The Armour Archive

Anders Helseth

Head shape. My wife is Russian and her head is more rounded, my son's head is almost spherical - where as my head is shaped more like an egg or football. Spot on - though probably not the only explanation. Head shape changes from oblong to round as you go from west to east in Europe. Same thing wit...

Anders Helseth

Nice work, but why?

The only thing more contrived would be Signo's suggestion....

Anders Helseth

Outstanding, truely. I really like that so many tool marks are visible. it shows both your confidence and your signature in a way. You also went and had it case hardend with nitrates. From a metallurgical pov that is . Good thing you didnt have to grind up the helmet, feed it to a flock of hens and ...

Anders Helseth

That is a beautiful blue, Halberds!

Russ Thomas once had to redo a helmet of the same colour, because the the customer certainly wanted a blued helmet - but did not want to look like a smurf!!

Anders Helseth

Please do!

I see now my last post could be read as if I wasn't interested

Anders Helseth

Now, I do not doubt anyone who says that their welds (certainly not you, Adam) are invisible when the product is polished. I just want to avoid the situations where they are. I know I would turn into a nice molten blob of metal if something I worked on for a week turned out to have yellow weld lines...

Anders Helseth

Something I have seen using standard TIG rod for mild steel (ER-70VOS? Something like that); After polishing, a line of a distinctly different color was often visible. This is exactly what I don't want to experience. I have seen helmets where the weld had a distinct yellow cast, as opposed to the w...

Anders Helseth

Wow, that s comprehensive, Chris. I'll be really happy if I ever get to the level where this is relevant! I have seen TIG done without filler, but that I see now that that is where you get the overheated microstructure problem. One's armourplate-to-be is not designed to take those temperatures as op...

Anders Helseth

I find weights of 400 to 800 grams to be fine, depending on wherer you are in the process. You dont get any rebound as you would from an anvil, so it should be lighter than a blacksmithing hammer. I wouldnt worry to much about the hammer, as long as the edges are rounded enough to avoid scoring. I r...

Anders Helseth

Thank you for the quick and informative responses guys! I have some experience stick welding supports for a viking ship, but we worked with pretty thick stock, so I imagined welding armour plate would be much more difficult. I also thought colour differences would be problematic. I have a decent MIG...

Anders Helseth

I have always been die hard about historical methods, but now I want to accomodate people who wants high-quality stuff, but are not willing to pay for everything done the most expensive way - so I want to weld a little. I know a little about welding, and a little about metallurgy, and as you all kno...

Anders Helseth

Good job, Ralph!

Very crisp. You have reawakened my belt sander envy.

Tableau; the search function is your friend...

Anders Helseth

I am willing to bet this is in Germany. They have a number of really beautiful reconstructed villages.

The helmets are of polish make, cheap and available at any viking market in Europe.

Anders Helseth

Gratulerer med Ã¥ fÃ¥ gjort noe ferdig!!!

Ser veldig fine ut, Arne. Er de til noen i Carnis?

Jeg jobber med min fÃ¸rste Sallet nÃ¥, jÃ¦vlig mye jobb.

Ikke selg alt stÃ¥let ditt forresten.

Anders Helseth

Thank you, Mac and Ralph. You are confirming that I have been on the right track, but I have used too light equipment, and given up too easily. I will most certainly try this again, as it can be little doubt that it is more authentic and effective. A power hammer with the right dies sounds positivel...

Anders Helseth

How about the Icelandic Saga's ?

Or even better, Saxo Gramaticus.

Anders Helseth

Dealing with that thick edge is really the sticking place in this whole technique. I need to have a better idea about how to draw it into length. Hi, and thank you for your excellent examples! After a number of helmet raised mainly from the outside, I have experimented briefly with this "inside" te...

Anders Helseth

In general, viking age anvils do not have much of an overhang. They are practically an "L" shape. It should also be about 50% smaller. Their heavy work might have been done on stone. That being said, I would pass the one in the picture. Cool project you have going there, seems to be on the right tra...

