04-10-2004, 05:40 PM
Folks...<br>
<br>
I got an Albion Dolabra head a few years ago and put a shaft on it. The Albion dolabra is solid, sharp and rough in appearance with a nice brass edge cover. (I don't know how to load an image).<br>
<br>
The standard hardware ax handle is 36", and has a bulge below the socket area. So. I looked at the handle length proportions on T's C [ obligatory remark on dangers of relying on sculpture ]. using an estimated height (6 Roman feet = 5' 9" to 5' 10", depending on who you cite, I measured three figures. The tallest I arbitrarily gave a height of 6 units, i.e. 6 Roman feet. I found the shortest to be 5.6 Roman feet. I found the dolabra head-to-shaft length to be approximately 1:2.5 on all three figures, in the same measurement units. Each head was 1 unit which should approximate 11 to 11.5 inches. With my dolabra head of 14", this left a shaft of 35" to be in proportion. Excavated examples (measured from scale drawings) range from 10.25" to 14". One example at just over 11" approximated 1 Roman foot, which leaves a shaft length of 29" (approximately). The length of a Roman foot seems to vary a little, so approximations should be within actual production standards, as such may have existed.<br>
<br>
On my dolabra I opted for a shaft of approximately 2.5 Roman feet, in this case 30 inches. The head is slightly larger in proportion, but I am 6 Roman feet, or a little less... so I kept proportion to the measured figures, more or less.<br>
<br>
Anyway. I found the length no problem to use in the garden and easier to use in confined spaces than a regular pickax. Getting roots out and just plain breaking up dirt was easy.<br>
My dolabra size also, I found out, is close to the size of the Forest Service fire ax, for whatever that is worth.<br>
<br>
The usefulness of the dolabra "around the house" was such that it got appropriated by my wife, and was in the process of being given to the mother-in-law when I had to hide it. Its usefulness as an entrenching tool is without any doubt, and it could certainly double as a weapon (which is why my mother-in-law didn't need to have one).<br>
<br>
Gaius<br>
Who eventually had his wife check the spelling because the spell check dohingus did not work. <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub45.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=gaiusdeciusaquilius@romanarmytalk>Gaius Decius Aquilius</A> at: 4/11/04 12:21 am<br></i>
<br>
I got an Albion Dolabra head a few years ago and put a shaft on it. The Albion dolabra is solid, sharp and rough in appearance with a nice brass edge cover. (I don't know how to load an image).<br>
<br>
The standard hardware ax handle is 36", and has a bulge below the socket area. So. I looked at the handle length proportions on T's C [ obligatory remark on dangers of relying on sculpture ]. using an estimated height (6 Roman feet = 5' 9" to 5' 10", depending on who you cite, I measured three figures. The tallest I arbitrarily gave a height of 6 units, i.e. 6 Roman feet. I found the shortest to be 5.6 Roman feet. I found the dolabra head-to-shaft length to be approximately 1:2.5 on all three figures, in the same measurement units. Each head was 1 unit which should approximate 11 to 11.5 inches. With my dolabra head of 14", this left a shaft of 35" to be in proportion. Excavated examples (measured from scale drawings) range from 10.25" to 14". One example at just over 11" approximated 1 Roman foot, which leaves a shaft length of 29" (approximately). The length of a Roman foot seems to vary a little, so approximations should be within actual production standards, as such may have existed.<br>
<br>
On my dolabra I opted for a shaft of approximately 2.5 Roman feet, in this case 30 inches. The head is slightly larger in proportion, but I am 6 Roman feet, or a little less... so I kept proportion to the measured figures, more or less.<br>
<br>
Anyway. I found the length no problem to use in the garden and easier to use in confined spaces than a regular pickax. Getting roots out and just plain breaking up dirt was easy.<br>
My dolabra size also, I found out, is close to the size of the Forest Service fire ax, for whatever that is worth.<br>
<br>
The usefulness of the dolabra "around the house" was such that it got appropriated by my wife, and was in the process of being given to the mother-in-law when I had to hide it. Its usefulness as an entrenching tool is without any doubt, and it could certainly double as a weapon (which is why my mother-in-law didn't need to have one).<br>
<br>
Gaius<br>
Who eventually had his wife check the spelling because the spell check dohingus did not work. <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub45.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=gaiusdeciusaquilius@romanarmytalk>Gaius Decius Aquilius</A> at: 4/11/04 12:21 am<br></i>
