Great helm crest, torse and mantle

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Cian of Storvik
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Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by Cian of Storvik »

I'm going to put up some of the process of my current project: accessorizing my great helm.
The general plan is pretty cut and dry when broken into its four constituent parts:
1)A base of rigid material to hold the other three pieces on the helm in situ.
2)A mantle or drape made of goatskin, painted with a contrast, integrated with the base, and platform for the crest.
3)A decorative torse surmounting the mantle (made of velvet) wrapped with a contrasting metallic trim.
4)A light weight helm crest made of balsa wood and leather.

The first item I'm making is a foundation for the other pieces which needs to fit snugly to the top of the helm. This base will be hardened veg-tanned leather (10-13 oz) and will have pointing holes where it will lace to the top of the helm using points. It looks like I'm performing some brain surgery in the photo below, but it's just the leather taped to dry in place. (The helm is stainless, so I was able to cut and form the leather right to the helm. If it were mild steel, I would have greased the helm and wrapped in saran wrap to prevent rusting).
Image
Due to the over-lapped construction of the recessed top, the base is held firmly by the sides of the helm. Eventually this base will be integrated to the goatskin mantle. The crest will mount to it via screws for a smooth and contiguous look.
Next update will be the mantle.
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by Ernst »

Can you document a twisted torse on a great helm before 1400? I haven't been able to do so.
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by Cian of Storvik »

John Harsick 1384 - brass - Norfolk (not sure when it was fabricated)

-Cian
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by aetheric991 »

I'll be following this project with interest, as I have a similar greathelm, and an unfinished crest-like object.( Mine will be a rooster:) )

One question, why use goatskin for the mantle?
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by Ernst »

Cian of Storvik wrote:John Harsick 1384 - brass - Norfolk (not sure when it was fabricated)

-Cian
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by aetheric991 »

Ernst wrote:Can you document a twisted torse on a great helm before 1400? I haven't been able to do so.
Dirk H. Breiding's article "Some Notes on Great Helms,Crests and Early Tournament Reinforces" has a photo of part of the effigy of Sir John Swindon, died 1371, effigy ca. 1370-80. It shows what could be called a twisted torse. His looks like it is composed of three strands rather than two, so maybe its braided rather than twisted?

http://www.academia.edu/5758293/Some_No ... Reinforces
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by Cian of Storvik »

aetheric991 wrote:One question, why use goatskin for the mantle?
Two reasons; one is that it was successfully executed, IMO, on a couple of other reproduction helms in the past; The funerary achievements of Prince Arthur (brother of Henry VIII) at Worchester Cathedral for a 500th anniversary.
Image
And a couple of others that the same maker fabricated in leather.

And secondly, because of the dagging that I intend to do would be arduous to recreate in fabric, even in fulled wool. Also fulled wool becomes dense and then there is the issue of decorating it. And for the same expense as a yard of suit weight wool, I was able to get garment weight (1-1.5 oz) drum-died goat leather.

I should point out that each of these pieces is a new project. I've never carved a statue. I've never worked with goatskin. And I've never made a torse (but I do know how to sew). This may not work at all and I might regret it. But I tend to work through trial and error.
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by aetheric991 »

Those are two good reasons. I was hoping that you might have evidence for use of leather used on some artifact that I was unaware of. I had assumed that the mantle should be made of linen, and emotionally accepted that sewing the dagging would just be no fun. When I get to this point, I plan to decorate with paint, following Il Libro dell'Arte. This is also what I used as a guide to start my crest.


Is the reproduction in your photo by Jeff de Boer? Do you plan use your crest and mantle, and if so, do you feel the goatskin will be strong enough?
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by Cian of Storvik »

According to Medieval Repro's web site, the crest was made by de Boer. I assume the mantle and torse were as well.
The crest and mantle are meant to be for display only, or possibly wearing during educational displays, but not for combat. (if it doesn't come out well, I may want to beat it up, though).
The base (photo above) is 10 oz. leather that is now glue hardened and will have 3 laced points. I don't want the crest to wobble. The goatskin is just the outer cover. The crest will attach to the base, and the lacing will pass through both the base, and the goatskin covering.
The crest itself will be balsa, leather and plaster/gesso to minimize weight. So it won't hold-up to being struck. The originals may not have been very durable either.
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by Ernst »

Formed rawhide IIRC
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by aetheric991 »

Ernst wrote:Formed rawhide IIRC
Cennini says "...to make a crest...you must first get some white leather which is not dressed except with myrtle or ciefalonia,..". Is this rawhide or something else?
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by Cian of Storvik »

It sounds like vegetable tanned leather, as the description goes on to instruct forming it like you would a costrel or bottle; using sand packed in as a fill/shaper and then allowing it to dry in the sun several days. And Myrtle root was a key ingredient in medieval vegetable tanning pickle.

-Cian
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by Old Armourer »

Cian;

Jeff DeBoer made the crest and torse for the Prince Arthur achievement, and I made the helm and mantle. Here's a link to it at Worcester Cathedral -

http://www.richardiiiworcs.co.uk/arthur ... nails.html (five thumbnails down, and one over)

The leather I used was bovine, not goatskin. It was already dyed red, and I then painted on the gold trim and the Tudor rose. Other mantles I've done I painted the entire surface of the leather, then added the decoration, but you have to do a test first, since some leather treatments will repel paint and it will simply flake off. The photo below is of a recent commission, and with this one I decided to use brocade fabric for the mantle. It worked out quite nice; I lined it with muslin and added the gold trim to the edge. Don't know if that's exactly historical or not...

