[Liang Tuang Nah]

G'day Guys,

Has anyone here ever done business with http://armstreet.com/home.html before? If you guys have, how are their gambeson and lamellar offerings?

Next, I am strongly considering getting their combination metal and leather lamellar armor, http://armstreet.com/store/armor/1/202.html along with a gambeson as padding. While I do not intend to use my armor for live cutting testing, can you guys give me an idea of the protective qualities of a combination metal and leather lamellar + gambeson armor suit against the following threats?

1) Had hit with a staff or club?
2) Stab with a piercing weapon like a dagger? (one handed force)
3) Slash with a light sword?
4) Hack with a heavy sword like a cutlass or possibly something with the weight of a good kitchen cleaver?

Would the threats be stopped? If not then how serious would the injury be?

Thanks for your opinions.

[A. Spanjer]

I'm no expert, but it looks to me like there's to much leather and not enough metal on that armour.

Unless there's metal underneath the leather part, any number of weapons could easily penetrate. That said, lamellar armour always looked weak to me, now that's probably not true. Why would they use it if it didn't work? It just always looked that way to me

As far as historical accuracy goes, I have no idea if that piece is historically accurate, but if I had to guess I'd say not...

[Liang Tuang Nah]

Apparently, the retailer is willing to customise the armour for me. Hence, if the leather is of a thicker grade and the lamellar plates are made to be 16 instead of 18 guage, will the protective qualities be substantially improved?

[Nate C.]