Scale Armor & Accuracy

[markusaurelius]

Where anyone would suggest that curves for scales were cut by hand does not appear to be a very logical explanation for the mass production of these things.

My argument was not against mass production, because it makes sense that the scales were produced in an assembly line type situation (one cuts the strip, another cuts the scale to size, another punches the holes and another cuts the curve out of the bottom for instance). My arguement is that the scales were still make by hand, and not made in some uniform identical/mechanical fashion. The physical evidence disproves that.

I agree with Doc regarding the chisel method. I could see the chisel being used for the scales with the flat bottoms, and the triangular cut corners. That would be a simple chisel hit on the three spots. The curved scales however would logically seem to have been done with sheers.



[attachment=5808]straightcutscales.jpg[/attachment]