Armor-How To?

To start this thread off i'd like to list several methods for acquiring armor early on in the game, as even to me, veteran of many a MMO I was wayward and unaware at first.

In the pre-searing act I acquired my Warrior's armor through the Collectors dotted about the wilderness landscape and inside the Catacombs, killing monsters and taking various skulls and husks back to the aformentioned Collectors. They in turn rewarded me with armor tailored to my class, albeit only slightly better than the starter gear. While I can't say for sure I imagine each of these collectors yields the appropriate sort of armor reward to each individual class, however I am uncertain.

Post-searing was a simple task of salvaging iron ingots and building up a few hundred gold. In the section of Ascalon City that also harbors the weapons specialist (in between the stairs to Warmaster Tydus and the citie's main entrance) are two Armorer's. I do not quite remember the name of the first however the second-tier armor is made by Corwen. Hence comes my question.

I am now playing a lvl 12 Warrior/Necromancer equipped with a rather nice Fiery Dragon Sword, however my armor has been dated since around 6. As I venture into places like Yak's Bend and the Diessa Lowlands I am discovering that I'm not quite the meatshield I used to be. While I understand part of that might be the growing difficulty in the game itself (once you advance to Yak's Bend the party limit increases to six, so I naturally assume it is to compensate for tougher monsters), however I also believe it to be the very armor I am wearing.

So.. having been told and led on to believe that the artisan (Rudger or some such) on one of the quest from Yak's Bend would sell or craft Fur Squares for you, I come into his prescence only to be dissappointed. He manufactures several other rare items, however none of my much anticipated Fur Squares. These are required to build the next tier of Ascalon armor..

So where do I find them? I am inclined to believe that at the lack of an Artisan providing them that I must salvage them with an Expert Salvage Kit from some item. Is this so? And if it is, are there any items in particular I should look towards?

Oh, um..I know this one, I remember accidentally salvaging one earlier. I can't remember what it was from, but it was in pre Ascalon..maybe a worn belt or something..

Fur squares are a rare salvage from items that normally salvage into tanned leather hides.