The Armour Archive

Has anyone done this successfully? I seem to remember someone commenting on pliers mods in an edge rolling thread.

Cheers,
Dave.

The brief efforts I made rolling edges with pliers had negative results. You can't get a full roll using the pliers, they tend to mark up the work... etc. etc.

I found it more successful to roll the edge with a hammer (carefully) and then tuck it with a fairly dull chisel.

Zweihammer did it with specially modified vice grips, if I remember correctly, and these were small, gauntlet cuff rolls. So it does work, if you know what you're doing. Hopefully he'll chime in here...

arty dave wrote:Has anyone done this successfully? I seem to remember someone commenting on pliers mods in an edge rolling thread.

Cheers,
Dave.

Ages ago when I was first taught basic metal armouring skills, the gentleman who showed me the techniques would use a piece of round stock with a slot cut in the end to get his rolls started. The slot was just wide enough for the metal being worked, and a depth such that when it bottomed out the bend created was the right size for the desired roll.

Didn't mar, got the roll started quickly, easily and uniformly. From there he would work them the rest of the way with a hammer.

Gavin

I've done flares this way but not full rounds. for a quick and dirty solution you can use an adjustable wrench. For a better solution cut a slot into some round or square stock. Also be very certain to round all of the edges with a file, dremmel, sandpaper, whatever. The 14ga mild steel around the great-helm eyes scraped and scarred up from the tool and that is a bitch of an area to planish, sand and pollish.

Theoreticly starting a roll and finishing by hammer should be possible.

Sean

Thanks for your ideas, I agree probly impossible to do a whole roll, but to start one it might be worth playing with some slotted bar stock. I'm not trying to avoid using the hammer, just make life a little easier.

cheers,
dave.