Lacing loop help!

[emj1s]

Im using .032 Brass and I have the squares cut. Ive tried the folding technique and I cant seem to actually get it to roll. With that thick of material should i cut the excess of and single roll it or...... What?

[Neuraleanus]

Heat the brass to red hot followed by a quick quench. This softens the brass allowing it to be easily rolled about a wooden dowl. After rolling, reharden by reheating and letting the brass slowly cool.

[Matthew Amt]

Ave!

You mean like the ones on my site?

http://www.larp.com/legioxx/loops1.jpg

Those are .020 or .015, about half the thickness of the .032 that you're using. Yup, it will be much harder to fold in. Go with thinner brass, I'd say, or use something thicker and just cut out the finished shape (wide base with narrow tongue). That's how we used to do them, but using the thinner brass and folding in the edges is much quicker, more accurate, and looks nicer, too.

This is why you do all the brass doodads before starting the steel, eh? Good luck and Vale,

Matthew

[Marcus Mummius]

but using the thinner brass and folding in the edges is much quicker, more accurate, and looks nicer, too.

How is this more accurate Matt? I've never seen an original lacing loop that was constructed this way...

Vale,
Jef

[emj1s]

yes might, like yours

[marsvigilia]

Alternatively, you could use red brass. Which is closer to what the Romans used and has the enormous advantage of being able to be worked hot. Just heat to a nice hot glow and the turn the end with a pair of long handled o-ring pliers. You can do very large gauges this way.

[M. Demetrius]

What's the source for red brass, bro?

(BTW, I have your baldric almost ready to put in the box...should be ready by tomorrow or Wednesday)

[marsvigilia]

My favorite supplier for Red Brass C230 is Thunderbird but I sometimes use SantaFe.


Thunderbird Supply Company
800-545-7968
www.thunderbirdsupply.com
Largest gauges sold
sheet 16 gauge 6â€

[M. Demetrius]

Thanks! I'll get in touch with those brass sellers. Addresses snagged.

Your baldric is done, and will be boxed tonight, and shipped tomorrow.

BTW,
If your avatar ever inhales, he'll swallow a flying insect, for sure. Who the heck is that guy, anyhow??

[Gaivs Antonivs Satvrninvs]

Salve,Matt(Titus)
If you'll PM me I think I might be
able to help you unless you've
solved your problem by now.

Matt A.---what kind of clamping device
is that in your picture link? Looks like
it makes the process a breeze.

[Matt Lukes]

It's not at all necessary to be able to work brass hot really- not for the thicknesses we're talking about here. Once annealed, even 0.064" brass is nice and soft and easily rolled with needlenose pliers. I've bent brass as thick as 1/4" x 1/2" laterally after annealing. It seems that Matt's issue is simply that- he's trying to roll the folded, un-annealed metal, which can be tough to do cleanly. Heat it up, quench it and you're golden. Just don't forget to place the loop edge on on an anvil surface and tap it a few times with a hammer to set the shape- that'll help keep it from uncurling too easily.

[Matthew Amt]

Matt A.---what kind of clamping device
is that in your picture link? Looks like
it makes the process a breeze.

The wide-jawed plyers? They're for doing gutter and siding work--you can get them at Home Depot, etc. They definitely make some jobs much easier! I use them for things like sword scabbard guttering, too.

Jef, you were wondering about the accuracy of this type of folded-tonge loop. I'd have to dig around, but I'm pretty sure a few were done that way. A loose one in the Corbridge box springs to mind, though I'd want to double-check that. I don't think it was THE most common method--most really seem to have been flattened rod. But it's vastly easier for us!

Valete,

Matthew

[Gaivs Antonivs Satvrninvs]

Thanks for the reply on those pliars,Matthew.

[Matt Lukes]

I think I saw one- was it in Mike Bishop's book?- that appeared to be made by folding, but every other example has a solid rod loop. Hammering rod is indeed a giant pain- I make them from 0.064" sheet brass myself- just round over the edges of the loop, and hammer the flat portion flatter.

I'm actually less inclined to believe the originals were hammered from rod though- most examples' loop diameter is far too small to account for the size of the flat portion; it seems more likley to me that they were made the way I do it- with flat pieces hammered to the proper thicknesses and sizes...

[Icelandic]

Matt, are those pliers the same thing as seamers? Because when I went to Home Depot to pick some up a long time ago, and asked the guy that worked in tools, he said that's what I was looking for, and I just wanted to verify that I bought the right thing!