Is it intentional that you cant fulfill tasks given to you by your Armorcrafting trainer on your own?

At least that's the case whenever they want chain or plate. Because A) you can never raise your Tailoring high enough to make the necessary inlet yourself and B) being smart and just wanting to acquire the inlets from vendors doesnt seem to work either.

To be honest point B) is founded on my own personal experience with my Armorcrafter in Camelot and could be anecdotal. But around skill ~250 steel chain arms require 'cured rowan sleeves'. That's exactly what the recipe says. Searching all the vendors I finally acquired 'cured rowan leather sleeves' which - surprise, surprise - dont work with the recipe.

Could be a bug? Well how about a full helmet requiring a 'brocade cloth cap'. All vendors wearing cloth try to peddle you their quilted stuff but their is not a single piece of cloth armor in all of Camelot.

So we are back to my question at the beginning: are Armorcrafters simply not meant to fulfill tasks on their own? If so I must ask why because other tradeskills can do it just fine.

There is a lining merchant in all 3 capital cities that sells linings - try visiting Kearis in Camelot. The link I posted even has a dot on the map to show you where she is located.

This will get you up to tier 8 armor (iirc) but for tier 9 and 10 you will need to make friends with a Tailor or make the backings yourself with another character. It's like this in all 3 realms btw - I have to make tier 10 backings with my Tailor, put them in my house vault and then take them back out with my AC when I want to make tier 10 armor in Hib.

What can I say? You are right.

I was so sure I checked all the merchants how could I have missed someone so obvious? How could I have missed dear Kearis? Well, of course she is the one merchant who has everything I need. I feel stupid now.

Thank you for your detailed advice.