The Armour Archive

Would it be possible, and not prohibitively expensive to convert this helmet into an SCA-legal one (i.e. cheaper than buying a new helmet)
14 gauge steel all over

If you want to mess it up... add some side and back slats and a welded bar grill.
No big deal, but the rivet spacing rule must be looked into.

However, it will not be without blemishes to reconvert it.

What Hal said. Some maille tied all around and you have a pretty helm. However, before you start, pad it and put it on your head. How close is the nasel going to be to your nose. Remember the bar grill is closer. I would hate to see you go to the work, have a nice helm and have it bite you all the time. Don't be that guy.

Personally, I don't think it's worth the effort. The picture is poor quality, so it's hard to judge the original helm in question, but I'd just leave it alone and have a nice costume helm.

You can get SCA-legal spangen-helm variants all day long.

Steve

Let's get into specifics: how many $AUST can you spend on a spangenhat right now? How many in two or three months from now? They are not as a rule more expensive than a welded bascinet of comparable level of adornment and finish.

And at the worst, your LH item would make a good SCA marshalling hat, with its good vision and hearing.

Now as a crafting exercise in devising and executing an artsy, not strictly utilitarian, facegrill and crafting a slatback or cageback -- now there you have better justification than the solely financial. This might be something you'd do as a first-semester welding-class project at your local community college.

Thanks for the feedback. I will leave it as is, since I do love it, and try find a good purpose-built spangen