this post was submitted on 19 Nov 2024
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Illustrations of history

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This magazine is for sharing artwork of historical events, places, personages, etc. Scale models and the like also welcome!

Generally speaking, actual photos of a historical item should go to [email protected]

Photos of ruins should go to [email protected]

Photos of the past should go to [email protected]

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[โ€“] LouNeko 11 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I love the ingenuity of using a simple metal hook and leather strap instead of fairly complex leather gloves for soldiers to ease the process of reloading.

[โ€“] PugJesus 9 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

The belt hook is efficient! Early accounts of crossbow loading by hand, before the stirrup, involve the poor fellow sitting down and having to pull with both hands. Even after the stirrup, pulling a crossbow back with just your hands is hard work. The belt hook is much easier, letting the crossbowman use less energy and pull back greater draw-weights, and is faster too, for that matter.