10-08-2013, 09:49 PM
I was very very lucky yesterday: I took an introductory masterclass on forging in Robert Wimmers smithy. It was a wonderful experience, I learned a lot about forging in the traditional way, and I saw all the wonderful pieces Robert has laying around at home (i'm in love with a late 1st c BC sword), i got a beautiful and huge 1st c AD Roman cooking knife, and a small one. And besides learning "Roman" things, i learned a lot about life by talking to Robert! I should call him Master Robert!
This is the product of our hard work (Robert guiding me and and hitting the iron when i couldn't avoid hitting the anvil!), a mid Republican pilum, coming from Castellruf, dating to the end of the 3rd c BC, with a square flange with four wings. The earliest Roman pilum known (and of the same type, it seems, that the ones found in Telamon). Hope you like it.
Starting the flange:
![[Image: cpwd.jpg]](http://imageshack.com/a/img32/9398/cpwd.jpg)
Spreading the iron:
![[Image: qder.jpg]](http://imageshack.com/a/img546/3169/qder.jpg)
Tapering the shaft:
![[Image: z15c.jpg]](http://imageshack.com/a/img20/5986/z15c.jpg)
Robert working the point:
![[Image: 55tn.jpg]](http://imageshack.com/a/img853/7798/55tn.jpg)
Bending the wings:
![[Image: d0xa.jpg]](http://imageshack.com/a/img163/8706/d0xa.jpg)
Really happy with the result:
![[Image: nkzl.jpg]](http://imageshack.com/a/img96/8682/nkzl.jpg)
A finished 3rd c BC Pilum!
![[Image: 5i1z.jpg]](http://imageshack.com/a/img4/7978/5i1z.jpg)
This is the product of our hard work (Robert guiding me and and hitting the iron when i couldn't avoid hitting the anvil!), a mid Republican pilum, coming from Castellruf, dating to the end of the 3rd c BC, with a square flange with four wings. The earliest Roman pilum known (and of the same type, it seems, that the ones found in Telamon). Hope you like it.
Starting the flange:
Spreading the iron:
Tapering the shaft:
Robert working the point:
Bending the wings:
Really happy with the result:
A finished 3rd c BC Pilum!
Eduardo Vázquez