Anders Helseth

hmm, interesting......

maybe I can get my job to pay.....

Anders Helseth

Niiiice!! (in my best Borat voice)

If I may be so bold, how long did it take?

I have raised a handfull of bosses during the last year, and turning a profit is a real problem with me using 3-4 hours pr item.

Anders Helseth

Please voice your polite concerns to the University director: geir.ellingsrud - at - admin.uio.no I believe the most important points to stress are whether it is really necessary to risk these international treasures, and the impossibility of moving the sleds and wagon that were found in the same gr...

Anders Helseth

Hi guys, and again thank you for your attention. This thread has given me some ideas, but I need to think them through regarding timing, execution and the avoidance of career suicide (cant survive as an armourer in this country...ask Jehan about my prices...) I will get back to you with some adresse...

Anders Helseth

This stuff makes me angry and depressed. I will try to avoid swearing though. There is so much I could go into about all that is wrong about this process, but that would be way too long winded. Lets just say it reminds me of the arguments prior to the invasion of Iraq. If not direct lies, deliberate...

Anders Helseth

It was really special to see things in such a large scale, even though the fighting was mostly crap. Being bumped aside by a horse hitting my shield with its chest, and pushing back (after being encouraged by the rider) was great. Endre's "death" described above felt frighteningly real. Thank you to...

Anders Helseth

Endre and I will be there as well as two other Kongshirden guys.

We will arrive Thursday afternoon.

Oddly enough (as norwegians), we will fight with Leofwine (A/S) and camp with some spanish friends of ours.

I hope to meet you there!

Anders Helseth

Well, we do need those lows to properly enjoy the highs dont we? It did make for a great story, especially with pictures... "Thanks" for the offer Dmitriy..... I hardly remember those pictures being taken .....(just from lack of sleep of course...).....so, eh...what can I offer you not to post them?...

Anders Helseth

Great story, well told.

It made me laugh a number of times even though I've heard it before.

Thanks for taking the time to write it down Chris!

Anders Helseth

ooh.... the Ugo`s first masterwork in spring!

Holding my breath, jumping up and down!!

It was really cool to meet you Chris !

Anders Helseth

I always put a fistfull of charcoal on top of the spot I want yellow heat on. It saves a lot of time by first insulating , and the after 30 sec heating from both sides of the sheet.

It also helps with heating the right spot - something which might be hard if you just jam it into the fire.

Anders Helseth

That is super-sweet Ugo, your skills are really an inspiration.

That being said, I saw your "stick figure", and I hear it kicked your ass hee hee hee hee......

You blamed the lack of direct supervision, right?

Anders Helseth

That looks really good Ralph!

Your inside technique is still on the experimental stage then?

Have you moved permanently to Holland, or will you re-join the Nordic armouring community eventually?

Anders Helseth

Thank you, Erik - that explains quite a bit about the hinges. Paddle next time then, time consuming or not! Regarding the lower edge, it actually angles the way you describe when sat on a human head. I hope to show that when the helmet is complete somtime in the future. I believe the reason the rela...

Anders Helseth

Thanks for the feedback people! Erik, would you care to elaborate? I knew the hinge was iffy authenticitywise, but I did not manage to find any clear pictures of an original center hinge that was not a paddle-type .I imagined a paddle-lock hinge would be more work so I told the customer there was no...

Anders Helseth

Hello all, been a while.... Here is my latest project, a raised klappvisier bascinet in 2.5mm mild. It is inspired by the bascinet from the Valeria museum, Sitten, Switzerland - but it is _not_ meant to be anywhere near a reproduction or "copy" of that particular piece. The customer wanted a short a...

Anders Helseth

Hey guys, glad you like my setup! It works very well for me, and compared with all the other junk that I schlep with me to events, it is not a lot extra. The sceptics here are dead on though. I have no documentation for the frame part of the setup, it is just a matter of practicalities. I have never...

Questions for you guys who weld armour...

Berties new bascinet (pics!)