The Armour Archive

Well, folks, just finished my first bascinet project for my client, Donovan, from up in Canada. I thought I would post the pics on the archive and get some feedback!

....and here is the same bascinet with its bargrill visor

Awesome!

Ooh, that's darn purty. It's very nice to see oculars in period (as opposed to 1/2" SCA-legal) width. Is that a Brian Price hinge?

Klaus

Yes, that is a Brian Price hinge. I am VERY fortunate to live within a few miles of his shop...although I have yet to try to meet him in person.

Beautiful. I also very much like the riveted-together bargrill.

Steve

Is that stainless? It has an odd sheen to it. It could just be the lighting, though.

Very, very nice. Gimme.

Being completely honest, after all of my wanderings through the World Wide Web, I've never seen a more beautiful globose face-plated klappvisor bascinet in all of my travels!

-Gregory-

That is very nice.

Did A-Bob help you with that?

Thanks for the pics.

Hal

Quite sincerely that is a better design than the brand-new Anshelm Arms bascinet that I just bought a week ago.

Stunning. Love every single thing about it. You even made a bargrill look cool.

That is incredible!! Thanks for posting such a beautiful piece, I'm going to add the picture to my wish list

Yeah, on that note... I collect pictures in image folders on my PC of helmets from all over the internet, and Erik's Wenceslaus, Coppergate and now both of these images are in my "Others" folder in the front. With a couple more nice helmets like these, he'll have enough to have a full folder to himself, like Adam and some of the other guys:p

-Gregory-

Mike F: Nope...it is mild steel, but thanks for thinking it's stainless!

Gregory J. Liebau: Thank you for the many compliments. BTW, I love your website!

Halberds: Armour Bob did provide some valuable techical advice OH and the use of his shop for a day . He had been a wonderful teacher and I owe hime a lot of gratitude.

Thank you all for the positive feedback. Please feel free to visit the rest of the website. There are more projects on the horizon...

very nice, nice lines, and very clean

Wow, thats a sweet bascinet. Also the best looking bargrill I've ever seen. If more looked like that, the world would be a better place...Otto

A agree, beautiful! I also think it is one of the best looking bar grill I've seen.

Thanks for sharing.

Pad

Hi,

Many people have commented on how much they like the bargrill on this helmet? Might I ask why? Do people like the shape? Do they find it to be more "period" aesthetically?

Personally I don't like the center ridge, or riveted on grills. My personal preference is for the style eldrid tremayne (from atlantia) makes.

Thanks for posting the work. The shape of the helm and visor are wonderful. Your client is very lucky indeed to be receiving this.

Alaric

Wow. Nice job finishing it, then.

Many people have commented on how much they like the bargrill on this helmet? Might I ask why? Do people like the shape? Do they find it to be more "period" aesthetically?

Oops, I read the question wrong. Sorry!

I actually don't like bargrills:D I thought he asked about the visor...

-Gregory-

Well, for me, the curves at the top and bottom of the center ridge to make the transition with the attaching points gives it a more graceful look, les "bargrilly". Makes sense?

Pad

I don't usually like bargrills, I know they are required but they almost always look like a metal facemask on a football helmet. Erik's lines, plus the riveted attachments to the lifting visor just look more like a medieval piece to me. I agree with Gregory also, I love the brass trim on the faceplate!!
Just my two cents.... Sean

DukeAlaric wrote:Many people have commented on how much they like the bargrill on this helmet? Might I ask why? Do people like the shape? Do they find it to be more "period" aesthetically?

To me, a lot of bargrills look almost exactly like football masks. This one doesn't. The center bar removes some of the football-iness from the grill. The attachment method also looks more like armour to my eye.

Well, I must give credit to the client for this helmet, Donovan. He gave some wonderful input and insight regarding the design for the bargrill visor. Personally, I liked the design for the mask because it is much sturdier than other simple bargrill visors I have worked on in the past. Honestly, I am considering using elements of this design in future visors

Erik, although hopefully my next big purchase will be for some top-secret SCA gear from Uilleag, I'm hoping I'll be able to get one of your helmets in the near future! I would really, really, really love a very similar version of your Wenceslaus helmet, if the price stays about the same in the coming months!

Adieu!

-Gregory-

Erik wrote:Well, I must give credit to the client for this helmet, Donovan. He gave some wonderful input and insight regarding the design for the bargrill visor. Personally, I liked the design for the mask because it is much sturdier than other simple bargrill visors I have worked on in the past. Honestly, I am considering using elements of this design in future visors

I'll join the chorus here. Lovely job!

My bascinet is similar to this piece, with a plate visor. I really wanted to do some etched brass trim for the visor but couldn't find a period example of a klapp with brass trim. All I could find was hundskull visors with brass. Help?

Thanks!

I should put my 2 cents in also, I guess. Since I'm the fellow he made it for.



I don't have the helmet in my hands... but from what I've seen in the many pictures that Erik has sent me over the course of the helmet's creation, I can't wait to get it in my hot little hands.

I do want to say that working with him has been an absolute delight. From the initial conversations, the several sketches going back and fourth, to the many e-mails keeping me abreast of his progress in making the helmet. I've been very happy with how the comission has progressed, and not only can I say that I'd not hesitate to order anything from him again, I'm going to ask him to make more stuff for me right away.

It arrives on Thursday, can't wait!

As for the comments on the bargrill design, I will say one thing. I have an absolute abhorrence to bargrills, but the fact is, I need one. I've never fought in a full-faced helm, and I can't afford to buy one and hope I can get used to it. The grill design that we came up with was a good compromise of form and function. I wanted a bargrill that did not completely detract from the look of the helm, and I don't think this one does.

dak.

Thanks, Dak...for my part it has been a pleasure working with you too.