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ou8nrtist2 β Celtic Torc,forged from hexbar
Published: 2010-08-12 22:48:21 +0000 UTC; Views: 2349; Favourites: 22; Downloads: 165
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Description
This is a stand alone shot of the torc in:[link]
The pattern is the feature,thus the finials are unadorned and the torc is worn reversed with the ends behind the neck.
Forged stainless steel hexbar.
As far as I know,the Celts were the first to twist square stock forged metal (bronze,gold etc.) in this back and forth twist pattern. It is at once ancient and yet modern as well. From the first moment I saw this pattern as a child on a torc photographed in situ in a hoard pit,I fell in love with it's sensuous undulations...
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Comments: 27
Dear Be-do Val,
I sold this one a couple of years ago but I could make you another for $375 USD.(plus shipping).You'd have to measure the circumference of your neck for me...
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Thank you kindly Bear,
That piece is on sale this week for $350 plus shipping...
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Yes,just sent you a note...
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Man, seeing it again makes me want to try one of these on more and more. I can imagine it taking a while to get used to wearing?
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I just wear them on special occasions,but like any jewelry your body gets used to it.
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True. I'll see if I can find anything like it here.
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I love the pattern but I still need to figure out the finials...
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You are indeed correct...
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Thank you.
Part of me feels it's incomplete without some sort of very subtle finials even though their not seen.
I'm sure I'll revisit the piece when I have more time.
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I can relate to those feelings. But it looks very nice. Personally I like the little animal type finials. But then you want to wear them to the front so they can be seen.
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Everyone needs to take a look at the other shot of this piece too! Go here: [link] Itβs the artist wearing this torc...in goggles. I officially love him. 
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mini bracelet versions would be good for the womenz
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Aye,
that's a good idea.
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Plus they like to buy shiny stuff.
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seeing it off of your neck really shows how true its been formed... and how well the pattern was held.
did you cold hammer it true and straight, and then applied heat for the final curve forming?
was the piece longer when you formed it and then cut to size?
sorry about the bombardment.
you are a true inspiration when it comes to forged stainless.
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Don't mind questions at all.
This is one of the ways we learn from each other.Remember,a QUESTION is not just a one sided inquiry. It also betrays a trajectory of thought which can lead the one being asked to discoveries also...So the interaction goes both ways.
I forged the twists when the bar is STRAIGHT.
And since I don't know who's neck it will go on I make it a little long(as you surmised), then cut it to length later on.
I NEVER cold hammer it as that may leave dents and it tends to make the material hard and brittle. This is called WORK HARDENED and is sometimes useful (like with a knife blade) but not in this case.
I made a form which is similar to the shape and size of my neck. I use vise grips and lock one end on the form then I PULL the bar around it as I'm slowly heating it along it's length with the torch. This is the FINAL heat. As it is slowly drawn around the form I use a WOODEN mallet and smack it against the round form which removes any kinks. The mallet may catch fire a few times but you dip it in water. The wood provides enough mass to make the bar sit down when struck but is soft enough not to leave any marks...A leather mallet will work as well.
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ahh thats great information... i need to stop cold hammering my stainless when im tooling around. not knowing any better, i cold hammered the twisted hex rod for the glue mixer i made. after much abuse it's still straight as an arrow. +1 for luck.
when i twisted said rod i was running solo, juggling the torch and twisting freehand from a vice, so my initial product was far from straight. i now see a multitude of ways i can do this better, even by myself, so as to not really need to straighten the piece before final forming. that was my intended question. did you have to straighten (square?) the twist out before you curve formed it, or was it pretty true right from the get go, and forming the curve took any quirks out of it. because the end result is stunning.
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Yes,
True-up the bar when it's straight. This will make it simple when doing the final heat and making it round.
I do all this stuff by myself too. It was terribly awkward when I started. It's like riding a bike or driving a car .Eventually it becomes rote and you can direct your concentration to other aspects like minor details and embellishments.
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I love the pattern too.
To my eyes it looks ancient AND modern as well.
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