Gardbrace

1963, Sean Morrison, Armor, Ty Crowell Company Some plates were bent up at the edges, or “turned.” Turns were made at the top of the breastplate and around the armholes. The top edges of the pauldrons were turned until the gardbraces were added. Then the turn was added to them.

In the case of both Real Armería a16 and Kunsthistorisches Museum hjrks1 the right pauldron has a gardbrace that could conceivably get ripped off, especially if the coronel of the opponent's lance caught the leading edge.

By far the most common type in use at this passage of arms were pauldrons reinforced with gardbraces and with a slightly flanged or winged hautepiece, or pauldrons reinforced with large rondels. […] large rondels over their left pauldron and two (top row centre; bottom left) are wearing fitted gardbraces similar to ...

Other features included symmetrical couters attached by arming points and symmetrical pauldrons, often with reinforcing plates (gardbraces).

The pauldron showing long, pointed articulation lames that enable […] Additional reinforcing plates (gardbraces), which […]

[…] carried it away on his lance point, and Saintré struck him high on his gardbrace and buckled it and the couter, and tore away the arming-points, and the gardbrace flew to the ground, and at that the cheers of the crowd and the braying […]

The one concession was a single large and spikey gardbrace attached to the pauldron of the right shoulder, which became a symbol of rank among the warlords based on the shape and design. Aren made certain that the gardbrace could be detached [if need be].

George looked down at his gardbrace and gave a moment's stare at the golden arrow emblazoned upon it.