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Mainz Calceus Reconstruction
#1
Hi,

just (almost) finished my first attempt at building a Mainz style calceus (son needs new shoes for Aalen coming weekend ...). Nailing is still missing, otherwise it is pretty much done.

[Image: CalceusMainzRekon_02.jpg]

[Image: CalceusMainzRekon_03.jpg]

[Image: CalceusMainzRekon_01.jpg]

For some drawings of the originals for comparison please look here
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#2
Hey, that looks nice! Comfortable? What period are they suitable for?
Military hobnails? I can see you are pretty busy!
Visne partem mei capere? Comminus agamus! * Me semper rogo, Quid faceret Iulius Caesar? * Confidence is a good thing! Overconfidence is too much of a good thing.
[b]Legio XIIII GMV. (Q. Magivs)RMRS Remember Atuatuca! Vengence will be ours!
Titus Flavius Germanus
Batavian Coh I
Byron Angel
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#3
Neat I did not realize that shoe had a tongue.
James Barker
Legio XIIII Martia Victrix
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#4
Well done Martin..is there no limit to your skill... Big Grin
Roman Name: Gaius Marcius Gracilis

AKA: Mark Headlee
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#5
Wow, that's great Martin! Did you use one of those shoe forms to get the shape of the foot?
____________________________________________________________
Magnus/Matt
Du Courage Viens La Verité

Legion: TBD
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#6
Quote:Neat I did not realize that shoe had a tongue.

Yes, all the finds from Mainz do have it
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#7
Quote:Did you use one of those shoe forms to get the shape of the foot?

I used the method of Jared Fleury ( http://www.florentius.com/calcei-pattern.htm ) - I find it works very well. For the making of the shoe I used a modern last (still have to make me "Roman" ones), but that is not really a problem, I find. If you are interested I can post pictures of the process here as I still have to make the second one ...
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#8
Yes please Martin.

I have the report on these shoes, and yours look exactly like the find drawings - Well done! Even rough-side-out too!
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#9
Well, here we go. First a pciture of the pattern as taken from the foot and then developed into a cutting pattern on paper. The shoes from Mainz are made of one piece of leather, closed by one seam. I arrived at the following pattern:

[Image: MainzCalceusRekon_11.jpg]

The piece in the middle is the template for the tongue.
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#10
First I sew on the tongue. I mark the middle of the vamp section where the tongue gets attached to and the middle of the tongue to get a point where those two are joined. Then I pierce the upper to prepare for sewing.

[Image: MainzCalceusRekon_10.jpg]

From this point I sew the tongue on downwards. Flesh side is out for both the upper and the tongue. Here is the finished seam:

[Image: MainzCalceusRekon_09.jpg]
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#11
What's the rough dating on shoes like these? I always get a bit confused with calcei.

Superb as usual Martin.
TARBICvS/Jim Bowers
A A A DESEDO DESEDO!
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#12
Next I close the side seam. This is a parallel row of seams on the inside of the foot. Check for the right circumference against the pattern taken from the foot before closing the seam.

Edges prepared for sewing:

[Image: MainzCalceusRekon_08.jpg]

The completed seam:

[Image: MainzCalceusRekon_06.jpg]

[Image: MainzCalceusRekon_07.jpg]
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#13
Time to get in the heel stiffener: Typically those stiffeners where 6-8 cms high and about 15 cms wide. Carefully "sharpen" (that's what it's called in German) the edges all around to help folding the welt over the last and to avoid having a "step" inside the shoe where the upper end of the heel stiffener is.

[Image: MainzCalceusRekon_05.jpg]

Glueing in the heel stiffener. Sometimes they were sewn onto the upper along the edges, but in most cases no traces of sewing are visible. (Must get around to use bone or hide glue for this eventually instead of modern stuff :-P P )

[Image: MainzCalceusRekon_04.jpg]
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#14
Beautiful work, Martin.
What's happening in Aalen this week-end? I'll be there in a few weeks.
Andy Booker

Gaivs Antonivs Satvrninvs

Andronikos of Athens
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#15
Quote:What's happening in Aalen this week-end? I'll be there in a few weeks.

Just their annual "family day" at the museum. Lots of activities for families and kids especially.
Will you be coming to the Munich area as well?
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