Buff Leather

Buff leather

Buff leather is a strong, soft preparation of bull's or elk's hide, used in the Middle Ages onwards, that bore a rudimentary ability to deaden the effect of a blow. As armor fell into disuse at the widespread arrival of firearms to the battlefield in the 16th century, buff coats, which could in some situations survive a broadsword cut, and very rarely a pistol ball, came into use more frequently. These were often worn in lieu of complete steel, either with or without a cuirass and gorget of metal.

Buff (colour)

Buff is a light brownish yellow, ochreous colour, typical of buff leather. Buff is a mixture of yellow ochre and white: two parts of white lead and one part of yellow ochre produces a good buff, or white lead may be tinted with French ochre alone.

Leather

Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffalo, pigs and hogs, ostriches, and aquatic animals such as seals and alligators.

buff

Noun

1. Undyed leather from the skin of buffalo or similar animals.
2. A tool, often one covered with buff leather, used for polishing.

Adjective

1. Of the color of buff leather, a brownish yellow.
2. Unusually muscular.

leather

Noun

1. A tough material produced from the skin of animals, by tanning or similar process, used e.g. for clothing; often denotes leather from cattle when no qualifier specifies otherwise.
2. A piece of the above used for polishing.

Adjective

1. Made of leather.
2. Referring to one who wears leather clothing (motorcycle jacket, chaps over 501 jeans, boots), especially as a sign of sadomasochistic homosexuality.