attaching kote and sode

[Steffieeee]

Hi, does someone have illustrations of how to attach kote and sode to the main cuirass? I'm possibly just being dense or maybe I have some bits missing. each kote sleeve has two loops with horn spacers, and the sode guards have two brass toggles. hanging down from the shoulder parts of the cuirass inside are what are left of two loops each side. do these all fit together so the sode toggles go through the kote and the cuirass loops? It all seems a bit flimsy with so much weight on two thin leather loops each side. Or am I missing something obvious. I can attach some pics if no one understands what I'm going on about

[Guest]

Hi Stef,

 

Kote first. then Dou, then Sode.

 

You might enjoy these which should point you in the right direction:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOIQXW5ZMaU

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKwiVe2V7bk

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-0Z97qZgGE

 

 

(All the armour shown is modern repro)

 

[uwe]

Basically it works like in the video’s, Malcom showed above.

Assembling an armor for display, however, is sometimes a bit tricky. There are usually differences/particularities of each armor and much more things have to be considered......

Hence, pics would be helpful!

[Steffieeee]

Thanks chaps. I'll take some pics to illustrate what I'm trying to do.

 

Looking at the vids, my kote don't seem to have the ties at the top, only two toggles at the back of the neck where they join. And I can't see where the sode might attack to the dou.

 

From the old book I notice a couple of things I've never seen. Armpit protectors ? My kote have armour inside the underarm section. Neck protector in addition to the guard on the menpo? Is this a nodawa?

[uwe]

That are some of the differences I was talking about, Stef!

The neck protector depicted in the book is called "guruwa", BTW.

[Steffieeee]

Is there a reason for this single stud in the middle of the cuirass or isn't it original?

[IanB]

OK.  What you have is perfectly normal. Your problem is that the kote and the sode do not belong together. So, assuming the kote belong to the dou, the top un-armoured section would go under the shoulder straps, watagami, and the two toggles (kohaze) attached at the top of the armoured section of the kote would fasten to the loops under the watagami. The two half collar sections would then fasten together at the back of the neck. The sode that should have belonged to this arrangement would not have had toggles, just loops of silk braid that would be looped over the kote toggles before they were fastened to the watagami. If it is the sode that belong to the dou, the kote would only have loops without kohaze and they would have been looped over the sode fastenings before attaching to the dou, the collar arrangement as before. The toggle at the bottom of the sode was to attach it to a simple loop on the correct kote to stop the sode swing out of place. The toggle part way down on your kote does the same thing on a sode without a toggle at the bottom, just a loop. As for the central stud, look horizontally around the dou under the left arm and you may see where there has been another. These held either a pouch for small necessities, or simple a fabric pad to stop the tsuba of the swords damaging the lacquer and lacing of the dou. Hope that makes sense.

Ian Bottomley

[Steffieeee]

thanks so much Ian. I thought maybe it was something like that re non matching bits. as the bottom lames of the sode match the dou lames I guess they are part of that set, and the kote and thigh guards are part of another. then again, the little shoulder brigandine parts match the brigandine neck pieces on the kote.. hmm odd. Maybe someone has played around with the toggles and loops at some point. I will have to improvise to make them displayable. Is there any way to tell age? The silk is lovely quality., and the dou is fairly nice too , doeskin lined

[Steffieeee]

Ok so I think I have worked it out. Maybe the sode and kote do go together. The sode toggles go through the loops on the kote tops and then also through the loops under the watagami. Seems to fit perfectly. Is that an arrangement that is known? Again it seems a little weak to have it all hanging on two loops, and the armoured underside of the kote kinda just hangs in mid air whereas another loop to fix it to the bottom of the dou armhole would make sense

[uwe]

Late to the party....

Ian’s explanations are always very helpful!

The “wings” on the underside of the kote have to be put inside the dou!