In response to Chris wanting a softer crust on his sourdough, I
suggest covering the loaves with a cotton tea towel or similar as
soon as they have been removed from the oven and placed on a cooling
rack. Leave the towel over the bread until it is completely cool. I
think it works by slowing the escape of steam from the bread during
the cooling period hence trapping some of the otherwise lost moisture
in the crust but not so much as to make the loaf sweat as might
happen if you were to place a vapour barrier like plastic over the
loaf. I use this method all the time to produce a soft crust on
loaves that have been baked in bread pans.
Hope this helps..........John