Posts: 9,570 Location: Dayton, OH
Tue 29 May, 2007 6:42 am
Strange loop on a rondel dagger (?)
Posts: 256 Location: Virginia
Tue 29 May, 2007 7:02 am
It was not at all uncommon for a man-at-arms to attach his weapons to his breastplate with lengths of chain so that they would be easily accessible during a fight. I would suspect that the loop on the dagger is, indeed, for that purpose.
Posts: 9,570 Location: Dayton, OH
Tue 29 May, 2007 7:11 am
Hugh Fuller wrote: |
It was not at all uncommon for a man-at-arms to attach his weapons to his breastplate with lengths of chain so that they would be easily accessible during a fight. I would suspect that the loop on the dagger is, indeed, for that purpose. |
This is a 14th century rondel dagger, so that would make sense as that was pretty common in that era, moreso than later. That was my guess as well, I just wanted other opinions/guesses/etc. :)
Posts: 60
Wed 30 May, 2007 3:53 pm
For a lanyard?
Pure speculation on my part, but could it be attached to a wrist strap?
Posts: 9,570 Location: Dayton, OH
Wed 30 May, 2007 4:02 pm
Re: For a lanyard?
John H wrote: |
Pure speculation on my part, but could it be attached to a wrist strap? |
I suppose it could be a wrist lanyard. We see that (later?) on axes and warhammers. If I had to guess I'd guess it would be to attach to a breastplate chain, but that's totally a guess.
We see a lot of those on effigies and brasses:
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Posts: 1,085 Location: Finland
Thu 31 May, 2007 5:27 am
Re: For a lanyard?
Chad Arnow wrote: |
John H wrote: | Pure speculation on my part, but could it be attached to a wrist strap? |
I suppose it could be a wrist lanyard. We see that (later?) on axes and warhammers. |
We also hear about it earlier, on axes and swords in Viking sagas. It seems to have been common to hang an ax or sword from a wrist strap and hold a spear in the hand; when the spear is thrown or gets stuck, the other weapon is immediately "at hand", as it were. Egil Skallagrimson does it a lot with his signature seax. :)
Posts: 337 Location: Houston, Texas
Fri 01 Jun, 2007 11:06 am
Re: For a lanyard?
John H wrote: |
Pure speculation on my part, but could it be attached to a wrist strap? |
I would say yes! Many times I've had my weapon knocked from my hand and I was able to step back and recover only because it was lanyard' to my hand. If I was in a knife fight, you bet I'd have it tied to me!
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