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Bronze strigils: cast or wrought?
#1
I'm planning to make up a strigil or two soon, and in all the lovely pictures I'm finding, one question still hasn't been answered: was it more common for these to be cast or forged? I have access to bronze casting equipment and my spouse works as a blacksmith, so I can do it either way. I want it to be accurate for whatever was most common in the Republican period.
~Sarah Collins, professional glass bead nerd specializing in pre-1200AD replicas.
Etsy: Heart of Oak Crafts
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#2
Sarah.
I have made a few of these over the years and find that if you get mild steel or brass sheet say 18 gauge / 1.2 mm they can be forged very easy, in fact for the curve use a block of lead and this way with a round ball tool you can also hammer in the curve along the blade area. Then the handles on some are just folded over them selves so you can insert the fingers through them, the rounded blade area can then be filed smooth on both edges to slide over the skin.
Brian Stobbs
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#3
That makes sense. I'll try that way. Thank you!
~Sarah Collins, professional glass bead nerd specializing in pre-1200AD replicas.
Etsy: Heart of Oak Crafts
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#4
I forgot to mention the width of your metal strip needs to be around 3/4 to 1 inch and the length will sort itself out as you hammer it into shape so give enough length, then when you bend the handle around it can be cut to correct length then a touch of solder or better braising so your hubby can deal with that job.
Brian Stobbs
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#5
Here is the basic that you are looking for.
[attachment=10459]strig.jpg[/attachment]


Attached Files Thumbnail(s)
   
Brian Stobbs
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#6
Hi Sarah I would say looking at some a bit of both. The iron ones are forged, where as a one from Reculver is in bronze but the handle is made tubular and added to the scraper. This is mine in iron from London Wall and is forged. It just depends on which one you copy Big Grin
.[Image: P5260143.jpg]
Regards Brennivs Big Grin
Woe Ye The Vanquished
                     Brennvs 390 BC
When you have all this why do you envy our mud huts
                     Caratacvs
Centvrio Princeps Brennivs COH I Dacorivm (Roma Antiqvia)
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#7
I see you are on Etsy. I would be interested in your strigil project if you would consider Greek styles in either com bronze or some sort of tin bronze. Old drum cymbals are a good source of 10% tin - 90% copper bronze. Although no two artifact strigils seem to be the same Greek versions often are grasped inside the handle and Roman versions appear to be held over the handle. I've never seen a Greek strigil with a solid handle, but there are plenty of Roman versions with solid handles or "Hercules club" like handles. Try not to make them too big, many are quite small although their are certainly some monsters out there - let the function dictate the form. I've also seen ceramic and bone versions, which might simply be decorative rather than useful. If you do make some iron versions try to get them shined up nicely as iron does shine well.
Joe Balmos
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