05-02-2010, 04:47 PM
Well, making plumbata seems to be basicly a two man job. It is VERY frustrating trying to do these on one's own, which is why things have taken a whole lot longer then I thought. So I am extending an invitation to come over one rainy day to make yourself a whole lot of them. Just bring a bag of genuine lumpy charcoal and some sharp pliers
Basicly, the technique is very simple, they all seem to follow the same form. For those interested, make a leafshaped head, thin the stock a bit behing the head to start the shaft, cut the bards at the base of the leafshape in the same plane as the shaft. Then, either make a triangular flange, flattening and spreading the stock and then roll that into an open socket or point the shaft to make it tanged. It doesn't really matter which part one does first (head or socket), but as the chances of ruining the head are real if working alone, I tended to start with that. Making a plumbata head can be done in about 15 minutes and then perhaps 5 more for some filing if wanted.
The part that needs a second pair of hands is cutting the bards. The Romans also most likely used a pair of pliers for those, there is iconographic evidence showing they had pliers. But you need someone to hold the stock so the other one can grip the head with the pliers, give it one or two solid whacks to detache the barbs at each side. Same for a sharp chisel, by the way.
Basicly, the technique is very simple, they all seem to follow the same form. For those interested, make a leafshaped head, thin the stock a bit behing the head to start the shaft, cut the bards at the base of the leafshape in the same plane as the shaft. Then, either make a triangular flange, flattening and spreading the stock and then roll that into an open socket or point the shaft to make it tanged. It doesn't really matter which part one does first (head or socket), but as the chances of ruining the head are real if working alone, I tended to start with that. Making a plumbata head can be done in about 15 minutes and then perhaps 5 more for some filing if wanted.
The part that needs a second pair of hands is cutting the bards. The Romans also most likely used a pair of pliers for those, there is iconographic evidence showing they had pliers. But you need someone to hold the stock so the other one can grip the head with the pliers, give it one or two solid whacks to detache the barbs at each side. Same for a sharp chisel, by the way.