Boiled leather, sometimes called
cuir bouilli, was historically a popular construction material for
armour. It consists of thick
leather, boiled in
water (some sources hold that
oil and
wax were used as well). The boiling causes the leather to become hard and brittle, gaining some resemblance to the properties of
wood. Since the leather remains flexible and stretchable a short time after the boiling, forming it to the needs of the armourer is quite easy, making it a cheap, light and convenient alternative to
bronze,
steel, and other historical materials.
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