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.
this post was submitted on 19 Nov 2024
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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.
The belt hook is a great idea, except that it's way too close to the genitals with that high-powered assembly under tension. One wrong slip and you might become a eunuch.
Mine came with a foot-puller system where you put the front of crossbow on the ground and hold it down with your foot in a foot-loop (metal) while you attach a puller cord to the string and pull up with a lot of force. It's not easy at all.
It's attached at your waist, so you can just cant your hips back and your junk should be in the clear.
Mine came with a foot-puller system where you put the front of crossbow on the ground and hold it down with your foot in a foot-loop (metal) while you attach a puller cord to the string and pull up with a lot of force. It’s not easy at all.
Most crossbows load, or at least can be loaded, like that. My experience was different - I had a similar cord system, but I found it easy to use. You just straighten your back. In any case, certainly easy compared to spanning it by hand.
A foot-puller system like on the drawing?
Yep the standard type one, it's just used away from the genitals more by remaining on the ground while you stand on it
If only they could do the same for ballistas. Why launch small bolt when you can launch big bolt.
"I said I wanted the BIG crossbow"