Leather Armor? (NO HOLDS BARRED!!)

[Kai]

Though clearly OT, I have to add that the Pickelhaube was a protective item designed as combat helmet. The Pickel was to deflect blows and the earlier versions of this helmet (1842/1860) had a high dome therefore as well, which was later abandoned (1867/1871) for reasons of fashion and experience with shrapnel alike, since it was also designed to protect the head against such shrapel. For most branches of service, it was entirely made of leather while only the Pickel itself and it’s mount was metal.

(cf. Rascher: Die preußischen Infanteriehelme, in: Archiv für Waffen und Uniformkunde 1 (1918) [later: Deutsches Armee-Archiv])

sorry for off topic content...