ROLLING THE EDGES
This detailed process is handled step by step elsewhere on this website
in an illustrated set of instructions. It cannot be stressed enough that
rolling ALL edges is essential to the safe use of armour. Many armours had
some or all of their raggedly worn rolled edges trimmed off for display
in museum display restorations and were polished, etched, and guilded. By
this means a large tattered battle armour could be turned into a small brightly
polished collectors display piece rather than a scholastic study piece.
Money talks. Many armours that remain as they were have rolled edges that
are turned under and not at all readily apparent. Only that the metal looks
very thick and is not. Whether or not historical examples being used as
models have rolled edges safety requires the use of them today. The edges
that are exposed to the outside are subject to abrasion. That tends over
years to sharpen them. The edges against the flesh are even more important.
A massive impact to the armour and an inside edge can be turned back like
a knife blade if unrolled and can do serious damage to the wearer. Of course
the edges of the plates that are exposed can be extremely dangerous if unrolled.
The rolling process is actually very simple but requires exacting aim with
a hammer. The plate is held against the sharp edge of an anvil and the very
edge half inch is pounded back at seventy to ninety degrees to the outside
of the plate. This is carried all around the plate with careful attention
to curves and corners. Then the plate is turned around and one quarter of
an inch of this flange is pounded back in the opposite direction. This creates
a zig zag along the edge. The plate is then held over a stake made from
a rounded edge chisel or crow bar in a vise and that zig zag edge turned
back to the inside. This makes a half tube around the edge of the plate.
This half tube is then pounded closed on the face and edge of the anvil
with care not to flatten it. The more round and heavy the rolling the stronger
the plate. Corners will bunch up on the inside but flow smoothly on the
outside. Be careful to never fold corners. Always pucker them up along the
radius of the turn then pound down. Again properly using the shrinking technique
by taking a flat section. Bunching it up in contours that balance flow and
pounding it down. Edges up to one eighth inch thick roll easily. |
