close helm.

Bender · Post by **Bender** » Thu Aug 23, 2012 6:51 pm

Beginning of a close helm I am building in stages-a pattern and tooling precursor to a more difficult stainless steel one I am building for a Jouster. 14 gage mild steel-large size for 24 inch head plus one inch padding. Will probably let it go on completion for a good price to cover expenses.

Bender · Post by **Bender** » Thu Aug 23, 2012 9:17 pm

Earlier stages...

coreythompsonhm · Post by **coreythompsonhm** » Thu Aug 23, 2012 11:16 pm

I like what I see so far!

Bender · Post by **Bender** » Thu Aug 23, 2012 11:20 pm

Hinged bevor is the hardest part. That comes next-then falls and visor-thanks!

coreythompsonhm · Post by **coreythompsonhm** » Thu Aug 23, 2012 11:46 pm

Any idea on the price range for this?

Bender · Post by **Bender** » Thu Aug 23, 2012 11:47 pm

Similar one I did 6 years back. Interchange solid visor not shown. Guy is in Afghanistan now.

Bender · Post by **Bender** » Thu Aug 23, 2012 11:53 pm

350 to 400 with a close face-more if I have to make a bar grill. Need to raise funds to restock steel.

Pitbull Armory · Post by **Pitbull Armory** » Fri Aug 24, 2012 12:15 pm

Nice Hats Bender I cant wait to see that monkey finished up. Thanks for sharing.

Have a good weekend

Pitbull

shamrockarmoury · Post by **shamrockarmoury** » Mon Aug 27, 2012 5:58 pm

Man you do great work

Cheers
Jackie

shamrockarmoury · Post by **shamrockarmoury** » Mon Aug 27, 2012 5:59 pm

Man you do great work

Cheers
Jackie

Arrakis · Post by **Arrakis** » Wed Aug 29, 2012 3:51 pm

Bender wrote:350 to 400 with a close face-more if I have to make a bar grill. Need to raise funds to restock steel.

Good Lord.

I need to keep an eye on this thread.

Bender · Post by **Bender** » Wed Aug 29, 2012 3:56 pm

Helmets in most styles are pretty easy for me, if not stainless. And I turn them over fast enough to keep labor costs down. This one is only taking this long due to tooling and patterning time. And the fact that I have to also clear out old back orders.

Mostly going to specialize in helms when I get restocked and free.

Scott Martin · Post by **Scott Martin** » Wed Aug 29, 2012 4:57 pm

I like your helm closure locks - hinges with turn-pins: do you have a period example of these, or are they a "modern innovation"?

Scott Martin

Bender · Post by **Bender** » Wed Aug 29, 2012 5:00 pm

They are period so far as I know-don't have time to go hunt for a photo right now.

wormkaze · Post by **wormkaze** » Thu Aug 30, 2012 8:10 pm

Did i read this right? Your making a mild version to sell as a instock item? I'd pay 400 for a mild solid visor closehelm right now.....

Bender · Post by **Bender** » Thu Aug 30, 2012 8:30 pm

I'm making it as a test-yes. It's going to take a while to complete.

wormkaze · Post by **wormkaze** » Thu Aug 30, 2012 9:06 pm

Keep me in mind on completion....I'm more than interested

Bender · Post by **Bender** » Thu Sep 13, 2012 11:35 pm

: bevor sanded copy.jpg (93.58 KiB) Viewed 36 times

Made a specialty tool to hold and forge the fall root of the bevor into. I find these work best when you have at least 3/4 of an inch to overlap under the chin. Worked it down in sections, orange hot. metal stretched pretty evenly to about 16 gage at the bottom rim when I was done. I find the bevor to be the most difficult part of this job,and the right fixture makes it fast and easy-well worth the time it takes to make the jig. Cleaned it up to get rid of heat scale and hand planished it to final shape after.

The rest of the helm should go pretty fast after this part. I can use the tool for sallet parts as well.

Cfoster · Post by **Cfoster** » Fri Sep 14, 2012 8:17 am

Very nice! Is the bowl raised from a single piece or two halves welded together?

