Goat's Foot, Cocking Lever for Medieval Crossbows

Goat's Foot, Cocking Lever for Medieval Crossbows

This all-metal pull lever devised to span a crossbow with less effort is also commonly known as a goat's foot (lever) owing to its distinctive shape.

This useful, hinged spanning implement is composed of a lever arm and a forked bottom part with two curved arms and a claw-like double hook or grapple fitted onto them. The rear fork extensions run on either side of the crossbow's stock (also called tiller) where they brace securely against protruding pegs or pins, while the pivoting double claw engages the bowstring. The crossbow is cocked by tilting back the lever arm: With a firm pulling motion toward the tiller's butt, the string is drawn back into position in the so-called nut and thus spanned.

In the Middle Ages, this spanning mechanism was a staple of every crossbowman's equipment for crossbows which could not be cocked by hand with muscle power alone due to their higher draw weight, but still did not require the use of a windlass or cranequin.

This crossbow tensioner is an ideal accessory for our medieval crossbow models Nr. 0616510200, 0616510300 and 0616510400.

Details:
- Material: mild steel
- Overall length (in folded out position): approx. 50 cm
- Width: approx. 5 cm
- Weight: approx. 840 g

Specs may slightly vary from piece to piece.