How easy or difficult is it to cut through silk or cotton?

Thank you for the book recommendation! I had a brief look at the Wikipedia article and it seems like something I might enjoy. I hope that the sentence which you quoted is not seen as some absolute statement. It's a speculation based on what I have seen and read. Fortunately for our sanity we only have access to one lifetime

Hello 
From my limited experience. (for colth armour, i think it is really hard to get a target that does not either makes cuts too easy or too hard)

I see three type of power when cutting
wrist/from arem cut.
elblow/arm cut
shoulder cut and punch cut (ie stiking like ringeck tells us).


if we are talking about one or two layer worn relatively tightly to the boddy.  It makes little to no difference. all cuts works relaibly

Now a 3-5 layer of even light weight material worn loosely makes a dispropotional amount of difference. Elbow cuts with sharp sword or 
shoulder cut and punch cut works reliably. Unless we are talking about wide flat tip like on before plate medival sword. we need to use the COP

For 15 layers, light or medium weight material, only shoulder tip cut with a sharp early medieval sword or shoulder cop cut with sharp sword,

For 25-30 layers only shoulder tip cut or draw cut with shinken sharp sword will go through, but in both case I am not sure that the effect on the target is worth the effort of a cut compared to thrust.

Phil