We really do need to be able to edit these posts! The last illo on the FIRST page shows the wakibiki. That book also talked about the padding and inner knots holding everything together. I can't put Stone on the scanner (too heavy). Stone's "Glossary" is my main resource for anything of this sort since he has photographs of the real stuff in museums. The full title is: "A Glossary of the Construction, Decoration and Use of Arms and Armor in All Countries and in All Times"... subtitled: "Together with Some Closely Related Subjects". The book is bigger than the title... about 10,000 items worth in 700 pages... give or take a couple. He has an exceedingly strong emphasis upon oriental materials. It was $50 new, but I got it for $10 remaindered about 30 years ago? He shows 6 examples of waki-biki as little pads, covered with metal bits, laced neatly. Worn under the armor. The padding of them is pretty obvious, perhaps because it would hurt to be jabbed in your own ribs by your own stuff just because you needed to reach for an arrow. The 7th photo is a small vest(!) made of multiple pieces. "The waki-biki is either an armored garment like a short vest, fig. 842, or two pieces fitting under and around the arms. In either case, it was worn under the corselet. It is often made of mail, kusari-wakibiki; or brigadine, or jazerant. Waki-biki are also classified according to the method of fastening, as botan-gake, with buttons, kohaze-gake, with hooks, and himo-tsuki, with cords." He then cites HIS sources. :) Anyway, it is worth checking your local library for a copy when you need authentic photos of museum pieces as well as the detailed drawings of obscure or exotic things. He is also fun to read despite all attempts at being a severe scholar, because his passion for this stuff comes through. An example from the article on Nodowa... first he talks about the fastenings, then: "Its usefulness is attested by the following taken from the Chuku Kachu Seisakuben: "In 1564 (Yeiroku V), on the seventh day of the first month, two battles took place at Konodai, in Shimoza, between Hojo Ujiyasu and Satomi Yoshihiro, assisted by Ota Sukemasa Niudo Sanrakusai, in which the Hojo forces were victorious. Ota fought desperately and had received two wounds, when Shimazu Tarozayemon, a man noted for his strength, threw down the now weary Ota, and tried in vain to cut off his head. At this Ota cried out 'Are you flurried, sir? My neck is protected by a nodowa. Remove it and cut off my head..' Shimazu replied with a bow, 'How kind of you to tell me! You die a noble death! You have my admiration!' But just as he was about to remove the nodowa, two young squires of Ota rushed up, and throwing down Shimazu enabled their master to decapitate him." (Followed by citation, of course.) You know, I have to admire someone who uses even more commas than I do! Anyway, my typing fingers are tired. I hope this helps. Carolly