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Hammer marks? - 05corbca - 05-02-2012
Hi everyone,
I have to talk about Roman hammer marks on iron in my coursework.
I have to talk about what Roman iron which was worked with a hammer felt like and how it was worked.
Is there anyone out there who could tell me anything about what worked Roman iron work feels like and what texture it has, especially with hammer marks?
Many thanks!
Re: Hammer marks? - jvrjenivs - 05-02-2012
Well, best is to get a copy of
"Roman Imperial Armour: The production of early imperial military armour"
by D. Sim and J. Kaminski, 2011 (ISBN 9781842174357)
All your questions are discussed in there.
Re: Hammer marks? - Vindex - 05-02-2012
Beat me to it Jurjen :wink: !
Catherine...<gentle poke>...photos of hippo sandal???
Re: Hammer marks? - Gaius Julius Caesar - 05-02-2012
Another good book is
Iron for the Eagles: The Iron Industry in Roman Britain by David Sim and Isabel Ridge
Re: Hammer marks? - jvrjenivs - 05-02-2012
Quote:Beat me to it Jurjen :wink: !
Catherine...<gentle poke>...photos of hippo sandal???
And I second that gentle poke! :p
Re: Hammer marks? - Paul Elliott - 05-03-2012
Quote:Another good book is
Iron for the Eagles: The Iron Industry in Roman Britain by David Sim and Isabel Ridge
Brilliant book. The best! (on iron working ...)
Re: Hammer marks? - Robert - 05-05-2012
Hi Catherine,
Well, you could very well buy those books, but if you are in a rush, perhaps I can help, being a Roman blacksmith.
The iron the Romans used was different to the iron (more often mild steel) commonly used today. It was called wrought iron and contains little carbon. It does contain slag and can be spotted by its "rope like" stucture. It is softer to work with then mild steel and can be forgewelded with comparative ease.
A blacksmith does leave hammermarks, but when working carefully tends to avoid them and these are then flattened out. These left are more often then not taken out by the secondary proces of finishing. Then there is the corrosion, which also blots out hammermarks. It very much depends on what object you are reviewing, but I have seen very few objects which show clear hammermarks. Very utilitarian objects of low value, like hinges, may have them, but are usualy so corroded there is little to no chance of spotting them.
I am adding a pair of handcuffs I did, hardly any secondairy work was done on these, just a quick sanding to remove the firescale from the forge.