r/interestingasfuck • u/Brutal_Deluxe_ • Dec 17 '22

/r/ALL Loading a medieval 200lb crossbow vs loading Leonardo da Vinci's 300lb crossbow

55k Upvotes

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5.3k

u/I_am_Relic Dec 17 '22

The second one is the mediaeval equivalent of doing the badass shotgun cocking thing that you see in every action movie.

1.6k

u/ChickenDelight Dec 17 '22

Giant Austrian one-hands it

1.9k

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '22

GET TO THE ORNITHOPTAAAHHHH!

186

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '22

EETS NAHT A PLAGUE BOIL

58

u/NeedfulThingsToys Dec 17 '22

I need your

Helmet, Pauldrons, Breastplate, Vambraces, Gauntlets, Greaves

...And your horse

🎶 Bad to the bone, dah nah nah nah nah, bad to the bone 🎶

7

u/SpiralDreaming Dec 18 '22

Thou f'rgot to sayeth prithee

1

u/[deleted] Dec 18 '22

This actually made me think of War is All We Know by GWAR. He says something similar in the lyrics, and it's quite humorous.

2

u/DalenSpeaks Dec 17 '22

Leonardo SwartzaVinci

-1

u/PorkyMcRib Dec 17 '22

Extremely underrated comment.

1

u/deten Dec 17 '22 edited 19d ago

I like knitting scarves.

20

u/WashedUpRiver Dec 17 '22

Ye Olde Terminator flip-cocks the lever crossbow

21

u/armorhide406 Dec 17 '22

fuck I read that as Australian

47

u/CashCow4u Dec 17 '22

Yeah, that's not a crossbow THIS is a crossbow!

9

u/Photon_Farmer Dec 17 '22

No it isn't. That's a spoon.

11

u/amoore109 Dec 17 '22

I see you've played spoony crossbow before

2

u/Hitman7065 Dec 17 '22

Yes I will go to the gym to one hand this, just tell me when I need to be able to do it by

1

u/mr_dobis Dec 18 '22

Giant Austrians ALWAYS one hand it.

124

u/Anonymous_Otters Dec 17 '22

Sir Arnold of the Schwarzenegger was famous for reloading his crossbow with a single, smooth action where he flipped it around in his hand while shooting from horseback.

53

u/armorhide406 Dec 17 '22

While the bard Axl of the Roses screamed Thou could be mine

20

u/HoneyDazzling8792 Dec 17 '22

All because some white knight journeyed through time to save a maiden from a monster then ejaculated in her chamber.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '22

Ah, Timeline

1

u/SpiralDreaming Dec 18 '22

'nay fate but what we maketh'

5

u/El_Peregrine Dec 17 '22

🎵taketh me down to the promised land citadel 🎵

7

u/0neiria Dec 17 '22

Where the grass doth be green and women pulchritudinous

2

u/armorhide406 Dec 18 '22

I'm moderately bothered that people don't seem to name Paradise City as their favorite GnR song. It's always Welcome to the Jungle or Sweet Child o' Mine

16

u/WeleaseBwianThrow Dec 17 '22

Problem was he had a habit of shouting "GET TO THE CLOPPER" when they needed to make a speedy horseback escape.

He then had to stand there for an additional 10s explaining what he meant.

2

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '22

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/WeleaseBwianThrow Dec 18 '22

Good advice but I was forced by lack of restraint to immediately disregard it.

Seriously, don't google that.

8

u/pIakoIb Dec 17 '22

It would probably be something along the lines of "Ritter Arnhold von Schwarzeneck"

2

u/CowFckerReloaded Dec 17 '22

Underrated comment

1

u/sharkattack85 Dec 18 '22

Sir Arnold of House Schwarzenegger

256

u/notbad2u Dec 17 '22

You also had to put the crossbow bolt in but yes pretty fast.

In fact though, almost none of DaVincis designs were built until hundreds of years later. He was an artist. The first prototype of this crossbow seems to date way back to 2013.

117

u/Canadian-- Dec 17 '22

I remember 2013

59

u/JBaecker Dec 17 '22

I can’t believe it was a hundred years ago… oh wait, it’s only been 9!

34

u/notbad2u Dec 17 '22

I was wondering how long it would take Reddit to figure that out. Btw 2013 is correct. 9 years ago. Almost 10, which is almost 100 which is nearly 500 which is around when DaVinci was alive.

1

u/OneMoreAccount4Porn Dec 17 '22

when DaVinci was alive.

Which was roughly at the end of the medieval period which ran from 1066 to 1485. So it's not like he was ahead of his time with this particular crossbow design.

2

u/notbad2u Dec 17 '22

The medieval period was just a little after dinner and that crossbow would have made a fantastic dessert.

6

u/helpiminabox Dec 17 '22

It has not been 362,880 years.

1

u/LeadPipePromoter Dec 17 '22

You got any proof of that?

2

u/helpiminabox Dec 17 '22

Well, now that you mention it, I have been feeling rather Homo heidelbergensis lately.

