Matthew, perhaps in your copious free time you can dig these quotes up, but as I recall it was stated in a number of the old tomes that the pikes need to be "armed in corselets of sufficient proof against pike" or words to that effect. This would suggest that there were on the market sufficient corselets that were not pike proof to make it worth the mention.

One thing that crops up too is the different needs viz proof against armes blanche and firearms, ie hardened steel virsus wrought iron. It would be interesting to test this out. I know that the curators at Graz did their experiment of shooting holes in an original ca. 1570 breastplate with original wheellock and matchlock firearms, but I don't recall as to whether or not they tried bashing it with a pike or halberd.

Cheers,

Gordon

Gordon;

That could be annoying to have your pike proof breast plate easily penetrated by shot or have your shot proof breast plate easily penetrated by pike. :p

The best of both might be case hardened armour. ( Hard on the outside with a soft chewy center. :p :eek: :lol: )

I jfinally remembered about Sean Flynt's short thread on "Duplex Armour", from an article on same in the publication Arms and Armour , the Journal of the Royal Armouries:

http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=4242

The article is, needless to say, somewhat more in-depth, but it's interesting to note the attempt to make armour proof against BOTH pikes AND shot.

Cheers!

Gordon