The Armour Archive

Beowulf helm Progress 5 Pic.



I scraped the bronze and went with copper.
At least I could shape the copper in the lead block with chisels.

I welded up the old holes in the mild steel spangen frame.
This allowed me to do some new chisel work pieces.

Several holes matched up, so that saved me a lot of extra work.
I am trying the thick wire border clamp method in this one.

It is starting to look tacky... like Gypsy.
I am not sure where to go from here.

I wanted it to look like a Beowulf Helm.
A bad ass Viking Helm, if you know what I mean.

I guess I should start on the bar-grill now.

Hal

That is coming along very nicely Hal. Very nicely.

Bargrill? I thought you were going to put a solid face plate on it.

Ron,
That is looking really good. I'd like to make a suggestion on the bar grill. Instead of doing horizontal bars, (like you did on the roman cav helm), do something similar to what Windrose and WMA do. This avoids the football helmet look. Also, paint the grill flat black, and it will not detract from the look of the helm nearly as much.
Something like my helm.

Love the copper. I've always thought that using copper for decoration would be spiffy, Hal. What guage copper are using and how hard was it to work?

Great stuff.

Mord.

That's not a bad looking bargrill Garreth, it gives me ideas, thanks.

The copper is 18ga. and after heating and water quench it is soft to work with. It chisels real good into a lead block.

I was thinking bar grill over sculptured face because it does not require a lot of hammer work, as my hammer shoulder hurts.

Hal

Video link for moral support. Get to worl Hal.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZVEgwLX ... re=related

Holy Smokes Hal, that thing is looking smoooooooth. I hate to think your putting a bar grill on it though **( Great info on them from Gareth though if you have to have one on it. Anyway super nice looking Helm there.

Keep up the good work

Pitbull

I like it so far. what about aging the copper so it gets that dull sort of blue look to it? could look funky.

Domnall, thanks to the movie link. It is inspirational.

The copper has just gone thru some heat cycles, that discolors it.

OK you guys talked me into trying a face.
This first pass at metal face.
I ain't too happy with.



Man that Ugo makes it look soooo... easy

Hal

Nice Hal, looks good so far, keep hitting it till you like it better. Looks like it will turn out nice post updates soon.

Take care

Pitbull

Looks cool, the only thing is that it looks a little bit too happy at the moment.

Sweet!!! Glad to see you went for the face Halberds. It takes some doing,but is so worth it. What are you hitting it into/over?

Richard

I am using my newbie tools.
The RR spike stakes to detail planish and crease.
The small ball stake to planish and form over.

I also use a led block to hammer in.

I wanted a mean Viking... not a happy camper. D'oh.
Perhaps I should start over.

Hal

looks good Hal

Well it couldbe said that that helm has a killer smile

I really like the face!! Keep it up! Probably reflects on you being a happy armourer!!

Is it just me, or does that helm face actually look kind of like Ambrogio. No offence, but it does.

What I was wanting... was a Viking looking face.

I started over on the face, and have this now:



Any photo-shop guys want to play with this JPG.?
I patterned in poster-board an overlay mustache and beard.
I use clamps and magnets to hold things in place.
Perhaps the moustache and beard can be copper or the base mild steel metal.

Either way... I will chisel in some relief grain.
Hopefully to make it stand out.

This is Dejavoo... as I have tried this helm before.

If it don't look right... it ain't right.
If I ain't happy... it gets tossed on the scrap pile.

Hal

(edited to change pic)

Damn, I so wanna go through your scrap pile Hal...


that sounded really sad.

But seriously, that helm looks awesome.

Sorry,you had to scrap it Halberds. I don't know if you do much drawing, but I have to work from sketches. When doing my last face piece I looked at several sources: art books for drawing,photos of expressions I liked, and even comics or graphic novels. Looking at these helped get me familiar with the basic proportions and layout of the face,which I tweaked to fit the expression. The drawing I did on the steel was actually only a few line drawings for reference, which I outlined with a rounded chisel. Then it was hammering time. Here's that pic I was looking for before:


Richard

HEY! Wait a minute!
Vladimir said it looked like me! And I AM viking breed! So you have achieved the right look even without knowing it!
Dang man! You are wielding magical armouring skills here and you wanna toss it?! Madman!
Seriously, a smiling face is far more intimidating than a fierce looking one! It's like a grim looking thug compared to Patrick Bateman in American psycho. One is REALLY scary!
Please save the face at least, One day it might come in handy, probably because I'll buy it from you and build a tribute helmet called the Ambrogian Psycho!

I really enjoy your posts Hal, they always makes me wanna go try some new ideas. Keep it up!
Cheers!

Muhahahaha... looks like Ambrogio... You know it does.
OK, I placed it on my shelf of shame, for when you need it.

Thanks for the pic Redrook, it shows how it was attached also.
That is sure some good sculpture hammering you did.
No, I don't do much drawing, however I have a copy of Grays Anatomy.
Or should I say I stayed at the Holiday Inn last night.

I am going to try a 2 piece face, welded down the center.
I can hide the weld with the mustache and beard.
I found it easier to fit it inside the helm this way.

Now I know why we don't see very many of these sculptured face helms.
Also, why we see more of the cartoon looking faces.
It's all a matter of hammer skills and tools, which I could use a little more of.

More pics later... Thank you for the replies gentleman.
Actually... I use a lot of your suggestions.

Except that one about a thermite anvil...

Hal