The Armour Archive

Shortly before Gulf Wars I came to the realization that my later 14th century pigface looked a little funny with my generally earlier 14th century splinted kit. Making snap decisions, as I am wont to do, I decided i could put a greathelm together in under a week with few tools of my own and the nearest usable anvil 45 minutes up the highway.

Anywho, due in large part to the assistance and advice of more experienced armorers, I put this beast together.


14g mild cold rolled, made using this pattern: http://www.arador.com/construction/greathelm.html

finished shaping and constructing/finishing/grinding the day before leaving for Gulf. Painted it and let it dry overnight. I didn't want to do the external tabs on the cap plate, but didn't really have the time to mess around with anything else. Luckily I found a guide that InsaneIrish posted some time ago for making an easy torse, so no one can see my secret shame!

I'll get some better more detailed pics of the helm itself up later today for critique. Hard to see much detail given the dark color of the paint job.

Also considering putting a brass cross on the face. Anyone have any tips for measuring the brass pieces before I start trial'n'erroring my way through?

UPDATE:

A few more pics. You can see the tabs I used to attach the cap plate under the torse. Overall the whole thing has a sort of brutish ugliness to it that I find endearing. I'll try for more smooth lines in my next one.

Mock the brass onto the helm face with masking tape, two or three layers. Lay out what shape you want the brass appliqué to be in, trim to shape with the point of an X-Acto, gently peel off the resulting pattern, stick it on the brass and start cutting.

Measure, schmeasure. You're good as long as you have enough of the brass.

Another alternative for the brass decoration is to do what the obvious surviving example did.

Paint it on.

No brass at all. Simple, not all that hard, and you can decide how you like it.

Wade

Something I found out from experience is the following...If your going to dish out the cross at any part it then make it wider than you want the end width. The dishing can suck up the sides making it thinner than you wanted. I lived and learned.

I think for a first helm it came out fine.
Thanks for the pics.

I know it is a little late but this PDF has newbie crusader helm making tips.
It was a booklet that I included with my helm kits when I offered them.

Hal

Oops, I forgot the link.
http://home.armourarchive.org/members/h ... sembly.pdf


(edited to add link)

That kit is sweet!

*Way* better than mine at it's best.

Well Done Sir!

That kit is sweet!

*Way* better than mine at it's best.

Well Done Sir!

It has been a long time since I made that pattern, but I always feel good when one is made.
The 2nd or 3rd one ever made was for SCA combat and had a subtle bar grill for vision. It was the only one I took a photo of. Back then digital cameras were pretty rare so forgive the pics.

Updated with pics.

I don't suppose you'd be able to post the link to the torse tutorial? It came out looking pretty cool and I wouldn't mind trying that.

Cheers.

viewtopic.php?t=93871

Remarkably simple to put together.

For keeping the twist, what I did was have one person hold it all twisted up, and then every two twists or so just put a good strong stitch through both tubes. Holds them in place quite well.

Thanks for that.

Thanks for that.