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Does anyone have an opinions on this balteus?<br>
<br>
www.rustyspaintballgear.c...ID_Wep=348<br>
<br>
I know Matt's site mentions this part number as not usable, but from the text it sounds like this one has just been redone and is a lot better? <p></p><i></i>
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Jason--<br>
<br>
Listen to Matt on this one. This balteus is a pastiche of a bunch of different archaeological finds from different eras, some of which belong on a balteus, some of which don't, with a whole bunch of fantasy thrown in.<br>
<br>
(addition: I'm talking about the balteus shown in the picture provided by the link you posted. The new Deepeeka balteus seen here...<br>
<br>
[url=http://www.albionarmorers.com/armor/roman/belt.htm" target="top]www.albionarmorers.com/armor/roman/belt.htm[/url]<br>
<br>
...is better, but since all the components are cast, it's VERY heavy. One of our guys bought one recently; we regard it as usable, but a little sloppy looking for some reason.<br>
<br>
<br>
T. Flavius Crispus<br>
Legio VI Victrix Pia Fidelis<br>
California, USA <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub45.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=flaviuscrispus@romanarmytalk>FlaviusCrispus</A> <IMG HEIGHT=10 WIDTH=10 SRC="http://photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/legiovi/vwp?.dir=/Flavius+photo&.src=gr&.dnm=flavhead2.jpg" BORDER=0> at: 2/8/04 2:29 am<br></i>
T. Flavius Crispus / David S. Michaels
Centurio Pilus Prior,
Legio VI VPF
CA, USA
"Oderint dum probent."
Tiberius
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Is that review based on the new one though? It was just added as a new item a couple of weeks ago, here is the text:<br>
<br>
"Deepeeka's newest redesigned AH3868N balteus features proper leather, buckles, terminals, and dangles, a very nice belt at an excellent price! Also has proper Pugio Frogs! You will not be disappointed! This is NOTHING like the old 3868N belt. Brass plates are rounded, nicely edged, and are head and shoulders above the old belts in quality!"<br>
<br>
<br>
<p></p><i></i>
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I have one of the red leather originals and one of the new ones, and the new one is totally redone. The terminals are properly attached (and are actually danglies as opposed to the original things that were directly attached), and the belt plates are much better in punch detail, as well as rounded non-cutting edges, Matt's review is one of the old ones I think, which had modern rivets and buckels, chrome tanned leather, and was terrible. Why they used the same part number is beyond me. The old ones we had we have torn down for parts use, as these are so much better. Only questionable thing is the way the little plates are used instead of round terminal discs. Any ideas on that Matt? In fairness it is my site, so apply what bias you want, but these are not the same terrible ones they originally made, if you want to critique them, do it on the new belts.<br>
<br>
New 3868<br>
Natural tanned leather (not folded, 1 ply)<br>
Brass plates nicely detailed and rounded<br>
Pugio Frogs<br>
Proper buckle<br>
Proper terminal danglies<br>
Terminals are also natural leather<br>
Questionable rivetted discs<br>
All proper rivets<br>
<br>
old 3868<br>
red chrome tanned leather<br>
brass plates faint and tended to cut wearer<br>
no pugio frogs<br>
modern buckle<br>
bad terminal enfds (they did not even dangle)<br>
Terminals also red chrome leather<br>
questionable rivetted discs<br>
modern rivets<br>
<br>
I think I have one of each still around here, I will try to post a comparison pic or three... <p></p><i></i>
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same link as before, but I posted 7 closeups of the old and new AH3868N for comparison.<br>
<br>
www.rustyspaintballgear.c...id_wep=348<br>
<br>
I am sure some will cricify Deepeekas latest attempt, but it is the best off the shelf balteus I know of... except for our new ones... which will be here shortly I think!<br>
<br>
Rusty <p></p><i></i>
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So let me get this straight... there are TWO new Deepeka balteuses (balteae?)?<br>
<br>
I continue to think the one with the rectangular, cross-hatched plates, the square apron studs butted up next to each other, and the strange terminal-pendant thingies is unlike any representation of a Roman belt I've ever seen.<br>
<br>
If you're going to get a pre-made Deepeka balteus, I'd still advise this one...<br>
<br>
www.rustyspaintballgear.c...ID_Wep=157<br>
<br>
It at least looks plausible, even if it is a little too heavy.<br>
<br>
T. Flavius Crispus <p></p><i></i>
T. Flavius Crispus / David S. Michaels
Centurio Pilus Prior,
Legio VI VPF
CA, USA
"Oderint dum probent."
Tiberius
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Not 2, they have just redone the old design totally and no longer have the old red ones, but the new design is damaged by the old designs reputation. Should have given it a new number. <p></p><i></i>
interesting pics.<br>
<br>
as you say better than before, but the plate deisgns-- anyone know where they are copied from? <p><img src="http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.martin/forum/mark.gif
" width="100" height="100" align="right">
</p><i></i>
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Avete!<br>
Okay, do what I can, here. Rusty, I'll certainly agree that the buckle, frogs, and leather are terrific, especially compared to the old junk. Better rivets and overall quality. But the plates are still no good, nor are the studs. Basically they made up stuff that sort of resembles a drawing of the real thing and could be stamped out. I still think the openwork plates on the apron straps are iffy, and have my doubts about the terminals (they have a second-century look to me, though I'd have to check my books).<br>
<br>
They are also still looping the apron straps around the belt. I realize they say that's for adjusting for size, but on different-sized guys it is NOT the apron's position that needs to be adjusted, it is the pugio frogs! The apron is always center front and the buckle right next to it. This method only allows adjustment if you don't mind the buckle creeping around your back where you can't reach it, and it is not supposed to be back there!<br>
<br>
If we could just get Deepeeka to sell loose parts, we'd be in heaven! Several different good buckles and frogs to choose from!!<br>
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Dave, I'm with you on the "RGZM" cast belt. The plates themselves are probably about right. But then they repeat that radial dome motif on the pugio frogs and all the apron studs, and I think that is completely wrong. And it ends up weighing a ton. If they have modified that to give it plain studs and frogs, I will certainly take another look.<br>
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So I'm sorry, Rusty, but I'm still going to recommend against this belt. Deepeeka definitely should have given it a new number, but it's not the first time they've shot themselves in the foot on that score...<br>
<br>
On a related note, the Deepeeka website now seems to require a registration and log-in to get in. A couple people have said that they registered and still can't get in. Is this some clever advertising ploy?<br>
<br>
Valete,<br>
<br>
Matthew/Quintus <p></p><i></i>
Matthew Amt (Quintus)
Legio XX, USA
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.larp.com/legioxx/">http://www.larp.com/legioxx/
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<br>
We refused it for pretty much the same reasons as stated by Quintus.<br>
<br>
Hibernicus<br>
LEG IX HSPA<br>
and<br>
RLQM.com <p></p><i></i>
Hibernicus
LEGIO IX HISPANA, USA
You cannot dig ditches in a toga!
[url:194jujcw]http://www.legio-ix-hispana.org[/url]
A nationwide club with chapters across N America
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Is it half empty... or half full? <p></p><i></i>
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Q: Is it half empty... or half full?<br>
<br>
The answer depends on whether or not you are a Republican or a Democrat.<br>
<br>
Democrat: Hey! We gotta put more water in the glass!<br>
<br>
Republican: Hey! Someone took half my water!<br>
<br>
Hibernicus <p></p><i></i>
Hibernicus
LEGIO IX HISPANA, USA
You cannot dig ditches in a toga!
[url:194jujcw]http://www.legio-ix-hispana.org[/url]
A nationwide club with chapters across N America
I bought one of the RGZM balteus, actually from Rusty, a little while ago.<br>
<br>
Yes, it is a ton of wieght. It's nearly impossible to keep the danged thing from sliding down from your navel area down to your ankles while walking around, armored or not. My currently modifications include:<br>
<br>
taking off the danged Apron straps in the first place - junk!<br>
I ground down flat the Pugio frog disks(thanks to a friend's help), which have that scalloped-domed-whichever motif repeated on every single plate and button.... Anyways, griding them down makes them look halfway descent, and is slightly theraputic. I suppose you could also snap off those disks entirely and replace with better ones, salvage the frog frame<br>
<br>
I've had to remove 2-3 belt plates and shorten the length for lil-ol-me, which cut down on weight too.<br>
<br>
I moved some of the plates around, after removing the few, so that the buckle stays near towards my front right hip, so I can actually grab it, instead of it being on my back, and I can access the Pugio without "chasing my own tail"<br>
<br>
As for the Apron - I'm doing without for the moment. I just got some of the Herculaneum apron plates from Albion. Once I get the apron straps made, I'll attatch them to the exisiting belt.<br>
Yes, I know it's not the greatest idea, but it's all I have to work with and afford at the moment....So I'd suggest grinding down the domed parts on the frogs and if you really feel adventurous, go and grind down the apron buttons...and properly attatch the apron straps to the belt while you're at it.<br>
What you could do too is shorten the legnth of the apron straps themselves - that'd surely shave down a bit of weight. (they don't need to be 3 feet long ya know)<br>
<br>
I agree that Deepeeka should offer individual plates and components. I think the buckle off of that belt is probably the only good part!  <br>
valete<br>
ANDY <p></p><i></i>
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The belt plates on the remake of the original Dipeeka belt are of type A, but appear to be stamped from thin sheet. Type A plates appear always to have been cast. The belt plates on the new, heavy belt are of type B, but are cast. In Grew and Griffiths' 1991 survey of pre-Flavian belt plates from Britain, all but one of the type B plates were stamped from thin sheet, probably using male and female dies. It has been suggested that the lone cast type B plate may have been a one-off: perhaps copied in an impression mould made using a plate from a belt which had lost one of its plates and required a replacement. I know of no other examples of cast type B plates. So, then: the stamped plates on the first belt should have been cast, and the cast plates from the second belt should have been stamped. Ho hum.<br>
<br>
Crispvs <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub45.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=crispvs>Crispvs</A> at: 2/11/04 1:15 am<br></i>
Who is called \'\'Paul\'\' by no-one other than his wife, parents and brothers. :!: <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_exclaim.gif" alt=":!:" title="Exclamation" />:!:
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.romanarmy.net">www.romanarmy.net
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www.rustyspaintballgear.c...51&index=0<br>
<br>
Our first attempt at a SOTW design, combines four of our own belts into what we think is one of the best off the shelf ones you can find. I invite constructive criticisms. <p></p><i></i>
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