Tribulus

[Magnus]

No worries. I mean I could just use the heat to facilitate the bending, then just cheat and use stock removal to form it right? Probably wouldn't look as good though...

[Matt Lukes]

I'd have said the same thing Dave- I did some forging with a very small 'box' made of firebricks, but it wasn't exactly efficient. Still, it did the job.

Now as for square bar stock Matt, I used flat bar about 5mm thick, and it had to be around 12mm wide, so square bar would have to be flattened first- you'd be better off starting with flat.

[Magnus]

Hmmm. Ok. These would be great for a display. =)

[Marcus Julius]

Sure, that makes sense- I've read of a hoard of something like a million nails having been buried when a fort was abandoned, so stocks of nails were certainly abundant.

How difficult was it to forge-weld your tribulus Tony? I'd have thought it problematic to do with such small objects given the force I understand is necessary to form a good joint.

Might it not be able to be done with pliers, rather than hammer and anvil. I've seen this done to weld closed links for maille. The reason I was given for the plier method is that when you take a small object like this and set it on the anvil, the heat is immediately absorbed away into the mass of the anvil. Why couldn't you lay your two heated pieces on the lower jaw, and smash them together? Of course the trick would be to get two superhot pieces of iron positioned on the pliers.

[Robert Vermaat]

Yes Vortigern I was going to do that but still wondering how to do it :?

Hmm.. Like a normal plumbata, but with nails embedded in the lead weight?

I tried theorisising about splitting an iron bar into 4 legs with one becoming the barbed head, but that just fails to work properly.

[Matt Lukes]

Very nice! How small is it, btw?

Now wrap a plumbata around it to get a plumbata et tribulata. :wink:

Whoops, I just realized I didn't answer the question- sorry Robert :wink: This one's legs are about 6.5cm long, but that's probably one of the larger sizes- one from Vindonissa has legs just 3.5cm long.

And what's the purpose of a plumbata et tribulata exactly- a thrown weapon that can also be used on the ground?

I've wondered if a tribulus could be thrown LOL And if the lead blob in the middle is big enough, embedded nails should work, although that'd mean using a lot of lead for a sufficiently dense tribulus field I'd think...

[Robert]

Iron looses its strength at around 400 C. You can hammer it into shape at around 500, when it just starts to glow orange, but it takes more force and perhaps two heats where with a forge you can get it done in one. Splitting the flat stock need not be done hot, a simple metal saw can get you the desired starting H . So yes, I would say this can be made using a torch, a metal saw, a vice and a hammer. Hammering on a vice I would not recommend, but any solid block of iron can act as an anvil. This is one object that can be made with hardly any smithing tools or a forge fire, if you have a propane torch handy. Without heat, you are down to stock removal, not very period :lol:
Robert, the answer is simple. After making the H form, forge three prongs into spikes, point the fourth (takes four blows, two alternating on each side) but don't hamer it out. Cut the barbs into the somewhat pointed piece using the hot cut, fold out a bit and then draw out the thick end beneath the bards to create a fourth barbed prong. lol: Man, I love hitting iron!)

[Matt Lukes]

Man, I love hitting iron!)

Oh HELL YES! wink:

[Robert]

Perhaps a handfull of these will make someone a nice present in the next Christmas gift exchange on RAT. I had great fun making Susan a Hoplite knife replica of around 350 BC, one of the first things I made with my recently erected small forge and was thrilled she liked it. Am now pounding out hasta points for Jaspers crazy Batavians. There's more to a spearblade then meets the eye . And I am trying to get it accurate to Nijmegen finds dimensions.

[Matt Lukes]

Good idea Robert- and I know just what you mean about speartips... :wink:

[Tarbicus]

It appears the puncture wound caused by these evil little items would be bad and painful,

One of these things goes through the bottom of your foot and you're out of the game. Enemy down. No way you could continue except at a hobbling snail's pace crying out in agony.

[M. Demetrius]

Right on the money, Tarb. But look on the bright side: you'd be putting your best foot forward, since the wounded one would be dragging along behind, right? :lol: :lol:

[Tarbicus]

LOL :lol:

[Magnus]

Perhaps a handfull of these will make someone a nice present in the next Christmas gift exchange on RAT.

Oh HELL YEAH! I'd kill for some of these....

How would they have been carried around? I'd hate to have one in my satchel...imagine that thing poking you by accident? lol Would they have put them in some kind of container?

[Magnus]

One of these things goes through the bottom of your foot and you're out of the game. Enemy down. No way you could continue except at a hobbling snail's pace crying out in agony.

Not true Jim. You could sit back behind your scutum and heckle the other side. A few choice insults from Holy Grail come to mind. :lol: