The Armour Archive

So, I keep looking at Knotwolf's galleries of helms and I've seen one in person. The textures are what really blow me away. How does he do that? One guy locally claims that he buries his steel in the ground for a year and it just gets that texture. I'm not so sure.

Anybody actually know?

-Patrick

Knowing Sir Richard and having been out his place, I wouldn't put it past him to bury something for an effect.

i believe he lets the steel rust before he works it.

Get brand new sheet.
Paint one side, as a resist.
Lay it down, painted side to the ground.
Pee on it.
Get other people to pee on it.
Get animals to pee on it.
Lay it down, and throw rock salt on it before the rains come.
Replenish pee and rock salt as needed.
Clean and disinfect.


OR.

Cut parts.
Shape parts.
Make holes.
Apply paint as a resist to inside and holes.
Make paste of salt and vinegar.
Coat desired side to be textured.
Run some electricity through it. (direct current)
As the paste dries, replenish it until desired pitting has occurred.

Buries it for a year? Are you kidding me? Where do people come up with this stuff?

He buys steel from the scrap-yard that has been sitting out in the weather. He specifically looks for scrap that already has a textured patina.

Living in the midwest storing any steel outside will "texture" it fast. The pee is only for browning a helm, and I dont think he does that on helms he sells. : ).....anymore....

I know he doesnt bury it. Way too much effort involved with that.

Aelric

We went out once to use his sweat lodge, I would really wonder what is buried out there in that field/back yard.

You should definitely not post a link or picture. I sure would hate to see a cool-looking helmet. That would be awful.

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Kelby wrote:Buries it for a year? Are you kidding me? Where do people come up with this stuff?

He buys steel from the scrap-yard that has been sitting out in the weather. He specifically looks for scrap that already has a textured patina.

Ding, ding, ding! we have a winner! Richard's area is blessed with some pretty awesome scrap yards related to the Aviation industry and manufacturing IIRC. He has gotten some neat stuff over the years.

He puts it in the washer with lots of rocks and hard metal bits. spin cycle...

Donngal

I heard about such variant: In clay add salt, much salts, coat a metal, give to dry out. But I did not try.

Thanks for the ideas, all.

Spearweasel, here's a link for you. Especially look at the textures on the first helm on the page.
http://www.knotwolf.com/mambo/index.php ... &Itemid=39

I think the textures are what elevate his helms from being really nice helms to being artwork. Some of those look like he robbed a museum or something. That first one just gives me shivers.

Someday I'll be rich...

-Patrick

If you were Rich what would we do with the old one? Ohhhh, You mean had a lot of money......

Aelric

Actually, I have them all shipped from Indiastan, just without all the cosmoline & plastic wrap.........

R

knotwolf wrote:Actually, I have them all shipped from Indiastan, just without all the cosmoline & plastic wrap.........

R

Well there goes the mystery. Now we'll have to create a new myth about you.

Tyr Palenske wrote:Well there goes the mystery. Now we'll have to create a new myth about you.

I ran in to him completely by chance last week. (I had no idea he lived within a hundred miles of me.) You know the russet color of that helm comes from quenching it in the shed blood of inexperienced fighters and armorers, right? It's cheap and in plentiful supply. He has a sealed bucket of the stuff in the back corner of his shop.

Well, I'm not ever going to be competition for those lovely helms, but the look is just so darned good that I wanted to know how it was done.

Indiastan, eh?

At least it wasn't buried and peed on.

-Patrick

Patrick wrote:Well, I'm not ever going to be competition for those lovely helms, but the look is just so darned good that I wanted to know how it was done.

Indiastan, eh?

At least it wasn't buried and peed on.

-Patrick

he didn't say what they do in Indiastan _before_ shipping it, now did he?

I'd pay more for a helm he peed on.

D. Sebastian wrote:I'd pay more for a helm he peed on.

Maybe you could absorb some of his talent.


It's worth a shot I think.

D. Sebastian wrote:I'd pay more for a helm he peed on.

How much would you pay for him to pee on your helm? If you were wearing it?

Baron Alcyoneus wrote:

D. Sebastian wrote:I'd pay more for a helm he peed on.

How much would you pay for him to pee on your helm? If you were wearing it?

I believe in Vegas that's an extra $50.00.

I believe that's actually one county line away from where it is 50$. ANY form of prostitution is illegal in Clark County.

Not that I've ever left Vegas to go over the county line or anything..

I don't care if he peed on it....




Sir Madoc and I have decided he has a large archeological find in his back yard and simply digs up a helm, knocks the dirt off of it, attaches what barwork is needed to be SCA legal, and sells it.

LOVE my helm!

Be still my heart!

Ah, well, I can't spend the cash on something like this, but I sure wish I could. I have champagne tastes on an Ashcraft budget.

All about the texture. That's what I think is missing from a lot of SCA helmets. Didn't realize it until seeing a Knotwolf helm in person, but the difference between one of his and a polished version of a simlar helm is so visually important.

I guess I need to go pee on my steel or something. I wanna make a spangenhelm now.

-Patrick

Dog pee works best.
Well, unless you have access to menstruation pee from Korean virgins. (Kim-chi +hate)

Seriously.. don't pee on it. Either find some worn weathered steel, or do the salt paste or electrolysis. If you hook it up to the juice, keep a GOOD eye on it. You only want light pitting.

When you have the texture you want, clean it up, oil it a touch, and take a wire wheel to it, hurt its feelings, and treat it all mean like. Do your dishing into wood or delrin or something that won't mess up the texture, same with all forming.

How would guess Rich got his Laurel for making boots.....

Pfft, thats nothing... I can pee on boots without even aiming.