11-15-2009, 12:57 AM
Next I flipped the piece around and hammered the main abdominal section (the rectus abdominis muscles below the uppermost bit) from the front with my slightly domed blacksmithing hammer because, despite every other recreation I've ever seen anywhere, the real artifacts' abdominal sections are concave- actually tapering from the ribcage down and the lower hem up to meet roughly at the second 'pinch' of the rectus abdominus, above the umbilicus. Some are shaped more significantly than others, but all the anatomical muscle cuirasses are this way because it's anatomically-correct. The abdomen should never be in line with the chest- that's simply wrong for this type of armour.
I also begin bending the sides around here as well- since hammering the projecting bits significantly interferes with any lateral bending, it's necessary to to them more or less simultaneously- a bit of dishing a bit of bending, a bit more dishing and so on, so the lateral curve is 'built in'. I've also began introducing the linea alba- the indented line running vertically up the length of the torso as this too helps with the lateral bending and is easier to begin while the piece is flat.
In the second photo I'm already heating to allow easier increase in the projection of the pectoralis majors since they really do project significantly on real cuirasses and it's easy to mistakenly leave them too shallow since the sections below them will be dished out as well as the shaping progresses, and how they seem initially won't stay the same. I didn't photograph this since it was impossible to hold everything and the camera, but it's on the cylindrical steel form edge since obviously red hot steel wouldn't do well with a wooden form :wink: The other benefit of working hot is that less force is necessary meaning the cold areas that rest on the form wont' be distorted while the hot area is moved by lighter blows.
I've also done some work with the blacksmith hammer on the lower section of the abdomen since it's necessary to flare that out some to more easily create the convex section in the middle (the chest and lower hem are at least equal in 'height' or very often the latter projects even more). I did that just on the flat pine block since it needs not be significant dishing and the impact of a slightly domed hammer face will automatically stretch and dish the metal slightly when done on a 'soft' surface- a sand bag would probably do well also.
I also begin bending the sides around here as well- since hammering the projecting bits significantly interferes with any lateral bending, it's necessary to to them more or less simultaneously- a bit of dishing a bit of bending, a bit more dishing and so on, so the lateral curve is 'built in'. I've also began introducing the linea alba- the indented line running vertically up the length of the torso as this too helps with the lateral bending and is easier to begin while the piece is flat.
In the second photo I'm already heating to allow easier increase in the projection of the pectoralis majors since they really do project significantly on real cuirasses and it's easy to mistakenly leave them too shallow since the sections below them will be dished out as well as the shaping progresses, and how they seem initially won't stay the same. I didn't photograph this since it was impossible to hold everything and the camera, but it's on the cylindrical steel form edge since obviously red hot steel wouldn't do well with a wooden form :wink: The other benefit of working hot is that less force is necessary meaning the cold areas that rest on the form wont' be distorted while the hot area is moved by lighter blows.
I've also done some work with the blacksmith hammer on the lower section of the abdomen since it's necessary to flare that out some to more easily create the convex section in the middle (the chest and lower hem are at least equal in 'height' or very often the latter projects even more). I did that just on the flat pine block since it needs not be significant dishing and the impact of a slightly domed hammer face will automatically stretch and dish the metal slightly when done on a 'soft' surface- a sand bag would probably do well also.
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