Bevor for Sallet 1st attempt - Gorget Stage

[Oskar der Drachen]

First, considerations about why I'm doing it this way.

I have little, to no neck.

I have yet to build my body armour, and as such am not to sure about what the lower part of the bevor/gorget should look like yet. I am going to hang this from the helm itself with spring pins in the side of the skull under my ears, and another along the jaw line in the visor. I will be able to disengage it to let it hang while wearing, or remove it to take the helm off.

I love the helm, but I'm not yet ready to give up my head rotation AND the vision I'm getting with my regular helms. This is a cop-out but only half way. I'll have full head rotation with the collar of this bevor running in conjunction with my regular gorget.

I've also lent out my Dishing Donut, so I'm using hammer and sandbag. I can dish, but not raise yet, the the setup will be dishing shaping and the mid step will be a cut and weld, and the last will be shaping to fit and finish. One piece build, with just a little cheating with the weld lines.

So here we go!

This is the Flickr set of the Sallet Refurbish with all the pictures:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41945693@N ... 915194407/

I'm working in stages, and am up to 3 so far this is the Setup, not quite the the Cutting & Welding bit yet.

Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

In this photo the back end should be pushed in more, and the eye slot should be level, but it gives you and idea.

[Oskar der Drachen]

Right!

This is the Proto-Bevor in place with the helm.

This is very closely fitted to my neck at the moment but as the final fitting to the Visor is accomplished it will be a little bit forward of this position. This is weird I know and I will quickly get tired of the arrangement I feel. I may change this one before I do more comprehensive work to it now that I have tried this on as an assembly.

I think it was haste and enthusiasm getting away from me. This may or may not work but it is/was a valuable learning tool. Workshop time done for the day but we'll see what tomorrow brings.







Oh, and apologies for the fuzzy photos, Youngest Daughter was the only person present to take the pics...

[MJBlazek]

I like. I really like the helmet too.

[Oskar der Drachen]

Thank you!

The helm has really predatory lines, very raptor-esque. I was very fortunate to be able to get my hands on it.

Hopefully I'll be able to get this 1sy bevor attempt finished today, and get the tail back on it for an overall impression shot.

I have an idea for the form and styling of the bevor and I'll have to see if my skills stand up to my vision. I suppose that's what Mark II and Mark III are for...

[Oskar der Drachen]

Right, here we are. All the major forming is done now, and I am tweaking the shape. Next step are the pins.

Right Side, from underneath to show the shape of the bevor. I have done the welding and shaping and rolled the bottom edge for fit and comfort. I will be nipping off the back edge of the roll for a smoother fit.



I am pleased with the fit, I was worried about the placement of the neck in relation to the helmet visor and skull. The whole assembly fits well and my eyes are right where they should be.



I have fitted the tail back to the skull, and it hangs clear of my shoulders, but It might still be a little low. Not sure what to do about it at this point. I'll finish the fitting of the bevor and then get in full kit and see how everything fits.





This is the "Fully Open" stance, by Flickr has stubbornly flipped it to the side. There is lots of room in the bevor. and I plan to put some quilted padding in there. There will also be plenty of room for spring clips long my left jawline. so I'm happy with that too. I plan to make the middle line more pronounced down the centre of the bevor to match the helm's centre line.


As for styling... There is enough metal in the top edge of the bevor to add teeth! My name is "der Drachen" after all, and the teeth lie close to the visor. From the side shots there is way plenty room between my face and the front of the visor. With the red padding inside the lower "jaw" I would polish the teeth silver/steel while the rest is blackened.

There was the Wolf helm after all! What do you think, too much?

[Oskar der Drachen]

Here is my idea for the spring placement to hinge the bevor. There would be the same set of spring pins both sides of the "jaw" and the spring would be set into the inside of the jawline of the bevor itself. The pins would show through the skull and the visor. They would be well rounded and be just the larger 10mm pins without buttons. With job I want them to do, pins would be more holes, and would not disengage the bevor properly.

The spring would follow the line of the visor more closely, MS Paint does have it's limitations.



Now all I have to do is get rid of that fat neck that keeps showing up in those pictures somehow...

[Oskar der Drachen]

Ok, this is the final shaping and placement finished. There is a bit more cosmetic work to be done, and I'll be placing the spring pins shortly.

First shot, closed up.


Second Shot, opened. Here you can see the line I will carve into the top edge of the Bevor. I opted against "teeth", but there will be a curved line reminiscent of the lower beak of a raptor.


I'm pleased with the way the components fit and work together. The Pins all work! Yay! I also like the curved and organic lines of the bevor as it is finishing out. The rest of the helm flows so well through it's curves, I'm glad my additions fit the theme.

