The Armour Archive

Got a helm to share.

This one is a custom helm based on the Yaroslav helm from the early 13th century. Its stainless with a Master Newt aventail. The brass is etched and the Inscription in Russian reads " Great Archangel Michael help your servant Nikolai"

This is the first time I have ever made this style helm with an onion shaped dome. Let me tell you thats stainless is not a fan of this shape.

I get to send this out to its owner in the Middle kingdom on monday. Hope he likes it.

Donngal

That is beautiful!

What is the picture on the plaque. I am having trouble seeing it on my dark monitor. Is it etched or chased?

Its etched its the Archangel Micheal based on the original plaque.

http://i.pbase.com/v3/57/226457/2/44974 ... ca1240.jpg

Donngal

Beautiful!

Spectacular!

Kudos.

Wow. That is sharp. The plaque is amazing.

Olafr

Awesome- really nic eshape.

What'd you use for the etchant?

very nice

Cet, I used hydro and ferric. I mixed like 16oz of ferric to 8oz of hydro.

It was hot out, like 100, so the etch went quick. A couple hours. I used a paint pen for my resist. I actually gave Johannes daughter pics of the plaque and she drew me up a design based on it on my pattern. I re drew it on the plaque.

Donngal

The helm arrived yesterday. It is more beautiful in person that it looks in the photos. I'm truly over-the-moon. After years of fighting in a crappy spun-top, now I have a helmet I can be proud of.

Working with Sir Donngal was great. I've been burned by a couple SCA armorers before, but this experience was wonderful.

I'm now working feverishly to get the thing padded and strapped so I can use it at fight practice tomorrow.

The MidRealm Rose Tournament is this weekend, and I hope to take a few photos of my entire kit and post them here.

Ser Nikolas.

Welcome to the Archive Sir Nikolas.

That helm looks great! Can't wait to see it in person this weekend.

That looks awesome.
I'm looking forward to seeing it this weekend too!

Wow. That is one FANTASTIC helmet. Great job, Master Donngal.

That is a graceful helm, smooth of line. Great work, Master Donngal!

Nic,
Nice to see you on the archive! It is a damn fine hat you have there. When I saw you at crown, I thought to myself, "Is he still wearing that old spun bowl helm?!?" This will definetly make your kit look more knightly

Alexander Nevsky is a fun movie. I think William has a copy.

When did you move to Cleveland?

OTLICHNA!!!

HOLY COW that's gorgeous!!!

I consider this one of the nicest SCA helmets I have ever seen.

Is this for Ser Nickolas Petrov?

Fine looking lid!

Vitus--yep, that's my helmet. And I should thank you for lighting a fire under my ass so many years ago to improve my kit.

Garreth--no one was more embarrassed about that spun top than me. And you're right... after almost 10 years as a member of the Chivalry, it's about time I started dressing like a Knight. :)

Ser Nickolas,

Im really glad you like the helm. I think its came out alot better than the drawing I made at Pennsic last August!

The pics i posted really dont do it justice. Im a crappy photographer. I cant wait to see it with the rest of your kit. The local guys that hang at the shop got to see the helm built step by step, a few tried to take it.

In the end I was really happy that this project came my way. I had been wanting to build a helm in this style and I dont even know how Nickolas found me. In the beginning he just wanted a simple Russian helm.

Shaping The top for this helm In 14 gauges stainless was a butt kicker. After it was welded I had to shape the point. several times. I would shape it come back the next day and it would relax on me. I finally figured it out and got the shape to stay by working more of the shape down the helm also.
Donngal

That is a sweet looking helm

Here's some photos of me in my new helm this past weekend at Rose Tournament. Sorry I don't have any closer shots.

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And another.

Brother Nick-
NOW you look like the elite warrior you have proven yourself to be. I am so happy for you.
-V

That is armourcake indeed. Donngal, vy otlichilis' -- you've distinguished yourself. Nikolas, you get to wear it. Bragging rights to the both of you.

Donngal, outstanding job. I am glad to see that you darkened the bars as well. Not many armorers do that. You can see in the pictures that Sir Nikolas posted that the bars disappear from a few feet away.

Again, great job.

Uric

Nick doesn't get his props. He nearly took the Crown last time. Here he is with his lovely lady.

Now Nick, just paint something on your shield and you are there.

Very nice.

Now you just need the top piece and the browband

Nickolai, that looks good. pretty intimidating. Glad I was givin the opportunity to build that helm. You should build a teardrop shield next.
Donngal

I have a teardrop shield in the works. But I've been fighting with a heater forever... I'm not sure if I'm ready to make the leap.

Nikolas.

Ser Nickolas,

I saw this helm at Rose Tourney.
It looks even more fantastic in person than on the archive, and your kit is awesome.

Thanks for raising the bar.

Russian Knight wrote:I have a teardrop shield in the works. But I've been fighting with a heater forever... I'm not sure if I'm ready to make the leap.

Nikolas.

Oh and we just got these cool little boss/umbo's for shields. You could make a strapped teardrop and put one of these little bad boys on it. I dont think there on the windrose site yet but we will have them at Pensic.

That lamellar is it from from Eldesar, the aluminum brass anodized plates?
I have a set of his plates love it, I did a huge order before estrella (like 4000 plates) for a group of us out here.

Also with what Sir Dimitri said about the bands and other plaques. I was very close to putting that on there, but I wanted to keep the cost down, but It could be possible up grade/addition. Especially if you win a crown list, you'll want the brow band

That's actually plastic lamellar from Noble Plastics. Funny thing... I was really happy with it until I got my new helm. Now I'm thinking, "I've *got* to get rid of this crappy plastic!"

I'm seriously considering going to anodized Eldesar plates. But that's going to have to wait until after Pennsic.

As far as the browband, I was thinking the same thing: future upgrade.

Nikolas.