The Armour Archive

Hi, I have a set of, what I believe are Bronze, Norse Oculars. I am attempting to attach them to a spun top, bar grilled, open face, SCA helm.

My question is How to attach it. I am intending to make a steel backing patterned to the Oculars, and Either "Rivet??", or "Braze??" the Bronze to it unless there in any "Other??"" recommendations. Then I would weln the steel of he backing to the Helms face.

I am about trying to bend the Bronze. Can I do it Cold? Should I use Hot?
How careful do I have to be to avoid Cracking?

Thank you,

Kari

Hello Kari,
"Woking with Bronze...", sounds like a hard to chew meal, no matter how much you cook it. It is a little tough to read your post, (poor proofreading/grammar),but I will give it a shot.
Firstly if it is Raymond"s stuff I personally would not waste it on a spuntop, but that is up to your discretion. I would guess that normally it would be riveted directly to the helmet. If there are not already holes drilled in the bronze,be sure to reference pictures of how others have chosen to drill and pattern their holes(so you have enough but not too many). I assume that the,"steel backing patterned to the Oculars" is so that you could form it to the face of the helm. This is probably just going to be a lot more work,and not needed. Forming the bronze cold should not be a problem, so long as you are not working it back and forth several times and work hardening it. Try tapping it lightly over an anvil horn or a large piece of pipe with a soft faced mallet, until you get the same curvature as the helmet placement. Then place on helm and mark and drill your holes.
Good luck!!