How do you hang your legs?
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- Tod
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How do you hang your legs?
I just got some rather nice leg armour and wonder what different methods people use to attach it.
Obviously it has straps to go round the legs and points to hold it to a belt or some thing.
What some thing do you use?
Obviously it has straps to go round the legs and points to hold it to a belt or some thing.
What some thing do you use?
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- stephen wootten
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I've got two buckled loops on each of my legs, which I thread a thick belt through, then do up the belt as tight as I can over my hips (that's directly on the bones, not above them) and it's pretty comfy. If you put the belt higher than your hips (i.e. at your waist), the weight of the legs makes the belt dig into your hips which is pretty uncomfortable almost immediately.
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A couple of options for you from our clan - doublet and 'super-braces'!
The doublet wouldn't mind a leather reinforce like a belt sewing to the inside to stop the front pulling down - but that's because I have a rather thin doublet compared to many.

The doublet wouldn't mind a leather reinforce like a belt sewing to the inside to stop the front pulling down - but that's because I have a rather thin doublet compared to many.

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If you go for the braces method, I would advise crossing the straps, so that the weight hangs on the opposite shoulder, this way, when you step, the lower shoulder (ie the one with the leg that is on the ground) takes the weigth of the raised leg.
Have seen a good few people us this method and they dont complain like some people who only use belts do!
Have seen a good few people us this method and they dont complain like some people who only use belts do!
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Re: How do you hang your legs?
Hold on a second. What are you doing with leg armour, archer boy?Tod wrote:I just got some rather nice leg armour
- Phil the Grips
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Quite legit for archers to have leg armour, especially if they are household or mounted archers (using early draggoon type tactics)- I really dislike this " Iam an archer so I shall be a scruffy get wearing an arsewipe for a shirt and manky hose" when they were on a par with, and sometimes greater than, the rest of the common troops on a field in terms of kit,pay etc.
Disclaimer- this is not me justifying trading the leg harness for some very fine shoes- though I think I got the better deal
Disclaimer- this is not me justifying trading the leg harness for some very fine shoes- though I think I got the better deal

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Mr. Tod is the 2nd well dressed archer in our groupPhil the Grips wrote:Quite legit for archers to have leg armour, especially if they are household or mounted archers (using early draggoon type tactics)- I really dislike this " Iam an archer so I shall be a scruffy get wearing an arsewipe for a shirt and manky hose" when they were on a par with, and sometimes greater than, the rest of the common troops on a field in terms of kit,pay etc.
Disclaimer- this is not me justifying trading the leg harness for some very fine shoes- though I think I got the better deal

Fox -- aparently the pale highland skin shows bruises worse than us southerners

Last edited by Type16 on Wed Sep 05, 2007 2:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Archers have a way of making their point
Walk softly & carry a big (pointy) stick

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Walk softly & carry a big (pointy) stick

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Agreed, but not the answer I was fishing for.Phil the Grips wrote:Quite legit for archers to have leg armour, especially if they are household or mounted archers (using early draggoon type tactics)- I really dislike this " Iam an archer so I shall be a scruffy get wearing an arsewipe for a shirt and manky hose" when they were on a par with, and sometimes greater than, the rest of the common troops on a field in terms of kit,pay etc.
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He's giving up the stick chucking and joining the dark side of clankiness as you well know.Fox wrote:Agreed, but not the answer I was fishing for.

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- Tod
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The mealy pudding diet and three nights a week at the gym has it's bonus'Fox wrote:I just point them to a belt.
I've not yet found the need for braces. I suppose it depends whether you're one of these skinny, @rse-less people. [you're not, by the way]
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- Tod
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Re: How do you hang your legs?
Blame Phil! He made me swap it honestly, you wait till the magic of the dancing shoes kicks inFox wrote:Hold on a second. What are you doing with leg armour, archer boy?Tod wrote:I just got some rather nice leg armour

