The Armour Archive

Ideval

Definitely is there a market. Either dress helms or helms modified for schlaeger or rebated sword fighting. Do you wish to sell SCA primarily? I think that anything you make would sell on e-bay, as well. And Renaissance Faires are a great rip-off for buyers if you can get a fair-priced booth. IdÃ«val

Ideval

Thank you, David. As you know, your arming helmet inspired me to begin a similar this morning. I apologize for bogging your post down with questions about my helmet. Allow me to ask you another question. I have the skirt for the helmet attached and shaped to an oval. Of course, it is not solid yet a...

Ideval

When constructing a flat-topped helmet via riveted tabs, the cap-plate is exactly 1/16" or so(for 16g) wider than the brow-band of the helm. But, if the flat top is to be dished, will there be shrinkage in from the sides? Should I cut the oval cap-plate a little larger? I plan on dishing the top to ...

Ideval

Thanks, Matt. I'm not making a greathelm to go with it, though. It wouldn't be much trouble, it just isn't worth it to me. I won't wear it, as I already have a sugarloaf if I'm going for the big helmet look, and I don't have any friends that will buy it, or are deserving of such a gift. Everyone, ho...

Ideval

Since I won't be welding, I thought that I could disguise the join or butt of the brow-plate with something like a low profile plume holder. I am going to extend the brow-plate down the cheeks to give some protection side to side. I might add some sort of visor, and turn this into a variety of Dwarf...

Ideval

I just might make one of these, as well. My welding skills are rusty at best, and I have no oxygen in my tank, so I would need to rivet as well. When making the tabs, would you advise that I extend them from the cap-plate and rivet them down the side of the helm? Or should I extend the tabs up onto ...

Ideval

Perhaps rivet the leather to the inside, then put in a lining that hides the piened rivet. It seems that the leather will wear between the two helms. Maybe add a gratuitous leather band on the outside as well, to make for a better "friction" fit than metal to metal. I have a question to all. With th...

Ideval

Yes, pitch. Many armourers here have been experimenting with roofing pitch, which has tar added for flexibility? I'm sure someone will correct me if I've misreported. You will need a dishing stump. You might be able to dish inside/outside to achieve the muscles, but I think the repousse approach mig...

Ideval

The helms in the movie picture look like some of the helmets from Marek and Jizba(?) website. Particularly, the rear peak and the skirt of the helm. I promise, these pics are new to me...I hadn't seen them when I sketched the Noldorin helmet. Of course, I'm no stranger to existing arms and armour, e...

Ideval

Here at the Archive safety is often a concern. Consider that the used motor oil was even called into question. Often galzanization, or welding with the stuff, is leapt upon as a potential hazard. Now, when I worked in a lumberyard, pressure treated was something that everyone stayed away from. It ca...

Ideval

I don't know about that assertion.
A leather palm produces a great deal of friction, so much so that if one grabs a blade and tenses it with one's thumb, the opponent literally cannot pull the sword away.
Maille does not do this.

IdÃ«val

Ideval

I would advise against the solid shoulder; i.e., the single plate. I imagine it would be a problem when raising your arms, et cetera. However, you might have a shoulder from several overlapping plates. Or you might go with even smaller plates, and transition from the edge riveted corazzina breast to...

Ideval

I use a cast iron market umbrella base and a closet dowel/pole for an armour stand. This holds full plates; I'm sure leather would be fine. If you wish for boxes, use large rubbermaid totes. Many retail stores and hardware stores put them on sale for under ten bucks for huge totes. Swoop in on a dea...

Ideval

Really? That's incredible. I'm glad you are getting to experience forge-work. Now, maybe to help with the radius; for a Norman helmet, Eric T began with a 16" diameter circle. As far as the actual raising, did you dish or sink a point on your plate? This gives you something to rest on the trailer ba...

Ideval

...and it's me again, with news as to the russet and the lining. By this morning, the whole helm had rusted lightly and evenly. I took the helm out of the tote, knocked the loose stuff off with a scotchbrite and wiped on some of the solution. What an excelleration in rusting! The helm is now a dark ...

Ideval

That looks great.
I just finished a helmet, and now have greater appreciation of the work involved.
Out of curiosity, how is the chin of your bevor patterned?

Thanks,

------------------
IdÃ«val
The Huntsman of
I-NossÃ« LÃºmÃ«vanwa
My mind opens wide when I roar

Ideval

Vladimir, I have exactly what you need. I worked at a Lumberjack out in the yard for a while when I was out of high school. When pallets are bound together, a special banding crank is used. When the pallets are opened, the banding is tossed. It is thin enough that it won't add much weight, and runs ...

