Actual Balteus Buckle and Apron Terminus Construction

[Dean Cunningham metalsmit]

I think the bottom part is actually supposed to be one piece as seen on this web site.

http://www.romancoins.info/MilitaryEqui ... gulum.html


I also think the buckle part was made from a piece of bar or rod stock hammered flat in the center and draw out and scrolled on the ends which is much easier than starting with an ingot pounding it into sheet and then upsetting(thickening) the scrolled parts. The post would be beaten into a long 2-3 mm thick rectangle them split 2/3's of the way down into 3rds and the two sides would them be drawn out a bit and scrolled away from the post tip(as seen on the cast buckle with the inlaid plate. Or the rectangle can be fullered and drawn out one side forming the post tip and the other forming the part that is formed into a tube that attaches to the hinge pin as seen on the buckle that is also hand forged on the site I've referenced. That is how I would guess it was done and have done a couple myself. The interesting thing is that the cast buckles imitate hand forged work like the scrolling.

Dean