Soldered rivets

[Latinitas]

Thanks guys, I understand the meaning of a "sprue" now. I`m very interested in some images of the sprue of your plate, Brian. Could you send some images to me?

There are some more things I like to know more about. It`s maybe a good idea to ask that in steps to keep it well-organized. What did the romans use as flux to solder, and how did they cut the sprue? Modern smiths are able to use very fine saws, but I can imagine that the romans were not able to make such fine tools. Using a chisel could be a solution, but they are very "big" so it`s difficult to cut fine work.

[PhilusEstilius]

I don't think we should under estimate the skill of Roman tool making indeed for a strong pair of pincers would remove a 1/4 inch square spue from any piece of bronze and then a fine file would do the cleaning up work.
Then of course you have asked the $64,000 dollar question of just what did the Romans use as a flux, they had lead and tin along with many other metal ingredients to create various solders.

[Latinitas]

I don't think we should under estimate the skill of Roman tool making indeed for a strong pair of pincers would remove a 1/4 inch square spue from any piece of bronze and then a fine file would do the cleaning up work.
Then of course you have asked the $64,000 dollar question of just what did the Romans use as a flux, they had lead and tin along with many other metal ingredients to create various solders.

Ok, thanks. Has such pincers to cut sprues ever been found at excavations? About the flux: I know the romans had many metal ingredients to create various solders, but the metals have to be covered with something to prevent oxidation. Oxidation causes bad results. What did the Romans use as flux? I`ve heard something about bee-wax or a resin from a tree or something like that. Anyone who knows more about that?

You said they finished their pieces with a fine file. That`s interesting because I wasn`t sure if they had files. I knew they could finish wood with files but wasn`t sure if they were fine enough to work metal. Does anybody have some images of metal working tools (like files, pincers, hammers, chisels, punches, moulds etc)?

The last for now: does anybody have some images drawings (or dimensions) of the frogs from Velsen?

[Peroni]

Mike Wrote,

These are strange little devils, as you only ever find buckle plates, never straightforward belt-plates. They are also exclusively British, early 2nd century (when they can be dated), and enamel-inlaid (although resembling the earlier niello-inlaid designs). The example from Corbridge also has the square sprue stub on the underside.

Some finds exist from Germany. The plates reconstructed by Markus Neidhart are recontructed with the support of Stefanie Hoss. http://www.shef.ac.uk/archaeology/resea ... /hoss.html

She graduated at the University at Cologne with an examination of the roman military belt. The work is in progress, and her book will be published soon. She provided Markus some tables and drawings in advance, and there are quite a lot of simple plates without buckles.(Regensburg, Rottweil/Straubing), but of course, troop movements could well account for the finds being outside of a British context.