The Armour Archive

There`s this trick for better welds that might work for you: pre-heat the work to dull red and start welding as soon it turns dark. After the weld is complete - heat to bright red and let cool slowly. This is all I know, unfortunately - I learned how to weld several months ago, and the master-class went like this:" You set the welder like so for 2mm, like so for 2.5mm, like so for anything thisker and approximately like so for anything thinner than that. Now go practice!" )

*thicker, sorry

Oh, yes. I mostly use an anvil horn for anticlastic curves. And we also have several t-stakes made out of some scrap steel pipes

Wow a 2 kg hammer!

You use that on hot metal?
Seems like way more weight than what most people use for hot work.
Is that for just the initial, hammer down the corners part or for more than just that?

I heat the work, then tap-tap-tap with this 2kg hammer until it cools - the forming part of a heating cycle, and then planish with the same hammer while the metal is still somewhat hot - the planishing phase of a heating cycle. Then heat another spot - and so on. This way, the finished piece only needs a little of planishing with the small ballpein after all the forming has been done. So 80-90% of work is done with this hammer

Basically, I let the hammer fall under its own weight most of the time. I perfer not to exert myself much

Barbanegra wrote:Dave, I guess you could send me your photos with a ruler in them - like Tom B. done here viewtopic.php?f=1&t=177179 - so I could actually work on this sallet with a purpose. And if you like the result - then we`ll have a sallet waiting for you;)

Me? I don't have the coin for a helm at the moment, and perhaps for some time. I wouldn't want you to do the work with no scope for making money out of it.

Barbanegra wrote:Basically, I let the hammer fall under its own weight most of the time. I perfer not to exert myself much

Be careful of that. Repeatedly lifting a heavy hammer can be more injurious than striking with a lighter one.

I think the hammer I use for the same think probably only weighs about 1/3 of that. I will weigh it later today.

Mac

Well, then it`ll be a sallet for a generic fighter))

Mac, I work out with thick handled dumbbels(by the Eugene Sandow book) and kettlebells(RKC style) so I wouldn`t hurt myself working. For tendons and ligaments I also do a lot of isometric training - Alexander Zass system. Also, I found this on the Christofer Sommer`s gymnastic forum: https://www.gymnasticbodies.com/forum/t ... b-routine/ It`s really good stuff, check it out maybe? Your example is well known, and we all dread wrist/elbow injuries here.

At the risk of shamless self-promotion, and if you're determined to use a sledge, you might try something like this:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=79268&hilit=bowling+ball

The rubber is set just short enough so that under its own weight, the hammer hangs a couple of inches off your work surface. It helps tremendously on the way up, and is barely noticeable on the way down. Saves a lot of energy in the direction that doesn't make armour.

I`ve seen this thread, Dave, and it`s a neat trick. I guess we might try that if/when we try squishing(with a heavier sledge). Too bad bowling`s not popular in these parts, so no free ball)

I've also done it with a 4" steel ball welded onto a 1" steel rod. Worked well too.

I was thinking you might try it with your rather large hammer.

As a hypothetical...how much harder would it be to make a great-bascinet through this technique?

If I didn`t have to move the stakes around to make room for other people in the shop, I`d concider the bungee setup with a 5 kg sledge and a striker to try squishing a 1.5 cm thick blank into a bucket. Well, it`s a thing to ponder about, no doubt.
A great bascinet? I guess not harder, just longer and a lot more work patterning...

This have been a productive 48 hours in the workshop. I`ll finish the shiny one tomorrow.

You certainly are not wasting time!

With this one, I went pointy/ But I`m undecided - maybe I should have moved the point back a bit more?.. Also, obviously, still have to cut the face opening to proper size.

Still, my archenemy, the asymmetry, shows its disfigured mug...

Nice hats, looks like you really have fun with this neat technique. On an unrelated note, do you mind visitors in your shop?

I need to close this thread, my mind is about to blow.

Macs technique has tripled the speed of production of bascinets holy cow

Barbanegra wrote:Still, my archenemy, the asymmetry, shows its disfigured mug...

Ahh that's ok! The original pieces are asymmetrical as well. It shows its hand made.

Nicknizh, visitors are welcome 24/7 )) We are in Moscow, Russia.

Otto, you see, in Russia, our shop is well known, so we`ve got reputation to maintain(even apprentices like me). Well, I guess I just have to keep trying...

took photos of my first visor other than nasals))

squished in the center and raised in the edges

Started making a bascinet to go with a houndscull visor(no visor this time - the client wants me to fit a bevor and a grill to it, like on a helmet Destichado posted a picture of several years ago
This is the bevor\grill arrangement I`m to copy:
http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php? ... #msg228505

I`ll try to document this build as completely as possible, including different stages of raising.

Having read and reread what Mac has written concerning the welds, decided to make`em his way.
Started with welding on the inside and grinding the weld.



Now I have to make the top this way, then connect the top to the bottom, weld and grind on the inside, clean the oxidation on the outside, weld there and grind.
I`ll have to go to a hardware store and buy something to grind the inside weld on the tip. I guess I`ll settle for something like this first
http://www.kalibr-msk.ru/uploaded/big/8/822_big.png
and if that goes well, invest into proper, steel ones.

Yes! Thank you very much! I only had that one picture and no idea who was the author. While I have no chance of making something THAT nice, I`ll try to give it what currently is my best shot.

Grill is based on this painting

Also, Tom, do you by any chance know which helmet(or helmets) Stanislav made this to be a reproduction of?

In Russia, thie grill in the painting is called "wolf`s ribs" (I have no idea why). It`s the combination of the scull, bevor and the grill, along with the craftmanship and attention to detail that drew my attention)... You see, in Russia fighters prefer their grills overbuilt, rigidly mounted to the helmet scull with multiple rivets, so, generally, the grill itdelf is godawful and heavy. We never see quality grills here)

I think it was made per customer request.
A combination of items not based one example.

Two forum threads about Stanislav's version:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=76703&p=1057264&#p1057264

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=59197

Great! Thanks!

I guess I should call this project "The Prozek Bascinet" or "The Stanislav"