[Seonac]

Thank you for sharing. Really good looking work you've done, and I agree on the 'bird of prey' aspect. Very cool.

[Oskar der Drachen]

Right! The bits are Blackened now, and here they are!

Front View


Side View - Apologies for the three holes in the 2nd lame of the lobster tail, adjustments are a be-atch sometimes.


Here is a closeup of the Bevor, showing the finish. This is the first time I have used this blackening method, and I think it went well!



I'm going to start another thread for the Final Assembly.

For anyone following the progress, this is the first thread:

Hinging the Visor
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=155782

2nd Thread - Spring Pins
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=157960

[Oskar der Drachen]

Next Step Complete!

Blackening and spring pins assembled, and fitting good. Function good.

Spring Pins LOUD IN HERE!

This is the left side with both the Visor and Bevor completely open.


Just the Bevor open.


All closed up!


From the Front Open


From the Front Closed. (how on Earth do I scratch my nose?!)


Thank Goodness the Shrek Ears will be gone soon!

Opinions?

[Destichado]

Looks outstanding.

I had a few doubts earlier in the thread, but this really came together. You've done an excellent job.

[Llewelyn Gododdin]

lookin' Good!

[Oskar der Drachen]

Helm now finished!

Front


Left Side


Back


Right


Next step is a Gorget, and ideas for a little to no neck gorilla type person?

[Oskar der Drachen]

OK,

Gorget stage. Here is a rough plan of what *seems* might work.



You will have to do some imagining at this point. First, the conditions of the build. There is literally only a free inch between the top of the pointing that holds my pauldrons, and the bottom of the bevor at the top of my shoulder. There are 2 1/2 inches at the front of my neck below my chin.

This is what I propose doing.
- Chest plate in a pretty standard pattern, with the top edge that circles my neck turned up.
- Two bands around the front of my neck, articulated behind each other with a heavy leather strap joining them and the chest plate in the front centre. Secondary short straps joining the first (blue) band the the chest plate to the sides of my neck for stability. The to edge of the second plate (white) to be rolled.
- The side points of these two bands riveted so they pivot on each other at a point just under the tail of the helm.
- Buckled Strap joining the ends of the gorget behind my neck under the tail of the helm. This strap to go through a loop added to the gambeson collar at the back of my neck.
- Buckled strap from the point of the chest plate to the front of my gambeson to hold the front down. This strap to be duplicated on the front of my Brigandine once said Brig is complete.

Possible back plate could be added to the gorget that would rest between and under the extensions of my pauldrons. This can be added by running the buckled strap through leather loops attached to the top of the plate under the tail of the helm.

The net effect of this arrangement is that the gorget would collapse into itself, and then rise again with the action of the heavy strapping and the action of the gambeson neck pushing against the straps from the back of the gorget. The side pivot points would allow for smooth action, and the leather can be replaced when it loses elasticity.

Comments or ideas?

[Tom B.]

Is there an historical example you were using as a base of design?

Why not add the historically used plates on the bottom of the bevor?
Since you have made a close helm style sallet take a look at the bottoms of the bevors in my thread here.

Note: The MET example is missing at least one lame on the bottom.

[Oskar der Drachen]

Hokay!

Reaching a solution now.

Together with the Hautes discussion in this thread:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=158548

with the additions of Hautes to my pauldrons, I am going to attempt a gorget like this. Two plates, chest and back, with a short collar made of the upturned inside edges of the plates connected, plus a collar ring with either a rolled edge or a flared one to act as a stop-rib at the top. Buckled to my chest and to my back to hold the gorget down and in place.

I am going to flute the plates slightly and put a forward facing ridge in the neck rings to match the helm. This is an abbreviated type of the gorget seen in the above referenced threads, but will not actually at this point be connected to the helm itself.

As I gain in skill here I will make an attempt at an assembled example in future. Hopefully I will be able to start bending metal tomorrow morning, as we will see what we will see!

[Oskar der Drachen]

Well, after experimenting quite a lot, and due to three factors...

Short Neck
Close fitting helm, Especially at the base of my neck and the narrowing of the rear where the lobster tail fits
Requirement of Head rotation

I went for this design!

Whole Set

Should have smiled here!


This is just the front plate, with a heavy skirting leather upper that angles up towards my chin. In fitting, this angle is a little shallow, and I will adjust it later.

Everything on Helmet Open


Visor Closed


All Closed - This is where you can see the too shallow angle of the leather Upper of the gorget. There is no side shot into my neck, but a small chance of a straight front strike to my open throat. I am going to unroll the neck of the Bevor into a trough, and raise the leather Upper slightly and these two actions will close that gap. I'm looking Up a little more than I would normally to show this opening too I'm kneeling so my daughter can look me in the eye and get above me for the pictures!


Left


Right

[fokker210]

Great work!