Mark
I don't think it is worth trying to cut thin steel srip with a chisel. It is
possible to cut thin strips from up to .110 ins mild steel with a 12" hand
shear much more quickly than you would do it with a chisel. The strips are.
of course, curly and not very uniform in width. Cutting with a chisel will
be worse. Light drawing should cure this.
As I pointed out in my reply to Peter King we would find most of the work in
Medieval times to be a pain. I expect some lad did the cutting anyway not
the armourer.
There may be some doubt about the exact date of the first slitting mill but
the chances of it being before the second half of the 16th century are very
small indeed.
Peter Hutchison
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