The Armour Archive

It's time to build another helm (actually this is my third helmet in two weeks, yesterday I finished THIS bascinet).

So, this is a Vendel style viking helmet for sca fighting and this is todays progress.

Spangens are much more fun to build than bascinets and other welded helms. Don't like much of welding...

Hummmm nice and neat.

More...

Based on the Valsgarde 5 I'd wager.

No lattice work though? Pity, thats the one outstanding feature of the Valsgarde 5. If it strength thats an issue, then you could put the solid infil plates under the lattice infill.

I'm gonna stick with the vendel type.
This was my reference: http://www.vendelbygden.se/html/vendel4.jpg
Although you can't see how the bowl is constructed, but the cheek/face plate is somewhat the same as I did it. Also Knotwolf has done it same way.

Here are some more pics

Ghostpig wrote:I'm gonna stick with the vendel type.
This was my reference: http://www.vendelbygden.se/html/vendel4.jpg
Although you can't see how the bowl is constructed, but the cheek/face plate is somewhat the same as I did it. Also Knotwolf has done it same way.

Here are some more pics

That's the helmet from Grave XIV (14) from Vendel. There are couple of others from that graveyard. This particular helm has gone through a couple of different reconsturctions. It can get confusing.

Mord.

Ghostpig wrote:I'm gonna stick with the vendel type.

Gotcha. The helm banding is so close to the Valsgarde 5 as to be spooky.

Its starting to look good, however the lower half of the cheek plates seem to diverge from the original a lot.

Well, this is not an replica but something that resembles of that vendel helm.

Some more progress,

It starts to shine

Looking dang fine.

Are the top pieces also welded?
I have heard some opposition on using brass rivets for an SCA helm.

However I personally do not see any problem with brass rivets.
I think they look nice and are structurally sound.

Hal

PS: Did you get your tools yet?

So are you going to do the brass nasal and stuff from the Valsgard 14 to match the face that you have done?

Thank you Hal!

Top plates are not welded, just riveted. Today I added some 3mm steel rivets for extra strength. I think they blend in nicely.

Wulfgar, no brass pieces on this one. I have another helm commission coming and there will be brass.


So, the helm is nearly done, only rust prevention to add.

http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a370/ ... ns/Vendel/

Looks good, even though I'm one of those people who doesn't trust brass rivets. I've had too many fail on me on my last harness. (But that one was a mass-produced model out of India, so take my advice with a grain of salt.) Personally, I only use brass rivets to attach a leather strap, a decorative piece, or if I'm using something other than steel (say for example bronze).

Just my beef. Take it as you will.

Hi Ghostpig, That is a fine helm there for sure. Nice finish also. Build them how you feel like building them, your the man, err... the pig, erm..... the dead pig, .... ok nevermind.

Keep on Piggin

Pitbull

Hi !

Lookin' very nice. I *like* the way you did the face part - usual approach is to bend that by hand, but i see nice hammerwork here.

Hail to the hammer

That bascinet linked to in your first post was a good 'un too. Aren't that many heart-faced bascinets around yet.

Thank you all!

Pitbull,
I shall keep on piggin (in the free world...)

Dan,
I usually hammer all bars. That way I can control the curve better.

Konstantin,
that bascinet came out pretty good, but I still can't figure out how to weld the top part and the skirt properly. I allways end up with a lumpy surface. Maybe I need to study more about stick welding.

The vertical bar is not connected to the others... How long before it will bend badly?

What signo said. Those bars are gonna move easy. They'll be able to rotate on the rivets and will get whacked out of place real quick. Either welding the center bar to the horizontal ones or riveting them will work but you've really gotta do something.

If you just weld them on the inside spray everything down with wd40 before you weld and it will keep the spatter from sticking. Make sure you've got really good ventilation. Which you should have anyway because of the toxic fumes from the flux on your welding rods.

The lumps on the weld line aren't from the welding. There's two possible problems causing it. First is your helmet top curves in a bit at the bottom more then the skirt inward angle. You can help fix this by tacking the bottom on and then hitting it from the inside over a 2-2.5" pipe or round stock to make a smooth transition. Hold the helmet up and look at it. Or if you can't see it with your eye put a straight edge vertical over the weld line area and make sure there's no gap between the straight edge and the helmet where the weld line will be.

The other problem is sanding technique. Not sure what you're sanding with but when you're doing your rough sanding of the weld 40 grit you need to sand so that you've got a flat surface going across the weld. So if you're using an angle grinder your scratches are vertical. If you sand the other way you end up taking material from beside the weld as well as from the weld and you end up with a lump where the weld is.

Thank you Mad Matt for the welding tips! I'll try when I get to work my next bascinet.

Vendel helm is now finished. I welded the bars together so they don't move. I still don't like welding.

I have also started making a new sca fighting helm. This time it is fantasy/viking/norman style. It is based of Hurin's helm from the Tolkien's book, http://www.tolkienlibrary.com/press/ima ... n_Helm.jpg.

Cheek plates will have some brass decoration, but I'm not gonna do the crest dragon.

Whoa...that is going to be stunning.Nice work!

Richard

Yes that is going to be so cool.

Some time fantasy can be so refreshing.
To toss convention aside and have some good old fashion fun.

Hal

Wow nice armadillo Helm GP, I really like that design and cant wait to see pics of it finished.

Thank you

Pitbull

Thank you Redrook!

Hal, yes fantasy stuff is cool to make. There's more freedom in designs and such. Btw. the planishing hammer is great, I have used it quite a lot by now.

Pitbull, I thought also that it looks like an armadillo. Have you tried those patterns yet?

And here's same more progress pics. Plans has changed a bit, cheek plates will be left plain, no brass. If I ever get some time for my own work, I'll make a bling version of this helm.

Even unfinished, that looks great!

I love the Vendel but I have to say I absolutely dig the fantasy helm. You have done an awesome job. Makes me want to start patterning something out and going to town. Very cool.

Pat Marshall

Thank you guys!

New pics of todays progress.
http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a370/ ... ens/Hurin/

No progress has happened with the Hurin helmet, but I have made another helmet during this week. I made a sallet and bevor but the bevor is not yet ready.

I'll finish the Hurin helmet in next week if my drill/sander doesn't explode. It allready wobbles around about 2cm.

More pics: http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a370/ ... allet%202/

Damng Ghostpig, you are a machine. I love the fantasy helm, and the Sallet is superb.

THE GHOSTPIG STRIKES AGAIN!!


Keep up the great work

Take care

Pitbull

Ha ha, thanks Pitbull!

That Sallet looks nice, can you give me some specs on it?

price?
Thickness of metal?
Size?

Oh, yes of course!

Top part is 2 piece 2mm cold rolled steel and welded. I also used 6mm bar between the halves to get better shape. All other pieces are 1,5mm crs. This is a boffer helmet so that's why I used some lighter material, but I can't weld any thinner than 2mm so the bowl is 2mm steel.

I made this for 59cm head with enough room for padding. Price for this sallet and bevor is 260 euros, which is about 370 dollars.

Nice Ghostpig, Hey can you post pics of the bevor when you get it done also?

Thanks

PB

I like all the helms you have showen,, great work,, but the fantasy helm is my favorite just plain good looking helm

Som pics of finished bevor and I got some work done on the Hurin helm also.

I broke my drill/sander so I can't finish anything until I get a new sander.

Bevor: http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a370/ ... allet%202/

Hurin:http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a370/ ... ens/Hurin/

Digging the bar grill on the Hurin much more than the Valsgard.

Great work!

Greenshield

Thanks Greenshield!

This week I have finished the Húrin helm, started making a phrygian helm and I also got my new sander going.