Ideval

Plenty of rehearsal and a few effective throws. I had the pleasure of fighting at a Freemont Highland Games a few years back. My partner and I fought impromptu, but we've been practicing nearly eight years together. The fight was fantastic, and lasted about ten minutes. I have also done presentation...

Ideval

Yes, twenty-four teeth is on the finer end of things. I use twenty-four for mild steel sixteen guage. I would try a coarser blade. It could be that the convex shape has something to do with it. Is it tempered aluminum? Were you oiling as you cut? I don't know if it makes a difference with aluminum, ...

Ideval

I have used a black textured rubberized undercarriage coating for several applications. I originally bought it thinking that a few coats should make a ring deadening layer inside helmets. What's the word on noise? Any difference detectable? I'll try some on the innards of my new helm. --------------...

Ideval

Wild stuff! I just popped the lid off of the plastic tote, and lo! and behold the helmet has already begun to rust on the sun side; which amounts to the lower skirt of the helm and up and around the face-opening, half-way up the "forehead." I assume that the uneven rusting is due to the westering su...

Ideval

Helmet update: I went shopping for latigo(outer decoration/lining band/chinstrap) and buckles this afternoon, but only found the tack and feed store closed early. Oh well, I wasn't ready for this step anyhow. I've no problem sewing the liner before having something to sew it to; I just like having a...

Ideval

It finally came together, some solid twenty hours later! I will be taking pictures of the cuirass, helmet, and maybe a buckler or sword, too. So, we should get to make fun of my first achievements shortly. For those who have been following: riveting the inside of the peak was monstrous! I would much...

Ideval

Sew! Sew the damned thing and don't take shortcuts. I just sewed up a leather liner and, while admittedly not as much as a corrazina jacket, it took some time. The end result is much more satisfying and folks will think it professional; and women are always intrigued by a man who can sew. This will ...

Ideval

I did not catch that thread, but let me say just one thing. When in combat, fighting for or defending one's life, the combatant will move his or her shield where ever it needs to go. No matter how much practicing or training within a certain style of shield use a fighter receives, when one's brains ...

Ideval

I would rather have the armour...and a war pick to bash in all the mustang cars. Only assholes and punks drive those around here. This may not apply universally, but fast cars seem to attract jerk-offs; or jerk-offs are attracted to speed. Appropriate. Of course, no one here is a jerk-off, right? Th...

Ideval

Matt, I'm doing the same but with a celata/sallet/bascinet type pattern I devised. While I aim for a round top, there is some bit of a peak. I am creasing the ridge band, and so the peak will need a bit of special treatment. Here is what I am doing: dishing the band, with a little extra dishing at t...

Ideval

Work has commenced for the day.

When I have the ridge band ready for riveting, should I rivet one half of the helm completely? Then rivet the other half?

This will make the first half easier, as I have no anvil horn or long rivet set tool.
What problems arise from this method?

IdÃ«val

Ideval

It seems as though I may have been unclear in my first post. For the sole, my suggestion was to sew a sturdy piece of leather to the bottom of the shoe, then glue to this the actual walking sole of either a harder leather or rubber (I have used big inner-tubes for friends' boots and shoes). Is this ...

Ideval

Hearsay caution: I've heard of "painting" on a liquid preparation, or perhaps it was a paste?, then baking the piece. The way it was explained left me thinking that the skin or surface of the armour "absorbed" or was "penetrated" by the carbon preparation; this super-thin surface, now with enough ca...

Ideval

Sorry Prince of Darkmoor, that post was a tad misleading. I was also trimming and filing, and adjusting the pattern to reflect the changes, while dishing the half. I'm not done, but the curve looks smooth and attractive thus far. The second half will dish or sink much faster. I will have the pattern...

Ideval

Well, my hands are trembling from dishing for the last forty five minutes or so, and cutting and filing before that. I bought some 16g this morning, made my final pattern, cut a helm half, filed, and then set to dishing and sinking the piece. I found that I needed to trim the peak and the back "tail...

Ideval

Looks good, Norman. I have a similar, albeit a less extensive waiver, that I dredge up when fresh meat comes over for a bit of spat. (I hope I didn't miss this on your application) One thing that I do include, and you may opt to do this as well, is an emergency contact or friend that can be reached ...

Ideval

Now that I see a finished product, I realize how easy those will be to make. I'm excited. My one question: I will add a sole of leather and rubber, or a few layers of leather. Would you all suggest that I sew the shoe to a sole of leather and then barge cement this to a harder piece of leather for t...

Ideval

Now that I see a finished product, I realize how easy those will be to make. I'm excited. My one question: I will add a sole of leather and rubber, or a few layers of leather. Would you all suggest that I sew the shoe to a sole of leather and then barge cement this to a harder piece of leather for t...

Dishing the top plate(beg.)

Finished my Spangen Sallet!!!!