The Gallic D again

[Anonymous]

About the brass inlay on the brow reinforce, I think I have spotted a detail which might salve the problem of connecting the brass to the brow reinforce.<br>
However I wanted to know what any of you guys think about it. The details on the enhanced photo are difficult to recognize.<br>
If you look closely, you see a hole about an inch to the left from were the brass plate starts. This 'hole' is rust colored like the rest of the iron parts of the helmet. I think this is a small mount on the reinforce which goes trough the brass and is peened like a rivet. If this is right, then it would be a lot easier to secure the brass plate.<br>
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The brass plate also doesn't appear to be in one piece, there seems to be two plates with a separation in the middle.<br>
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As always, your thoughts and knowledge will be highly appreciated.<br>
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Greetings,<br>
<br>
Jurgen/Quintilianus <p></p><i></i>

[Matthew Amt]

Ave, Jurgen!<br>
Uh, I think you might not understand what is meant by "inlay". The decorative brass strip along the front brim is just riveted on. But the the little chevrons along the front edge of the "peak" or brow reinforce are actually set into small depressions in the iron. Every little individual angled stripe is a separate tiny piece of brass--a small slot or nick is cut for it in the iron (probably with a small chisel), it is laid into place, and the edges of the iron are smoothed back down to hold it in place. That's what makes inlay such a beast of a job, every tiny piece has to be done individually. In this case, each chevron is two pieces, upper and lower.<br>
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There is a domed rivet (probably brass) at each end of the reinforce to secure it to the helmet. But I don't think there are any other rivets anywhere else on the reinforce.<br>
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If I were you, I'd start by making the thing without the inlay. At some point in the future, you'll probably find a craftsman who can do that kind of work, at which point you grind out those two rivets, pop the reinforce off the helmet, and hand it to him with a bunch of money.<br>
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OR you can learn to do inlay, which probably involves getting therapy or tranquilizers... But if you conquer it, I'll send some customers your way!<br>
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Vale,<br>
<br>
Matthew/Quintus <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Ave Matthew,<br>
<br>
Now I understand! What an impossible task!<br>
Oh, why do I always have to pick out the difficult cases.<br>
I think I will probably take your advice..., but not without a trial on some scrap metal tough!<br>
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Until next time,<br>
<br>
Jurgen/Quintilianus <p></p><i></i>

[PhilusEstilius]

I have to say that I cannot agree with Matthew on his desciption of how the inlays are done on the Gallic "D" helmet peak for when we look at the tinted photograph produced by Ludwick Lindenschitt we find an inlay that is Brass and Copper Chevrons that sit very close to one another and can't have been put in by the method he puts forward,