Improving the lorica seg-help/advice

[Gaivs Antonivs Satvrninvs]

Salve,fraterii.
I was wanting to break down my seg and replace the interior leathers and even possibly trim some plates that are exceptionally wide. Mine is a Deepeeka of fairly recent design,about 1 1/2 years old. I want to make the secondary shoulder plates(arms)closer to the correct size(they measure 3 1/4 inches wide),trim the points from the shoulder plates
adjust the upper torso plates so the top one(s)don't press against the inside of my upper arm. I'm using 4/5oz leather and plan on replacing the rivets with copper ones. I will,of course,number all parts and work only on 1 section at a time. I have until mid June to do the work.
Please advise for or against these proposed changes.
Thanks in advance.

[Magnus]

Well, if it's for a better fit, then go for it. I wouldn't worry too much about the sizes of the plates, since you're going to re-shape them to your proportions. I'm sure some seggies were fitted to the person, or made in certain sized batches.

[Matthew Amt]

I agree, go for it. You should have plenty of time. But yeah, don't strip the whole thing down to individual parts, or your deadline might bite you! One section at a time.

Presumably you've already been here:

http://www.larp.com/legioxx/lorica.html

If you meant that the upper shoulder guard (3 hinged plates) was 3-1/4" wide, that isn't too bad, but yeah, I'd go ahead and trim it as long as you're going to disassemble the rest of the shoulder. Outer shoulder guards are typically 2" wide each--it is very common to make them too wide, but they are SHOULDER guards, not arm guards. The actual Corbridge finds offer some other options, though:

http://www.larp.com/legioxx/altLSG.gif

Sounds like a good plan! Yell if you get stuck.

Matthew

[A_Volpe]

Good luck! Riveting can be really fun...But sometimes those shoulder sections are *really* hard to ballance on your rivetting surface (unfortunately I have a table vice, but it works)...So if you can, have a friend help hold the plates up as you rivet!

Matt Amt's page is excellent. I re-did my shoulder plates about a year ago, and very happy with my own handiwork.

I went to the hardware store and got Copper Roofing Nails (flat headed, apx 1/4" diameter) They are plenty long for the shoulder plates...You can save the shanks you clip off, and probably use those for smaller rivets for say, your belt plates.

My only gripe with my armor was that the shoulder plates were of varying thickness. Some were just thicker than 16 gauge, which was frustrating to try and cut down, whereas some were thinner...So make sure you get a hold of some nice, strong tin snips/aviation snips.

Also, getting the existing brass rivets off will be difficult...You might have to 'nibble' away at the sides, like a Beaver on a tree, of the brass shank to cut them off; or carefully grind them down.

Most likely the outer shoulder plates and the belly/girdle plates will be riveted with innacurate soft aluminum rivets and plates, these were cake to pull out - I used a needle-nosed plier and just curled over/pulled over the rivet plate, which either pulled out the rivet, or exposed it so I could quickly cut out the shank and pop it out.

I also had to drill centered holes on my armor for the internal harness straps, hopefully that won't be an issue with yours...And the "anchor points" of the shoulder guard straps that end inside the "breast plates" may need to be relocated a little way upwards to have a correct angle of the plates (some of my straps were also incorrectly "anchored" on the bottom rivets of the hinge plates)...You'll have some holes, but they'll be covered by the overlap of all the plates.

I'd also suggest, if you can/have time, replace the brass hinges...If they are the older, "c" shaped half hinges, replace them with full hinges as Matt Amt's page explains....I wish I did....But I'm *awful* at making hinge plates!

[Gaivs Antonivs Satvrninvs]

Thanks for the suggestions so far,guys. Yes,the plates I referred to as shoulder/arm plates are really wide and hang an inch from my elbow.I'm sure trimming those plus changing the leathers will help.
I have checked your site,Matt,very often for a variety of helpful instructions.You can be sure I'll re-read before I even start.

[Gaivs Antonivs Satvrninvs]

Does anyone think I could use my Dremel to take the points off the shoulder plates?If so,how would I bevel the deges as they are now without getting a sharp edge?Just a thought that might be a small improvement without disassembling it.Possible?