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Maille Strapping

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Sir Patrick:
I've noticed in several pics and art from around the net, the use of leather straps around biceps and wrists in conjunction with maille.  I'm guessing it's done to tailor the maille, or perhaps distribute the weight, but I'm not really sure.  It seems not many modern re-creationists do this at all.  Can anyone enlighten me?

Sir Edward:

I suspect that the mail was laced and tied a lot more than we tend to realize. It really does stay in place and move with you better when you do this, and it's a real necessity when doing chausses, so I don't see why they wouldn't tie it up elsewhere as well. If you look at the below image, for instance, it seems to show a lace tied around the head through the links of the forehead, and with the ventail tied up to it. I suspect that the artwork often leaves out this sort of detail unless it's obviously in view.

Sir Patrick:
So would you say we don't see a lot of re-creationists doing it because our maille options weigh less, or because of the 3/4 sleeve option we all seem to be stuck with, or what? 

Sir Wolf:
most don't do it cause well they're not wearing the right mail hehehe some are wearing the 3/4 sleeves when they need to be wearing full sleeves etc.

Sir Edward:
Yeah I think it's a combination of not wearing the right stuff (shorter sleeves, like Sir Wolf said), and not knowing any better. Since all we have to go on is the artwork (all of the lacing would have deteriorated away in grave finds, etc), and I suspect the artists rarely captured it, we can't really know the full extent to which they would have done it. But I think practical experience with chausses (and probably the same would go for full-length sleeves), I really think they tied off quite a lot of it.

Even with the half-sleeves, they need to be wide enough to allow the joints to move, and yet you don't want the mail flapping around because it steals energy from you. It needs to stay close to the skin.

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