Uhm, confused to say the least...

[Icelandic]

I actually just got a propane torch a week or so ago, to finish up bending my hinges and such, and just tried it a couple of days ago; on the ones that I tried it with, I was extremely satisfied with the results

[Matthew Amt]

You can get little cakes of beeswax at a fabric store--it is used for waxing thread while hand-sewing. (Sometimes come with little plastic holder, not really necessary!) Leather supply places will have it, too. Or you can buy a big brick of it at craft stores like JoAnns, Michaels, etc.

The Legio XX pattern pages should all include a scale of inches. Just enlarge until they match your ruler. 136 percent sounds like it should be in the ballpark. One thing to remember is always aim for the thin wispy look--it's very easy to cut the patterns out OUTside the lines, trace them onto the brass, cut outside THOSE lines, and when you're done your hinges are huge and blobby. The originals are small and elegant, usually. I really ought to re-do those patterns some day!

Matthew

[Hibernicus]

Annealing brass for most fittings.... we stopped. It certainly makes it easier to bend and shape and cut the brass but it also weakens it. We'll anneal brass rod to shape torso closure fittings, but the rehammering usually rehardens it to a certain extent.

The trick to quick, clean chisel cutting is a sharp chisel and the right surface to hammer into... we prefer a lead block. This eliminates the need to aneal.

Matt's correct about the seeming delicate shape of lobate hinges . We offer our guys 12 hinge patterns some of which are down right gnarly and chunky. We also enourage the occasional use of some of the repair hinges that have been found.

[Icelandic]

Thank you Matt, and Hibernicus. Matt, for one, I would be incredibly grateful if you were to P

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

So working brass rehardens it? Is it the same for bronze? I bought a torch too, so I can start some little projects. If the weather ever clears up! :x

[Marcus Caecilius Avitus]

Getting back to the original point;

I purchased a jewlery saw and I'm quite happy with it. I recently cut the triangular piercings for a Strilfield Seg (all 16) out of 1mm brass (fully rolled) in other words 2mm. Considerably thicker than original but it's a special for a gorilla.

I did go though about 12+ blades, but you get loads for next to nothing.

The two important things I found were;
1. mount the blade squarely in the end grips then put on plenty of tension using the top adjuster.
2. let the saw do the work, don't push. It takes ages, but it will work.

[Icelandic]

Thank you, Marcus. What's a Strilfield? I can't seem to find anything on the internets about it. You know what they say about inquiring minds


And yes, Giaus, from what I can understand, heating brass up to red-hot, then letting it cool softens the brass, whereas working it with a hammer makes it harder. Again, that's just my understanding, but I think that's how it goes.

[Martin Moser]

Hi Brandon,

maybe those two threads are interesting for you as well:

http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic.php?t=8402

http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic.php?t=6690

[Icelandic]

Thanks Martin, but I actually have both of those links bookmarked to my favorites; I have quite a collection of references for any little thing

[Marcus Caecilius Avitus]

Brandon,

A Strilfield is just the updated Newstead Pattern.

Check out Matt Amt's , VI Victrix or Jared's site (Florentius).

[Icelandic]

Ah, very nice. Quite pretty

[LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS]

Put some wax or gun/ machine oil in the saw, and it goes a lot more fast and brokes a lot less.

[Icelandic]

Okay, according to my measurements of the Legio XX blueprints for hinges, they should be about 2,3/4" x 1,1/8" at the barrel; is this correct? Sorry, it's just kinda part of my own "measure twice (more like 6 times :wink: ) and cutting once"

[Icelandic]

anyone? anyone wanna measure their hinges real quick? It'd be extremely helpful

[Martin Moser]

anyone? anyone wanna measure their hinges real quick?

Mine are made after an original find, starting from a 28x65 mm rectangle. I posted pictures of those hinges here