Tameshi gusoku (bullet tested armor)

[estcrh]

One of our esteemed forum members recently made this statement,

I've been told how to create fake bullet-dents on Kabuto.

I just hope he will be careful and wear safety equipment if he tries this at home!!!!

Seeing this statement made want to me post some pictures on the subject for anyone who has not seen any samurai armor with bullet dents. Some people may claim that this is proof of battle damage but in reality the armor was tested before being finished. After the maker of the armor proved that his armor was bullet resistant the armor would be finished by lacquering, the dents were left in as proof that the armor was of a superior grade. The zunari kabuto pictured has bullet dents on three panels. This kabuto is very thick and heavy when compared to the average zunari kabuto. The other type of samurai armor you would see bullet testing on would be the dou or chest armor. Here to its not uncommon for every panel the have been tested like the one pictured.

 

 

 

[IanB]

Judging by the uniformity of the tameshi dents on that dou, it looks like they have been done using a big domed punch and a sledge hammer.

Ian Bottomley

[estcrh]

Judging by the uniformity of the tameshi dents on that dou, it looks like they have been done using a big domed punch and a sledge hammer.

Ian Bottomley

Unfortunately I do not have many pictures of tameshi gusoku. Here are two more dou. Maybe someone here has more.

 

 

[kusunokimasahige]

The funny part of bullet tested armor is that people generally forgot that any impact of a bullet seriously weakens the armour, especially when riveted.

 

Here is a proper European example. Note the difference of the bullet impact.

 

 

It leads me to believe that many of the dents in the photos posted can not all have come from impacts by bullets, even though an arquebus/matchlock gun has a slightly lesser muzzle velocity and impact rate than a flintlock.

 

This armour set impact looks a little more like the Japanese examples:

 

 

KM

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

Here's an high-level armor, genuinely tested, mid-XVIII c.

 

[kusunokimasahige]

I count 4 bullet impact points.... yes ?

 

KM

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

More on the Kabuto, not visible.