Segmentata Hooks

[LuciusSallustiusPlautus]

Couldn't really find any thread on this so I thought I should start one (though I've been known to not notice obvious threads...) Has anyone made Lorica Segmentata hooks from brass rods? I've noticed from the finds in Corbridge that the hooks are rods flattened on one end. I imagine it would take a somewhat thick rod and a lot of annealing.

In the past I've forged brass rod and bar by heating it a very dull (barely) red and working it hot with no problems..... temperature is critical though... I doubt that given the thinness of the loop that simply flattening the end of a piece of thin enough rod would produce a wide enough plate, so it would be necesary the start with a thicker rod/bar and forge this to size both loop and plate...

I've tried flattening a 3/8" brass rod while hot with no problems but it just doesn't get wide enough without it getting too thin. I'll try a thicker rod and thin the hook. It's actually not as difficult as I expected. My only worry is that it might not hold up well on segmentata. I'll keep you all updated and a some pictures with the finished hook.