Bender · Post by **Bender** » Fri Sep 14, 2012 8:21 am

It's welded. This would be a three thousand dollar helmet if I had to raise everything. I'm trying to keep stuff in ranges most folks can afford. It's all good and well to want authentic flavored things-the question is-can you really afford that?

Cfoster · Post by **Cfoster** » Fri Sep 14, 2012 1:05 pm

Some day...

Bender · Post by **Bender** » Wed Sep 19, 2012 7:34 pm

Got the bevor up and fitted. Working on milling the closures tonight. Restocked a bunch of 14 and some 12 steel today.

Bender · Post by **Bender** » Wed Oct 03, 2012 7:12 pm

Got done with a stake bench and some fitting stakes for it. Still working on this in bits and pieces-bevor was way too far forward. Brought it back 3/4 inch and adjusted the neck root up about the same in back to get the right angle finally. Doing the falls and lower visor next.

Arrakis · Post by **Arrakis** » Wed Oct 03, 2012 8:24 pm

Lookin' good.

Bender · Post by **Bender** » Wed Oct 03, 2012 10:59 pm

Got this far tonight. I'm going to open up the pivot holes from 3/16 to the standard quarter in opposite directions vertically to drop the bevor root down into alignment in the morning. Managed to only scrap one part getting the angles to match. Also trimming out excess underlap in the back.

Close helms are very fiddly-takes quite a bit to get a precision piece like this worked out. Going to see how much I can get done of the rest tomorrow. A bit frustrating to spend as much time replacing tools as I do making armor-but that's how it goes.

Bender · Post by **Bender** » Thu Oct 04, 2012 9:29 pm

More progress today. Front three gorget falls and the lower visor. I should at least get the rest of the back falls and upper visor done by next Thursday. Going to let the eventual owner decide how it will be pierced. I have one offer so far. I'm sticking with a very traditional pattern for this Helm-no fantasy stuff.

14 g uppers and the falls 16.

Rod Walker · Post by **Rod Walker** » Thu Oct 04, 2012 10:40 pm

Hmmm, I am in the market for a close helm. Problem is I am in Australia so postage could cost. What are looking for out of it?

Bender · Post by **Bender** » Thu Oct 04, 2012 10:51 pm

400 bucks Rod. I'm in the Seattle Washington area. This is a heavy duty item-Seattle Knights jousters are other customers of mine.

Rod Walker · Post by **Rod Walker** » Fri Oct 05, 2012 12:51 am

Damn. I am well interested. Just need to check how much to get it here. I will be using it for jousting with solids and coronels with grandguard and tiltbuff.

Bender · Post by **Bender** » Fri Oct 05, 2012 8:56 am

I'll finish the visor solid instead of two part if you are using it for that heavy of a joust. Will hold up to impacts better. I estimate the finished wieght at around 8.5 pounds-box will need to be 14 inches on a side.

Bender · Post by **Bender** » Fri Oct 05, 2012 9:53 am

: close helm side - Copy.jpg (81.47 KiB) Viewed 319 times

side view-need to finish two back falls,upper visor and catches. Designing the visor for optimal view for jousting.

Rod Walker · Post by **Rod Walker** » Fri Oct 05, 2012 6:49 pm

I actually prefer the 3 part visor system. So stick with your original plan just in case I can't take it. I'll let you know yay or nay tomorrow. Just need to check postage and that it will fit. I am keen to take it. I need something robust and I like the look of this one. Sorry to dick you around.

Bender · Post by **Bender** » Fri Oct 05, 2012 9:23 pm

I'm just messing around with a prototype. It's got a few weld pits here and there-won't be perfect. So I'm not charging as much as I would on a perfected model. These will go for 5 or 6 bills in the really nice ones.

I post in a lot of places-lots of interest, This is the ONLY one I'm letting go for THIS price. The skull fits a guy with a 24 inch brow with about 3/4 inch of padding clearance.

Rod Walker · Post by **Rod Walker** » Sat Oct 06, 2012 10:49 pm

Hi Bender, it will fit fine by the sounds of it. Can I get you to check postage from your end when you get a chance. Can't really work it out from my end.

Bender · Post by **Bender** » Sat Oct 06, 2012 11:10 pm

This is becoming way too much hassle-I have buyers stateside already.

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