Category:Sode

SODE
====

Armours made prior to the 1400s were equipped with larger sode of seven 
12"-wide lames. This was the common pattern for centuries. A variation
which appeared about 1300 was the hiro sode ("broad sleeve") - which was
narrower at the top than the bottom. An inverted form appeared a few 
decades later. Sometimes this was called tsubo sode ("jar sleeve"), a 
name conflicting with a later type of sode that was narrower and smaller,
and actually well curved to fit the upper arm.

Sode during the latter part of the sixteenth century resembled 
rectangular kusazuri, in that they were made en suiet with the kusazuri,
in the same style and pattern as the rest of the dangly bits.

A late variation on the sode was the bishamon gote, which incorporates a
sode into the armour sleeve itself. The lames of this sode were hinged 
in two places to make the fit more comfortable. Only the bottom lame or 
two was actually allowed to flop loosely, as the penultimate lame was 
stitched down to the sleeve.

Slot(s):                                arm
Size:                                   medium

Protection against:
 cut                                    mediocre
 stab                                   mediocre
 bash                                   poor
 other                                  mediocre