I am sure that the scale suits were reserved for royals and special people. The only other example I found besides the chiefs were members of the Leopard Hunter guild, and they only mention them wearing helmets made of scales. From the pictures I've seen, they are big enough to get a helmet, maybe two, from one animal. I'm guessing it took at least 10 pangolins to construct the suit represented on the plaque. My scales are about 3.5x5.5 inches. I estimate needing about 325 for my suit (I'm no light weight). My hide is raw, hair attached. I used an iron to cuir bouilli. Each scale started out at 4x6 inches. I've only cooked about 100 so far but it is much faster than my first project. Last winter I use domestic rawhide to replicate a leopard breast plate. After cutting the shapes needed I cooked the piece in a brick oven I rigged in the yard (the nieghbors keep asking what smelled so good). It came out rock hard, yet not brittle. Maybe due to fact that the hide was one day off the cow, flesh and fat still clinging. I then added grommets to simulate leopard spots. It has taken a beating for the last year with no failures or injuries. If I get a chance I'll post pics of both projects.
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4th January 2007, 11:42 PM
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