e: [Sca-cooks] suspenders

[Mark.S Harris]

Lainie answered my question about suspenders with:
> I don't know what they are called, but my friend Grendal (Master Master
> Nicolai Grendal Gornych) has these... things that he wears over his
> chainmail. Looks alot like the harness I used to put on my kids when
> they were little and we went to the mall or whatever. One strap right
> under the 'bustline' (for lack of a better word) and two that go over
> the shoulders. Nick saw pictures of them in Byzantine stuff (he's byz)
> and didn't know why they were there. So he made one and wore it to see
> what happens. What happened is that with it strapped on firmly, when he
> raises his arm to throw a blow, only the section of chainmail above the
> harness moves with his arm- he's not raising the whole side of his mail
> when he moves, which means a lot less fatigue. The shoulder straps keep
> the rib strap from sliding down. I've seen it in action- it's pretty
> cool.

Thank you! No, not quite the suspenders use I was thinking of, but
quite interesting. Experimental archeology strikes again!

Stefan li Rous