Samurai Shin Guard

Right, splint-style, samurai shin guard (shino-zuneate or shino-suneate). The base of the shin guard is a yellow, rectangular cloth with an indiscernible brocade pattern. The cloth is edged with leather. Seven vertical, iron splints (shino) are painted with black lacquer and sewn to the cloth. The central splint has a ridge down the middle to fit over the shin bone. The three inner splints are half-length to account for an unarmored panel (abumi-zure). The abumi-zure is a square of brown, patterned leather attached to the lower, inner section of the shin guard to prevent abrasion to and from the stirrups. A mesh of mail (kusari) between each splint connects one to another.

At the upper edge of the shin guard, a panel of brigandine (tateage) protects the knee. Hexagonal iron plates (kikko) are sandwiched between layers of fabric with a top layer of brown, patterned leather. Blue thread sewn through the kikko creates a pattern of blue squares where the armor plates sit. Burgundy thread is then sewn around the kikko to create a visible honeycomb pattern. A long, blue, cloth tie is attached to the splints with green cloth at the top and serves to tie the shin guard behind the leg. A second tie attached to the lower portion of the shin guard is damaged and only attached to the cloth backing, rather than the splint. The reverse is of undecorated dark blue cloth.