Maille Strapping

[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.

[Sir Wolf]

i dunno, my tailored shirt at the faire didn't feel like it flopped that much. that is probably the biggest thing right there now that i think about it. properly tailored mail.!!!! i know my coif is big and needs to be tied but my old one fit perfectly so the new one isn't tailored to my head hehehe

[Sir Brian]

There are no doubts that a properly tailored haubergeon or hauberk offers the most in mobility. My current haubergeon fits me the best “out of the box” per se but I still have to lace it up at key points to ensure I can maintain a full range of unrestricted motion. The main point I lace up is on my upper arm so my Âľ sleeves hangs at the correct spot so as not to interfere with the attachment of my couters and vambraces. The best part is my lacing is completely concealed, since I first pull the sleeves inside out and run the leather lacing on the underside of the sleeves. The laced up point makes a convenient ridge of maille that gets hung up on the straps of my spaulders. 

[Sir Edward]

We also have to remember that not everyone had mail tailored to them in period. A lot of armor was hand-me-downs, and battlefield salvage, and gifts from your lord, etc. It varied quite a lot.

[Sir Patrick]

So do you guys think it was pointed to the gambeson, or just kind of tied off to take the slack out? 

[Sir Wolf]

no i dont think so. not a hauberk anyways. now arming mail like voiders, skirts etc yes i do believe they were pointed or sewn into place.

[Sir William]

I think that a hauberk would've been strapped at any point where slack needed to be taken up- at the very least, at the juncture where bicep meets forearm, and the forearm area itself.  Mine is not tailored to fit me so the arms bellow out- as some of our fellow knights can tell you, it not only looks messy, but it feels awkward as well.  I've noticed that when the mail is closer to the body, it doesn't feel as heavy or as awkward.  Still flirting with the idea of getting a welded hauberk- as it would be made to my measurements, its as close to tailored as I'm likely to get as I'm pretty lazy when it comes to that sort of thing.