, and strong. I have a good pair of scissors I use for cloth...usually, even with denim, I can just 'zip' thru fabric with them after the inital cut...not so with even the light linen, and for the heavy linen I ended up resorting to my pinking shears!
Archimedes
Wesley Guillory
