Belt buckles by treverica

[Latinitas]

Not to be rude, but I think that the best way to replicate this type of buckles is to cast the individual pieces, eventually hammer them and or elaborate them with chisels, and then braze them together instead of casting them as a whole with the decoration carved in the wax model. An other type which you can see in the attached document seems to be the cast version of these soldered/brazed buckles.

[Rado]

Of course who wants can produce them by forging and carving with a chisel .
Buckle showing below from Mainz is solid bronze cast. Personally, I have watched almost the same but in a museum in Zagreb and 2 of them I have made on replicas 2 years ago.
http://www.romanarmytalk.com/20-roman-re...?start=135

[Latinitas]

That type was indeed cast. Do you also have pictures of the back side?

[Rado]

I know some people in the museum оf Zagreb but not so to open the winds for me . There was no way to get a picture from below. But look here. A typical buckle 1st century AD. There is a photographed on the opposite side.
http://www.romanarmytalk.com/17-roman-mi...uckle.html

[Latinitas]

I meant pictures of the back of your cast buckle :-D.

In my collection I have an original buckle that is the same type as the one in the attached document. I can try to take pictures of the back side and post them here. This cast type is also hollow from the back side, just like the brazed buckle in your experiment.

[brennivs - tony drake]

Latinita I have been researching for late buckles but also have come across buckles as you have been describing. I will post my thoughts on construction and have been on the treverica website to look at there buckles and may have a few mad ideas :lol: I will post my thoughts when near my computer :-D By the way great buckles Rado :-D keep them coming.
Regards Brennivs :lol:

[Latinitas]

I am very curious about it! :-D

[brennivs - tony drake]

First thought in my head is why would you make a buckle from 4 pieces when you can cast them as one Hmmm :? :? But if you have no smelter but have plenty bronze /brass of cuts scrap around, then as we do, we can make a buckle :lol: to me these brazed buckles are copys of cast buckles, and this a way to do it without any wax or serious heat. Latinas in your early posting you drawing of the buckle components you missed of the scrole on the LOOP it is also seperate.
even_2015-04-11.jpg This picture shows not only the loop/scrole as two pieces but may also show that all the parts were held together with a metal strip during brazing? Also the hinge may have been put on as one long piece and then the pin ect is filed away. When I can I will make one but busy with sword at the moment but I can make the components ready and post the result
Regards Brennivs :lol:

[Latinitas]

I look forward to the tutorials 8+)!

why would you make a buckle from 4 pieces when you can cast them as one

Analyses of original buckles like "even_2015-04-11.jpg" show that they were made by brazing parts together instead of casting them as a whole. As I try to keep everything as authentic as I can, I want to replicate them using the methods used back then.

But if you have no smelter

I am happy to have the equipment to cast things myself :-D. Let me add that I can only cast using piece molds. I do not have the equipment for lost wax casting. So casting things is no problem for me as long as I can use piece molds :-D. I have enough bronze too.

This picture (...) may also show that all the parts were held together with a metal strip during brazing?

That is very interesting which seems very plausible! Could you explain where you see parts of the metal strip that held the buckle together during brazing?

Latinitas, in your early posting your drawing of the buckle components you missed of the scrole on the LOOP it is also seperate.
even_2015-04-11.jpg This picture shows the loop/scrole as two pieces

I guess you mean the drawing in the attached document of this post. It is a bit unclear to me what you mean by this; could you explain it a bit more? What is the loop/scrole?

Also the hinge may have been put on as one long piece and then the pin ect is filed away.

Could you explain what you mean by "pin ect"?

[brennivs - tony drake]

Latinitas what I am saying is in the mind of someone from 2000 years ago, why would they knowen that you can mass produce belt buckles in one go, then they decide to make it from 4 pieces?? So what I am thinking it is a side line buisness they have the raw materials the means to braze and time to make the parts, a bit like what we as reanactors do to make replicas.

It is this one that shows the strip that shows what may have held the parts together. The top picture the bottom of the buckle shows a small strip holding the parts together, and on the bottom pic the back also shows that strip continuing round the top part of this buckle see below,


Also the add on to what you describe as the Loop the decritive scrole work that is running around the inner part of the loop must be separate on some buckles, I hope you can see what I mean.
Regards Brennivs :lol:

[Robert]

With all due respect, but that crude loop seems like a later addition to hold the parts together, made by some character who found it way back then ....

[brennivs - tony drake]

Robert are you meaning the large loop of bronze? on the top pic at the top of the plate and buckle?
Regards Brennivs :lol:

[Latinitas]

I have the same question to Robert as Tony. See the first attachment (Buckle 1); the big metal strip seems to me like a repair. That other small metal strip might be used to held the parts together during brazing.

Also the add on to what you describe as the Loop the decritive scrole work that is running around the inner part of the loop must be separate on some buckles, I hope you can see what I mean.

Do you mean that the inner thicker edge that is indicated with green in the second attachment (Buckle 2) is a separate part from the thinner outer part (indicated with the blue lines)? Why do you think that? As can be seen in the first attachment of this post that shows the back of the buckle, the loop with the inner scrolls is one piece.

[brennivs - tony drake]

Yes Latinitas that is what I meant by the small strip the upper part of the buckle, this may show on the lower part if it wasnt the large loop blocking the view. The green highlighted part in the second photo is also what I was refering too as also been brazed on seperate see below on another buckle;

The highlighted red with the 2 black arrows, this area shows the main part of the buckle behind the scrole, the scrole must have been put on top then brazed on. It makes sense as it would be difficult to make if it was all one piece and to file /cut the scrole from this. I hope you can see what I mean :grin:
Regards Brennivs :lol:

[Rado]

long ago I have made several prototypes of such models. The diversity of this model with roofing angle are many as a artifacts. There are many publications on various websites on the subject. I gathered my virtual collection specimens from places like this:
http://www.roma-victrix.com/

The original that inspired me! Described as a private collection.
And some of my Wax work on this model.

---

Geography of this model is specific and it leads to some difficulties in its development.
 Ready wax models together with hinges set.

---

Ready cleaned and polished buckle.The resemblance is very good.. I think.