The Armour Archive

http://home.armourarchive.org/members/brodir/byrnie1.jpg

http://home.armourarchive.org/members/brodir/byrnie2.jpg

http://home.armourarchive.org/members/brodir/byrnie3.jpg

http://home.armourarchive.org/members/brodir/byrnie4.jpg

Hey Hal- I'm not at home, so I couldn't email these to you, I just thought I'd post them.

To everyone; rings are 14 gauge 3/8" aluminum, trimmed with bronze, same size, same gauge. The model (my hung over brother)is 5'10 or 5'11, and about 170 lbs. Finished weight of the shirt is just a hair under 9 lbs.

In September I bought a maille hauberk from a friend, a really spiffy piece with full length tapered sleeves with gussets in the elbows, knee length on his 6'2 frame, riding slits, 45° sleeves, the works. Unfortunately it was falling apart, and since I didn't need such a big shirt, I decided to make it into two shirts. The first one was easy; I just removed the sleeves and yoke from the hauberk, then closed the remaining tube across the top, opened the sides, and added sleeves and a neckhole. Pic here;

http://home.armourarchive.org/members/brodir/maille2.jpg

With the remaining sleeves, mantle pieces, a bag full of loose rings and a few uncut coils, I made the shirt for Hal. Bronze rings were ordered from www.theringlord.com and are top notch.

Next project will be a similar shirt out of 16 gauge 5/16" iron rings, then a coif from 14 gauge 5/16" iron rings, then a byrnie for myself out of alternating rows of punched and riveted iron rings. When the riveted byrnie is done, I swear by all the gods in Asgard, I am quitting making maille forever. Ugh.

~Wil

Dang Wil! That is peachy keen. I like it! It looks like I best be working on your helm. Yes?

Hal.

Ok so this is progress #4...*pic*...
[img]http://www.cox-internet.com/halberds/prog4.jpg[/img]
What are we gonna do about the nose piece.
I think that piece alone can make or break a helm.
The client is always right in my books.

Hal.

I'd suggest a separate nasal that attaches with a pattern of rivets (say, three of 'em). Unless you form and sculpt the bejayzus out of it, a nasal in the form of an extension of a spangen's cross strap just always looks ignorant and structurally feeble to me, like a junior high school metal-shop first effort by someone who's heard a spangen described but never actually seen one, and neglects to dish any spangen straps to smooth the helmet's lines.

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"The Minstrel Boy to the war is gone..."

Hal, that looks soooo good. I've thought about it, and I think we should go with the plain steel nasal. It won't look as flashy as the bronze, but that way there can be no question.

I read your other thread with the armourer's stamp (nice!). If possible, I would prefer if you stamped my helm on the inside of the nasal, where it wouldn't be immediately visible when worn, but someone handling the helmet would find it right away.

I'm very happy with how it's coming along, looks sweet.

~Wil