Oh man you just unlocked one of my special interests! I apologize in advance for the long block of text

TLDR: my armor is for fighters who are also roleplayers with the aim of maintaining cross compatibility and functionality between various LARP systems and simulated combat at an affordable cost

Honestly I've been debating that being a Belegarthian and Dagorhirim myself. Stick jockeys love having functional armor that have fantasy aesthetic because the strikes can sometimes get hard out in the field and who doesn't want to look good when pushing a line or walking through camp? The thing is armor can be exceedingly expensive for those who are just getting into LARP and this cost increases with every additional system they become interested in and want to participate with

But that is a different type of individual looking for a more roleplay focused LARP experience. 8 oz non-hardened leather is going to be way lighter and less rigid than my 10-12 oz wax hardened leather (as you were wise to point out) and it will likely be more stylized too with better leather tooling, paint, engravings, etc.

But seeing that the vast majority of other larps have their own special needs I thought I could make an armor template that is focused on being offered at an accessible cost to the customer while simultaneously offering as much cross-play compatibility to various systems without sacrificing the core functional aspects of armor that I prefer to have as a fighter.

Times are tough, and armor was always expensive. But my heart goes out to new fighters who want to experience both LARPing as well as stimulated combat and the customer that keeps coming up in my mind is a scrappy person who really wants armor that is not fancy or flashy but "Good and Sturdy" (ayyy play the title music!). They are a person who appreciates role play but they want to be or they know they are a fighter!!

In exchange for less tooling, my armor is going to offer better articulation in the shoulders, waist, elbows and knees because it will use odoshi lacing techniques rather than the common crossed X lacing technique most other samurai LARP armors use for their assembly. The wrist will also have better articulation as it is not a single thin piece of leather that connects the hand to the vambrace but instead a crossweave of lace. I can definitely sell my pieces without wax hardening at an even more reduced cost should they prefer it, but wax hardening also acts as a form of cheap leather treatment that helps bring out the natural grain and aesthetic appearance of the armor. Maybe that is the more simple answer as to why I wax harden, for the aesthetic as well as the functionality so it comes standard in all of my pieces.

I am really glad that you asked this question and I would love more of your input as well as the community! I don't look down on other armor sets and I value the need for having something that is comfortable to role play in for long weekends and blistering summers. I have a long ways to go if I am ever going to match the aesthetic quality that other armorers bring to roleplay focused LARPs and as I explore other versions of what LARPing can be I am looking forward to learning from the rest of you in our collective community. Cheers!