The Armour Archive

A Black Hole last weekend, one man asked me how to make a flanged mace head. I answered as best I could, but told him that I didn't really know for certain. Other than casting the head, or forge welding the flanges on, is there any other way to make a mace?


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The defining characteristic of fanaticism is the inability to understand why everyone else is not a fanatic.

Yes. Therer are a few ways.
But you need to be more specific with your question (what type of mace, for modern reproduction or for historically accurate? those sort of questions)

I am too tired and blah to give a shotgun style answer that *might* contain the information you are really looking for.

I know of about 6 ways that flange maces of various types were made with a forge.

Sasha

The hard way: take a piece of iron in the shape of the profile of two flanges, I guess a diamond shape for most maces, with langlets coming down from the bottom point on the diamond. The iron should be twice as thick as you want each flange on the mace. Use a chisel to split the outside points on the diamond, making those two flanges into four flanges.

The easy way: either cast it, or make two diamond shapes with a slot cut out of the front/bottom point to the middle. Slide the two together to lock into place. Make sure to put langlets off the bottom of one of the diamons, to rivet/tie/weld to the haft.

were maces made hardened, or would they be made of what's now mild steel?
if hardened, could I make it out of mild and case harden it?

Not being an expert on maces, the best I can say is that the guy wanted to make a flanged mace using historically accurate techniques.

Thanks for the help, folks.

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The defining characteristic of fanaticism is the inability to understand why everyone else is not a fanatic.