I have been told (at least twice) that the smoke from black powder is acidic and attacks the outer surfaces of woollen garments. Somehow the fibres are 'melted' together and harden and the whole surface stiffens up. The longer the exposure the harder the outer fabric becomes.

This, of course, would affect all involved in the action whether they were kilted or not, but I believe that it would affect the kilted regiments to a greater extent than the non-kilted regiments. The reason being that the outer layer of their kilts would become like cardboard and finally almost like thin planks of wood. The inside of the pleats would be unaffected. This would, of course, affect how the kilt moved afterwards.

So, this is my question. Well more than one actually. Could it be true? Is it possible? Would there be long term damage to the garment. Could it be rectified? Would there be a colour change? And finally, do we have any black powder users amongst the membership who could carry out an experiment with a piece of woollen cloth?

Regards

Chas