08-04-2013, 01:07 AM
Salve Antonius!
Here below you shall see a threat of me making my belt. It is Flavian era and you shall learn a lot my looking through these threads. You can learn more with your eyes than with your own mistakes. My mistakes making this belt so far was A. Wasting time with an unconventional method of making only passable belt plates using wooden stamps. B. I HAD to by the way I HAD to order my leather, cut my apron from 6 individual strips of leather. I could have had two joined but I didn't think that at the time, until attaching them to the belt came along. So watch out for that. It is easier to put 2 rivets into one joined piece of leather at the top of the apron, than it is to attach 6 individually cut strips with 12 rivets...two in each. In fact, when I EMBROIDERED the belt the stitched went through both the belt and apron. It's a good join. But when it comes time to renew the thread, or replace it with linen thread which I will eventually do ( as I used cotton as linen is NOWHERE to find!) it may be a challenge to replace.
I will be happy to give advice!
http://www.romanarmytalk.com/20-roman-re...-belt.html
In this link I have a thread of me making my first and only sword so far! It was my first. I didn't have RAT as a source until after I made my blade, so I didn't take too many pictures and lost the ones I did have ages ago. I used "stock removal" as it is VERY successful. I suggest that when using this method, DON'T take of more than your ROUGH shape of your sword. Use files, PREFERABLY BELT sanders ( can get affordable ones, save up, worth it as you'll use a lot in making things) to finish the final shape of the blade. Then hand sand with finer and finer paper until a nice polish is formed. Anyway, you'll see how I made the brass work mostly...
The handle. Bone is much harder to work with than wood.
A. The right bone is hard to find! You need the lower back leg bone of a calf as the density is good and the hole in the middle isn't too big. I.E KILL A COW. I tried getting one suitable one at a pet store, but there's pictures on this thread of how that went I think....
B. The dust that comes off from the bone when filling is VERY bad for your lung and maybe poisonous when breathed in.
And make your handle from a solid piece of wood not laminated pieces. Be careful as most larger pieces of wood that you buy from hardware stores are multiple pieces joined together and just look solid. LOOK AT THE GRAIN at the ends.... If you want color variation, use a lighter wood like oak for the middle part, and use something darker for the hilt, or two ends. Maybe mahogany. Do some research on what the Romans could have had available!
http://www.romanarmytalk.com/20-roman-re...?start=120
In this thread you may get some good ideas on body armor. Segmentata is easy sure, but can be as challenging for fittings and sizes as any otherarmor, and hamata is probably a long process of riveting and punching your rings. So this type seems good for you.
http://www.romanarmytalk.com/20-roman-re...ction.html
anyway I don't want to write an essay....but any questions please ask. You will actually find we are very friendly here
Sam
Here below you shall see a threat of me making my belt. It is Flavian era and you shall learn a lot my looking through these threads. You can learn more with your eyes than with your own mistakes. My mistakes making this belt so far was A. Wasting time with an unconventional method of making only passable belt plates using wooden stamps. B. I HAD to by the way I HAD to order my leather, cut my apron from 6 individual strips of leather. I could have had two joined but I didn't think that at the time, until attaching them to the belt came along. So watch out for that. It is easier to put 2 rivets into one joined piece of leather at the top of the apron, than it is to attach 6 individually cut strips with 12 rivets...two in each. In fact, when I EMBROIDERED the belt the stitched went through both the belt and apron. It's a good join. But when it comes time to renew the thread, or replace it with linen thread which I will eventually do ( as I used cotton as linen is NOWHERE to find!) it may be a challenge to replace.
I will be happy to give advice!
http://www.romanarmytalk.com/20-roman-re...-belt.html
In this link I have a thread of me making my first and only sword so far! It was my first. I didn't have RAT as a source until after I made my blade, so I didn't take too many pictures and lost the ones I did have ages ago. I used "stock removal" as it is VERY successful. I suggest that when using this method, DON'T take of more than your ROUGH shape of your sword. Use files, PREFERABLY BELT sanders ( can get affordable ones, save up, worth it as you'll use a lot in making things) to finish the final shape of the blade. Then hand sand with finer and finer paper until a nice polish is formed. Anyway, you'll see how I made the brass work mostly...
The handle. Bone is much harder to work with than wood.
A. The right bone is hard to find! You need the lower back leg bone of a calf as the density is good and the hole in the middle isn't too big. I.E KILL A COW. I tried getting one suitable one at a pet store, but there's pictures on this thread of how that went I think....
B. The dust that comes off from the bone when filling is VERY bad for your lung and maybe poisonous when breathed in.
And make your handle from a solid piece of wood not laminated pieces. Be careful as most larger pieces of wood that you buy from hardware stores are multiple pieces joined together and just look solid. LOOK AT THE GRAIN at the ends.... If you want color variation, use a lighter wood like oak for the middle part, and use something darker for the hilt, or two ends. Maybe mahogany. Do some research on what the Romans could have had available!
http://www.romanarmytalk.com/20-roman-re...?start=120
In this thread you may get some good ideas on body armor. Segmentata is easy sure, but can be as challenging for fittings and sizes as any otherarmor, and hamata is probably a long process of riveting and punching your rings. So this type seems good for you.
http://www.romanarmytalk.com/20-roman-re...ction.html
anyway I don't want to write an essay....but any questions please ask. You will actually find we are very friendly here
Sam
Samuel J.