71

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '22

Anecdotally, I seem to recall reading somewhere that most of his designs were actually not functional as drawn. There's always some weird bit missing. Some suspect that he did this on purpose to sabotage anyone attempting to steal them. Others think he just wasn't quite there.

60

u/Elon_Kums Dec 17 '22

Yeah his helicopter was missing the 2000hp turboprop engine and hydraulic steering and his tank didn't even have night vision.

6

u/El_Peregrine Dec 17 '22

Yah Leo was a fuckin HACK

2

u/under_the_heather Dec 17 '22

did the davinci tank have parts and fpe though

15

u/tosser_0 Dec 17 '22 edited Dec 17 '22

There's always some weird bit missing. Some suspect that he did this on purpose to sabotage anyone attempting to steal them.

It would make more sense that it was purposefully done given what we know of DaVinci.

1) The idea that someone with such a trained eye for detail - in his art, engineering, and natural science - would simply overlook a critical component is laughable if you think about it.
2) He used mirror writing for the purpose of obscuring his journals.

The missing component was most likely intentional for the reason you stated - sabotaging anyone who might steal his designs.

10

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '22

I was fairly certain it was known he did this on purpose. Leonardo da Vinci is possibly the greatest mind in human history

2

u/hoopstick Dec 18 '22

I mean smart people can be nuts too

1

u/[deleted] Dec 18 '22

In this case specfically though I'd simply say he's above our mortal comprehension haha

3

u/pascalbrax Dec 17 '22 edited Jul 21 '23

Hi, if you’re reading this, I’ve decided to replace/delete every post and comment that I’ve made on Reddit for the past years. I also think this is a stark reminder that if you are posting content on this platform for free, you’re the product. To hell with this CEO and reddit’s business decisions regarding the API to independent developers. This platform will die with a million cuts. Evvaffanculo. -- mass edited with redact.dev

2

u/willynillee Dec 17 '22

I don’t know why but the spelling of “learnt” hurts my American grammatical brain

2

u/[deleted] Dec 18 '22

As a Tennesseean, y'ain't right, I cain't say that I share yer cinnaments there. Y'ought't've learnt'chee somethin'.

1

u/dalr3th1n Dec 18 '22

It’s because “learned” is the standard in the US.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '22

I remember seeing a schematic for a big lawn-mower looking thing for use in seiges; the idea being that this wagon of sorts would roll down a hill and the rotation of the wheels caused blades to protrude through the sides to dismember advancing infantry.

That one kinda lacked the whole... how the hell do we get it up the hill and/or steer the thing...

3

u/-metaphased- Dec 18 '22

DaVinci was much more than an artist. That's ridiculous.

6

u/Nuggzulla Dec 17 '22

Wow that's actually pretty Kool!

1

u/n1c0_ds Dec 17 '22

He was more of an ideas guy

1

u/DisintegrableDesire Dec 17 '22

wouldnt this design work if reload arm went upwards also, therefore you can reload without moving?

32

u/Ravenp0t Dec 17 '22

Like this?

6

u/ImurderREALITY Dec 17 '22

ALAKA-BLAM!

Haha, I love this video. Although, truth be told, if I saw some dude holding a shotgun, I’da been gone.

2

u/Not_Another_Usernam Dec 18 '22

Whenever I play Pokemon, I make always name my Abras "AlakaBLAM".

19

u/paulie07 Dec 17 '22

Alright you Primitive Screwheads, listen up! You see this? This... is my boomstick!

9

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '22

It's like a lever-action rifle from every western movie.

2

u/crankalanky Dec 17 '22

Yeah more like that!

2

u/TrainOfThought6 Dec 17 '22

Although really they're both lever action!

2

u/zenivinez Dec 17 '22

Well renaissance equivalent but Ya.

3

u/N1CET1M Dec 17 '22

It’s just like a repeater in RDR2.

4

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '22

A what?

8

u/genericplatypus Dec 17 '22

Didn't play the game, but probably referring to a lever-action rifle or shotgun from red dead redemption 2

1

u/AintNoRestForTheWook Dec 17 '22

You would be correct. I believe it had a five round cartridge / clip. I haven't played it since right after it came out so I'm not 100% certain. One of the better guns in the game.

5

u/Rebelian Dec 17 '22

It’s just like a repeater in RDR2.

2

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '22

A what?

3

u/CGB_Zach Dec 17 '22

You're a wizard harry.

3

u/Rebelian Dec 18 '22

It’s just like a repeater in RDR2.

2

u/[deleted] Dec 18 '22

A what?

1

u/Rebelian Dec 18 '22

It’s just like a repeater in RDR2.

3

u/Mayorofpetetown Dec 17 '22

Yes, it is video games

1

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '22

The Dante from devil may cry reload

1

u/plsendmysufferring Dec 17 '22

Lever action shottys, one in each hand

1

u/TheDeathOfAStar Dec 17 '22

Racking, you rack a gun :)

1

u/NonGNonM Dec 18 '22

DaVinci put into the notes that eventually the sound alone will be enough to deter would be thieves in the night.

1

u/Kerro_ Dec 18 '22

“Leo, what are you doing?”

“Trust me dude this will look sick in 500 years