Greek Bronze Greaves

[Chris B]

Thanks Giannis. You guys have been more help than you'll ever know. I spent all day working today so it's day 3 into my work. I still have a ways to go but thought I would take a break and post an update.

I already broke the knee off the mortar cast. Like a little kid, I just had to see if I could hammer on it. The answer is NO! :oops: My father made a planishing post for me with a 2" trailer hitch ball on the end of a very thick pipe that I now have to use. It is helping some.

I have been annealing literally every few minutes of work. I have my MAAP Gas torch and a bucket of water sitting right next to my work area. It has helped not to break the metal. I will always anneal metal more often now. Consider that lesson learned.

Bronze is VERY, VERY resilient and flexible so it is hard to form in the sense that it just springs back to its old shape as you move from one section to the next. You have to re-hammer the same shapes over, and over, and over. I have found that you CANNOT focus on any one area too much. Matt was right in thinking that you have to slowly shape the WHOLE greave at once.

I have discovered the secret to the curve, but getting it perfect is going to be something else. First, you absolutely have to get the knee area right. By that, I mean that you have to dish it and curve the knee area in the general curve of the bone first. Then you have to lower the area to the inside of the knee cap several inches. Look at your leg right under the knee to the inside curve, right before it passes behind your leg. There is a steep drop inside that is probably the most the metal will have to move and will also have the greatest chance to break aside from the knee.

The second trick to the curve is the calf itself. You have to find a way to push the calf muscles out with the greave closed to blend with the curve being set by the knee area. I am getting much closer, but still am having trouble hammering. I know I am right this time, but am having trouble getting the greave to hug every square inch of my leg perfectly. It really is hard. Well, enough talking. Here are progress pics.

The one on the left it the new attempt and the one on the right is the old. I think anyone would agree they are night and day comparisons now. I didn't get a good angle from the front so look at the one from the back to see more of the curve. The greave needs to be rotated clockwise an inch or so to see it clearly.

I'll get better pics once I get further along. I am going to start the left tomorrow and get it to this stage and then work on them both to completion.