Lorica Segmentata Update

Well, here's the latest update.  I've made 4 hinges now, only 3 that I will actually use.  I think I've got it down now.  I'm working on making my first YouTube video on how to make the brass hinge.  I've tried a few different techniques that make it a little easier.  I will also start a Lorica Segmentata page on this blog detailing the different techniques, listing the equipment I've used and laying out step by step process in making a hinge.  It's actually pretty easy.  I'm also going to add a page for product review as well.  I've bought a few new tools and I'll give you my opinion of them as I use them.  Look for the new YouTube video on the Armor MadeEasy channel!

Brass Hinge

I know I haven't posted in a while.  I've had other priorities of late.  However, I got some brass and a jeweler's saw for my birthday.  Here's the start of my brass hinge for the Roman Lorica Segmentata!

Switching Gears

I've decided to switch gears here.  I will eventually come back to chainmail but seeing that I already have a chainmail shirt and there is loads of information on the Internet on making chainmail, I'm moving on to something else...Roman Armor.  Specifically Lorica Segmentata.  From what I've been able to find, this type of armor is a perfect next step in armor making.  It doesn't require a number of speciallty tools and seems fairly straight forward. 

This is a picture of what I'm talking about (from http://www.medievalcollectibles.com/default.aspx).  

 

The pattern I'm using is from http://www.larp.com/legioxx/lorica.html.  This website has been very helpful.  I will be attempting the Corbridge Type A pattern. 

 

I've read that it is best made with poster board first to make sure that it will fit.  It is easier to make any adjustments (and less expensive) with paper than it is with metal, so this is where I'm starting. 

 

I printed out the patterns onto card stock paper and started making the hinges.  This was a little tricky becuase the patterns are just images.  Luckily the patterns have a scale on them.  I just copied the images into a Word document and resized the picture until the scale on the pattern matched the scale in Word. 

 

 

You need 8 hinges for this pattern.  The hinges are made of 3 pieces:  the two halves (shown above) and a 1/8" bar that serves as a pin.  To make the pin, I just rolled a piece of paper that was approximately 1/8" in diameter and taped it.  The two different halves are similar, however 8 of the halves will have 3 "bars"  connecting the two sides (as shown in the ones already cut above) and the other 8 halves will have only 2 "bars".  Each half is bent around the 1/8" pin.  When each half is bent the pin is threaded through the "bars" connecting the two sides.  This was also a little tricky.  I am glad I am doing this with poster board first.  The half with the 2 "connecting bars"  has to fit between the spaces between the half with the 3 "connecting bars".  I had to trim the pieces slightly in order for them to fit.

 

It was pretty time consuming but here are the finished hinges.  They don't completely bend all the way but they do enough for their purpose.  I'm planning on making a video to make things a little clearer.  To be continued...

 

Chainmail - A Great Beginners Armor

A great type of armor to start out with is chainmail, especially if your budget is limited.  Chainmail, or sometimes just called mail, consists of metal rings linked together in a pattern to form a protective cloth-like material.  Some credit the Celts in inventing chainmail in the 3rd century B.C.  The Romans adopted the Celts chainmail armor and used it for their infantrymen until the first century A.D.  It has also been found in India and Japan.

My first Chainmail Shirt

 

4 in 1 Chainmail Pattern

Pros:

• Requires very few tools
• Material is inexpensive
• Skills are very easy to develop
• Can be made in any space (living room, apartment, etc.)
• Can be done while watching TV
• Making chainmail doesn't make a lot of noise (like other armors)

Cons:

• Very time consuming

ArmorMadeEasy - An Introduction

I’ve always been fascinated with medieval and other period armor and I’ve always wanted to learn how to make it.  I’m not sure how many hours I’ve spend searching the Internet, watching YouTube videos, trying to learn how to make armor.  While it is fun watching professionals hammer out metal on beautiful anvils and other specialized equipment, they never explain in detail what they are doing, where they bought their equipment (how they made it if they didn’t buy them), what material or techniques they are using, etc.  When you’re trying to do it yourself it becomes very frustrating.  Making armor is a lost art and there are not that many people who actually practice it anymore (who really needs it anyway nowadays). 

While I have no delusions of quitting my day job and becoming a professional armorer (okay, maybe there is a small part of me that thinks that would be cool) I would still like to learn how to make it.  Besides the lack of knowledge of how to make armor, I don’t have loads of cash to spend on anvils and other expensive equipment.  I’ve started this blog to document the things I have learned, focusing mostly on making armor on a budget.  I will try to make it as comprehensive as possible and from a beginner’s perspective (since that’s where I’m starting out).  I’ll give tips on what to look for in equipment (where to buy it or how to make it), provide patterns that I’ve used, tell you how much it cost me to make (money and time) and anything else you want to know. 

If this sound like you, you're not alone.  I hope I can help and would appreciate to know any tips you've learned as well.  Now, let's make some armor!