How to do ridges?

Demarkil · Post by **Demarkil** » Tue Feb 08, 2011 5:08 am

Hello!

I want to make some late roman helmets, of the Intercisa type. They are basically two half-bowls, held together by a middle strip of metal with a rigde on it.

I would like som suggestions about the best way to make this ridge. I have tried pitting an iron bar underneath the strip and hammering down the sides. this did produce a ridge, but it was quite low. How do I make it more pronounced?

Cheers,
Martin

Halberds · Post by **Halberds** » Tue Feb 08, 2011 10:31 am

Welcome new member.

My first one was raised over a RR spike.

Then I made some tools to help.

http://home.armourarchive.org/members/h ... rmTool.jpg

http://home.armourarchive.org/members/h ... eform2.jpg

http://home.armourarchive.org/members/h ... ndTool.jpg

Hal

Alec · Post by **Alec** » Tue Feb 08, 2011 1:37 pm

Hello,

Great tools Halbards. I worked up something along the same lines for a ridge helmet project I am working on at the moment. My tool is just a groove in a hunk of steel lying around the shop that I could easily chuck up in a vice -- in the case a small section of railroad line that Horsefriend gave me, and a specialized chisel ground out from a railroad spike.

<IMG src="http://i52.tinypic.com/f57ehu.jpg">

I made the ridge out of a strip of 18ga. I started with a light crease doen the center of the strip to us as a guide. Then I did a light pass with the ridge tool. then to get the deep shape, I did another pass hot -- heating an inch or two at a time and whacking it into the groove. More passes cold to clean it up, then sanding with a resin disc. Here is a shot of it part way.

<IMG src="http://i53.tinypic.com/wrcf2v.jpg">

And a pic of the helmet so far:

<IMG src="http://i55.tinypic.com/rc6gif.jpg">

Pitbull Armory · Post by **Pitbull Armory** » Tue Feb 08, 2011 4:42 pm

Hi, for a piece like that I normally run the strip through my bead roller. Looks like this when Im done and takes about 25 seconds to form. The bead roller is handy for alot of armoring projects ive found.

Take care

Pitbull

Halberds · Post by **Halberds** » Tue Feb 08, 2011 7:52 pm

Cheater.

Your helm needs some breaths.

Choose wisely.

Halberds · Post by **Halberds** » Tue Feb 08, 2011 7:56 pm

Alec
Archive Member

Good How Too post.

Kudos.

Demarkil · Post by **Demarkil** » Wed Feb 09, 2011 7:09 am

Thank you very much for your answers, good sirs! This has given me something to work with. I will post pictures of the finished helmet/s.

This site is great, thanks for the welcome.

Halberds · Post by **Halberds** » Fri Feb 11, 2011 4:50 am

We look foward to pics.
We like progress pics and text.

One would be surprised at how far you can pound a spangen band crease with a simple RR spike clamped in the bench vice.
Hammer from the top, on one side then the other.
Then place on the edge of an ASO and hammer the flange from the inside.
It will curl right around.

Give it a try on some scrap steel band.
I used a raising hammer like this:
http://home.armourarchive.org/members/h ... hammer.jpg
Yes, the oval head helps, it moves the metal where you want it.
I use small ones for clean up also. :wink: