Introduction[]
This article describes a way to make an Iriarte-style (2000: 52-53) cheiroballistra handle. You're strongly encouraged to make a functionally equivalent handle with a round hoop instead, because it's much simpler to make. When making a Iriarte-style handle it's very easy to make the bends at slightly wrong places, the end result thus being almost certainly asymmetrical. While slight asymmetry does not hurt the handle's functionality, a round hoop handle can be forged in one tenth of the time.
Here are a few alternative methods for making Iriarte-style handles:
- Forge the hoop around a thick, rectangular steel bar
- Make the hoop solid initially and punch the rectangular hole into it
Both of these should be easier than the method described below, but still making a round handle is much easier and produces a functionally equivalent result.
The process step by step[]
Start with a strip of steel (~3mm thick):
First mark all the bends carefully, then start making the bends in a vise as shown in the series of pictures below:
