Ave Crispus,
Quote:Ave, Fabius!
At Legio VI VPF (CA, USA), where the Newstead is our preferred model cuirass, we use individual split pins to hold the girth hoops in place. This page gives an idea of how the cuirass is donned and secured:
http://www.legionsix.org/DonningNewstead.htm
My own split pins are of thinner metal than Arik's, and are a little easier to push into place.
A problem is that the pins can work loose and get lost.
Nice website pictures. Though I noticed that the split pins being used
are really quite open, hence contributing to being lost. Lord knows, I
haven't worn my Newstead for a couple of years, but might I make
a suggestion? You could try bending the pins so that they're almost
closed before inserting them into the rings of the girth hoops, so that
the 'springiness' of the pins just allows enough slack for them to be
pushed through, snapping almost shut once fitted. I'm not sure about
whether Iron or Brass split rings are more evidenced at Roman sites,
or which might be the most suitably 'springy' for this purpose. Obviously,
we can't really be thinking about using modern 'spring-steel'. :wink:
I guess that the Brass ones your group have gone for best match
the brass fittings on the girth-hoops, and would best avoid corrosion,
especially after being handled by lots of sweaty fingers when being
put-on and taken-off. The only other suggestion I can make is to use
split pins that are asymetrical, ie with one end longer than the other.
That would help keep them 'upright' once fitted, and prevent them
'rotating' in the ring of the girth-hoop before 'tipping-out' (which I guess
is the method by which they are being lost. 8)
Stop Press: I just thought of one more: You could invent a totally
new (unevidenced?) split pin with a ring on the end not used for
passing into the girth-hoop, then tie a thong through this to all the
others. That way, it will keep them all together, prevent them falling-
out, and won't interfere with fitting the pins to the girth-hoops. :wink:
Vale,
Ambrosius/Mike