Please help - repairing my lorica

Alastair Christie · Post by **Alastair Christie** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 10:15 am

Hello all,

I wanted to post to ask for some advice. I have looked through a number of old threads, but can't find what I'm after.

I have a suit of live-roleplay armour, lorica segmentata consisting of 16g steel, linked with leather.

The leather has worn through in parts and I will need to replace it. Fortunately, I have done quite a bit of leatherwork now, and have lots of leather, rivetting tools, anvil, etc, so connecting new leather is in itself not an issue.

However, removing rivets from metal and then rivetting leather to metal are both completely new to me. I am guessing I will need to either chisel or drill the old rivets out (not sure what's best?) then find appropriate rivets to handle the weight of steel (not sure what kind?).

Anyone here got any advice? Thanks.

Jim McCoin · Post by **Jim McCoin** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 10:54 am

Alastair, I would try a pair of end cut nippers, I don't know what you call them on your side of the pond. You can trim the leather away from the rivet with a razor knife and just nip the rivit.

I would avoid a hammer and punch, you will end up deforming the sheetmetal.

When you go to re rivet, practice on some scraps first, its not that hard.

Jim McCoin

Alastair Christie · Post by **Alastair Christie** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 11:24 am

Thanks Jim, I'd not seen that tool before. There's no substitute for experience!

Fortunately end cut nippers seem to be called end cut nippers over here too! At least as far as my website of choice www.tooled-up.com are concerned.

The sizes and costs seem pretty varied. I take it that 180mm or 200mm in size refers to the gap between the pincing/cutting blades?

Thomas H · Post by **Thomas H** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 11:27 am

Alistair, i think drilling them out will be the easiest way. all you need to do is center punch the rivet, i mean, dead center, support the plate over a piece of pipe making sur ethe rivet is in contact with the pipe and parallen to the floor. center punch and then drill out with a drill but of the size of your rivets.

rivet ack togetehr as neccesary. remember to number the plates before taking apart.

Alastair Christie · Post by **Alastair Christie** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 11:29 am

Thomas, what would you suggest in terms of a drill/drill bit?

I may try both! These are the kind of tools I'll end up using over and over...

Thomas H · Post by **Thomas H** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 11:33 am

get HSS bit and some coolant, you can get it in small bottles from machine mart i think, B&Q may possibly sell it too. as for drills, whatever you can afford. try and get one with a cord, the hassle with cordles drills and charging times aren't worth the extra cost.

RandallMoffett · Post by **RandallMoffett** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 12:22 pm

Hey go by Barnetts and look for some end nippers. They have a huge selection here in York so I imagine you'd be able to find some down there. I have not bought one yet as I am broke at the minute but I have seen many types here though. IF you get large ones it is a few seconds job per rivet to remove them with nippers. Good luck,
RPM

Tascius · Post by **Tascius** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 1:39 pm

As you had leather within the rivet the endnipers should be the best method. Once the leather is removed you should have plenty of room for the end nippers to get under the rivet washer. Do you have two rivets at each articulation point? If you look at the origanal Roman lorica design, two rivets and large square washers at each load bearing attachment point of the torso harness. This method helps greatly in reducing wear and tear at each load bearing point. This page should help. http://www.larp.com/legioxx/lorica.html
Tascius

Alastair Christie · Post by **Alastair Christie** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 2:32 pm

Thanks for the advice everyone, and Tascius for the link - I recall reading the "Things to avoid" bit when I was first looking at buying armour and the pattern seems to be the one used by the armourer.

The articulation points all have two rivets, and these are fine for the moment. It's the shoulders that have ripped through, where three straps with one rivet per plate would hold the armour together.

I'm also aware some of the brass lacing loops are bending under the weight of the steel, which is bound to need some work; probably after the next time I wear it! That link is helpful on that front too.

I've ordered a decent pair of nippers and some HSS bits just in case!

Sean Powell · Post by **Sean Powell** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 4:29 pm

I suspect both the nippers AND the drill bits will be useful. If the rivets are a soft metal like copper or brass and the holes are tight (not intended for articulation) then the rivets often "fatten" during the mushrooming process. This means that you can cut away the big portion getting the strap and washer out of the way but often have to drill out part of the shank to get out the rest.

Warning: Drilled rivets are HOT. do not manipulate with fingers.

Also, you can often drill part way and pop out with a center punch and a swift smack of a hammer.

Be prepared for some mild reshaping as removing rivets with nippers or even putting new rivets in can lead to small local bends.

Happy hammering,
Sean

Please help - repairing my lorica

Please help - repairing my lorica

Lorica ?