Embossing

[jester]

Looking at Fashion in the Age of the Black Prince and they've got a picture of an embossing block used to make bezants. My question: how? Searching here and on the internet in general it seems like they would have carved the negative into the block, placed the metal on top, put a layer of leather on top of that and then hammered away. Does that seem reasonable?

[Baron Alcyoneus]

I don't think that would do anything beside break the mold if it was weaker than the hammer. I think you'd need a male form of some sort, whether wood or metal depending on the level of detail. I have the book at home, I'll look into it.

[Mac]

Jester,

Theophilus tells us how to do this sort of work here. http://books.google.com/books?id=MMiLTJ ... rk&f=false

The trick is to back the work with lead. Tin would probably work just as well, and be cleaner.

Theophilis is the "go to guy". Everyone should have a copy of his book.

Mac