I am doing some research for a friend on the origins and use of different words relating to iron and steel in the context of armour. My book of etymology has brought up some great stuff (and dates) for the origins and use of iron and steel in English, but if anyone here can add info on the comparable words in other languages like Spanish, French, Italian, German, Latin etc, and the context in relation to armour (and in particular white harness), that will be appreciated.

Here's a starter: "Steel" probably used before 1200, has some of its origins in Old English "style" and old Saxon "stehli".

Steel: From my old Larousse dictionary printed in 1952 in French.

ACIER:

Origins from Latin " Acies ", pointe which in English pointe means point.

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/acies