japanese suits of armour

[Conogre]

I've seen both Andrew, and in some cases, some of the plates were actually laminated silk of many layers that actually ended up being the precurser of fibreglass.
In some cases thin strips of wood were also laminated with each layers' grain opposite that of the next which results in a tremendously strong and yet lightweight piece that offers a tremendous amount of protection.
I suspect that the armor was actually intended more as protection form arrows and polearms than from the katanas themselves, although a certain amount of defense would obviously be afforded even here.
Likewise, as far back as ancient Greece, many of the "sculptured" armors representing the physique were likewise laminated linnen as well, something that I was tremendously surprised to learn, which also explains to a large degree why so few were preserved except in art.
Mike