I've seen some contempory pics of archers with leg armour and I thought well..................................and I don't do ragged *rse stuff, and its good to show the punters. As for going down the full armour route NBW!
By the way still looking for a spitfire to cover all era's, and the griffin says "Hi".
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- RottenCad
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Hmmm - do these methods of suspension go for mail leggings / chausses as well?
The trouble with primary pictorial sources is that effigies and woodcuts tend not to show the underthings.
I am aware that "arming hose" have been posited as a solution, but again, is there any real PS evidence for them? I imagine the Conquest chaps have a range of practical solutions, but which can be provenanced?
For my later medieval plate legs I'm currently using the good Mr Fox's solution, at least until I can pry an arming doublet out of my tailor; I know there's been a lot of debate, mainly to the contrary opinion, about the use of belts to suspend weight (rather than a weapon or money purse).
An arming doublet / undershirt of some form makes the most sense in the later period, but were they extant beween (say) 1066 and 1314?
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The trouble with primary pictorial sources is that effigies and woodcuts tend not to show the underthings.
I am aware that "arming hose" have been posited as a solution, but again, is there any real PS evidence for them? I imagine the Conquest chaps have a range of practical solutions, but which can be provenanced?
For my later medieval plate legs I'm currently using the good Mr Fox's solution, at least until I can pry an arming doublet out of my tailor; I know there's been a lot of debate, mainly to the contrary opinion, about the use of belts to suspend weight (rather than a weapon or money purse).
An arming doublet / undershirt of some form makes the most sense in the later period, but were they extant beween (say) 1066 and 1314?
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- Colin Middleton
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I point my cuisse to my arming doublet, which I'm interpreting to mean a well made doublet, possibly with some padding and/or reinforcing on it. In theory, if it fits well enough, you should have no problems there, and it can simply be worn when the harness is removed, unlike the belt & braces approach.
As for earlier periods, the doublet as we know it only appears in the 14th C, but I am told that early doublets were known in some accounts as aketons. This is a name that in the early 13th C tended to be applied to a padded garment worn under mail. There MAY be an implication there that the mail chassuers pointed to the aketon in some way. Or there may not. I'd be interested to hear of any experiments on that basis.
As for earlier periods, the doublet as we know it only appears in the 14th C, but I am told that early doublets were known in some accounts as aketons. This is a name that in the early 13th C tended to be applied to a padded garment worn under mail. There MAY be an implication there that the mail chassuers pointed to the aketon in some way. Or there may not. I'd be interested to hear of any experiments on that basis.
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- stephen wootten
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have also added a shoulder leather gorgett for hanging my bl**dy heavy italian pauldrons off and as an added bonus it add a bit of light armour at the gap in between the top parts of my back and breast plates.
ive also added holes in the gorget so it stops the leg braces from moving any where apart from where its supposed to be.
and as an added bonus im now laceing my maile skirt to it for quickness and ease of arming up.
steve
ive also added holes in the gorget so it stops the leg braces from moving any where apart from where its supposed to be.
and as an added bonus im now laceing my maile skirt to it for quickness and ease of arming up.
steve
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to hang chasseus you need a stout belt and two leather uner knee belts
we belt chassues to belt and belt onto person other belts tighten under knees takes some of the weight
Your arming doublet will be at Swash debs assures me from her death bed she ahs th N virus so iams tanding too with mop and bucket
to hang chasseus you need a stout belt and two leather uner knee belts
we belt chassues to belt and belt onto person other belts tighten under knees takes some of the weight
Your arming doublet will be at Swash debs assures me from her death bed she ahs th N virus so iams tanding too with mop and bucket

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- Tod
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I've decided that as I wear my pourpoint under my jack I'll point my legs to that that via leather straps. I'll then reenforce my pourpoint if it stretches too much , which I doubt it will. Should I put "blanket" under the legs. Or to put it another way between my hose and the metal?
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I don't; I just own a pair of "fighting hose" and expect to patch them regulalry, and replace them every or every other season.Tod wrote:Should I put "blanket" under the legs. Or to put it another way between my hose and the metal?
Some people like to go as far as quilted padding underneath, but I don't see the need for it.
Since they weren't made specifically for you, I guess it depends how close a fit they are.
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Same here, the hose don't get too damages anyway from the tin, they just get really grimy (At least that's what I've found) and I know a few people that have countered that by simply painting the insides of there armour.Fox wrote:I don't; I just own a pair of "fighting hose" and expect to patch them regulalry, and replace them every or every other season.Tod wrote:Should I put "blanket" under the legs. Or to put it another way between my hose and the metal?
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Hi,stephen wootten wrote:braces or arming doublett, found braces was easyist to make, fix and adjust on the fly. but doublett was the aufentic way.
I'm really interested in this, could you give me your source for the mentioned authentic way?
Until now I have not yet seen or read a reliable prime source where the leg armour was attached. For the moment I attach the legs to my arming doublet, although I think that attaching them to the pourpoint instead of the arming doublet may be a good solution as well.
I'd be glad to have a reference, thanks in advance!
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