Hardened leather spangen helm

Halvgrimr · Post by **Halvgrimr** » Mon May 22, 2006 3:09 pm

As we dont do head shots we allow hardened leather fill plates on our spangen helms.

I have been toying with various methods of how to do this and finally found a good method.

Pics of my latest project (soon to be finished) below

[img]http://www.vikingsna.org/norsa/projects/leather%20helm/DSCN1753.JPG[/img]

[img]http://www.vikingsna.org/norsa/projects/leather%20helm/DSCN1754.JPG[/img]

[img]http://www.vikingsna.org/norsa/projects/leather%20helm/DSCN1756.JPG[/img]

InsaneIrish · Post by **InsaneIrish** » Mon May 22, 2006 3:38 pm

nice work you and Cat should talk:

http://forums.armourarchive.org/phpBB2/ ... hp?t=59500

Blackoak · Post by **Blackoak** » Mon May 22, 2006 3:39 pm

Looks good Hal. How did you harden the leather?

Uric

Halvgrimr · Post by **Halvgrimr** » Mon May 22, 2006 3:52 pm

Blackoak wrote:Looks good Hal. How did you harden the leather?

Uric

--well, this time around was a true experiment (one at first I thought had failed)

We used a double broiler to melt the wax
Then we dunked the pieces in the wax
We apparently didn't get it hot enough as it just formed a weird white layer on the outside of the leather

But we had a plan so we proceeded

I forced the panels into the 'holes' of the spangen frame
Forcing the leather out in the correct directions to form the "domed" shape.
After we riveted them in we fired up the blast forge
We slowly heated the panels
As we did the wax soaked into them.
Last night when I left the shop I thought this method wasn't a good one as the panels were still soft.

I went back to the shop at lunch today to undo the rivets but to my surprise the wax had hardened over night and they are nice and firm.

I plan to add another thin layer of wax to hide some of the 'stretch marks'

Blackoak · Post by **Blackoak** » Mon May 22, 2006 4:06 pm

I have found that the easier (less mess) way for me to wax harden leather is to use a heat gun. I use a brush and put a thick layer of wax on my leather and let it dry. I wait a day then use the heat gun. It really opens the pores of the leather, and the wax soaks right in. I do it over my wax pan, and the run-off get reused. I find this much easier than dipping the leather.

Uric

Halvgrimr · Post by **Halvgrimr** » Mon May 22, 2006 4:24 pm

as cool as our 'liquid' wax was our methods are similar:)
We just used a blast forge (i.e. a propane flame thrower) instead of a heat gun:)

Instead of melting the wax, you could physically she the leather suck the wax into itself.

Pretty cool despite scorching one small area (looked away for just a second and it happened)