If you have any questions, PM me; I'd be happy to help in any way I can.

Peter Fuller
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by Cian of Storvik »

Thank you, Peter, for the clarification and tips. I really love your renditions of the helms and mantles! And as I mentioned before, they are very inspirational. I've had ideas of how I was going to approach this project for several years now, and finally just said to myself "I got to start finishing some of these projects."
If you hadn't done those helms and mantles, I wouldn't have been so motivated to even do this project.

The jacquard mantle is the best looking one so far.
I got a little further on the project last night. But not as far as I'd hoped. I had to drill out holes for the lacings, and the stainless steel was not forgiving. The blue smurf blubber is standing in for a torse until I dig-out the sewing machine. I ran by the fabric store this morning to get batting, but the line was out of the door. So I came back home and did a mock-up with foam.
The crest shown here is not the final one. This is one of the foam behourd combat crests made by Sir Angus and it's standing in temporarily for the one I'm planning to make out of wood leather and plaster. But the base (the brown leather thing under the dragon crest) is done. It's been shaped, trimmed and hardened with glue and sanded smooth. It isn't very pretty, but it will be covered with the mantle. It feels like it will be a stable platform for the final crest.

The mantle, I still haven't made...I keep putting it off. But hopefully will screw up enough energy to at least lay-out the pattern tonight.

The bascinet next to it is the helm that the great helm fits over snugly.

-Cian
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by Old Armourer »

Cian;

Thanks for your kind comments regarding my work. I don't usually get any feedback, so I never really know how I'm doing. I do love making the crests and mantles; it gives me an opportunity to exercise my artistic side, and I think they finish off a great helm nicely.

Below is a photo of the pattern I made for the mantle. As you can guess, it is half only, and your cap would fit into it at the curved end once the two smooth edges have been stitched together. If you use a supple enough leather, then you can glue the cap in without the leather wrinkling or folding. This is also an excellent way to do parti-coloured mantles; you can use two pieces of leather that are dyed different colours, or paint them before you stitch them together (if you want, I can trace out a copy for you and put it in the mail). The dags are copied from the Black Prince's effigy.

BTW, if you're using balsa for your crest because of weight, the leopard I made in the photo above was carved out of fir. By the time I was finished it, it probably weighed less than two pounds (I made the crown from very thin brass, and the tail was a piece of bar stock). I covered it with gesso and then applied the gold leaf; you can still see a bit of the wood grain, but I wanted it to show through, if only slightly. I know that the original Black Prince crest was made of leather (Jeff DeBoer made his from wood and covered it with tiny diamond-shaped lozenges stamped with a hair pattern), but I'm sure that wood was also used.

I make my caps from a piece of thin steel, instead of the hard leather you used. Both will suffice, but on one of my crests, I attached a small pin that fit into a corresponding hole in the top of the great helm. This kept the crest from sliding around, and I didn't have to cinch up the laces as tight to keep everything in place.
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by Mac »

This is very handsome!

Image

One thing strikes me, though. The laces make a big visual impact, and while I think that looks nice, we don't see them in period art. That suggests to me that the fastening method is not supposed to be seen. Perhaps the laces should be of the same color as the mantling, and the knots made inside the helm. Alternatively, perhaps the "lacing holes" in the helmet should really be thought of a "sewing holes".
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by Gerhard von Liebau »

Mac,

I have yet to make any crests to test the alternate theories on, though I'm nearly done with two helms that will require them. Your latter recommendations of putting the knots on the inside with matching color lacing is exactly what I've had in mind. Considering the technicality involved in the rest of the process of crafting and setting up a helm, it strikes me as something entirely feasible in period, to take that extra time/patience to secure a crest from the interior.

-Gerhard
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by Mac »

I look forward to seeing what you come up with, Gerhard!

It seems to me that putting the knots on the inside, or sewing the "bling bling" down with thread is not much of a hardship. If there is one thing we do know for sure about the linings or other creature comforts of great helms it is that they consist of triangular panels which come together in the middle. The effigy sculptors have be unusually kind to us in depicting this detail. So, getting at the knots or stitches will not be difficult.

Mac
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by Cian of Storvik »

Old Armourer wrote:Cian;

Thanks for your kind comments regarding my work. I don't usually get any feedback, so I never really know how I'm doing. I do love making the crests and mantles; it gives me an opportunity to exercise my artistic side, and I think they finish off a great helm nicely.

Below is a photo of the pattern I made for the mantle. As you can guess, it is half only, and your cap would fit into it at the curved end once the two smooth edges have been stitched together. If you use a supple enough leather, then you can glue the cap in without the leather wrinkling or folding. This is also an excellent way to do parti-coloured mantles; you can use two pieces of leather that are dyed different colours, or paint them before you stitch them together (if you want, I can trace out a copy for you and put it in the mail). The dags are copied from the Black Prince's effigy.

BTW, if you're using balsa for your crest because of weight, the leopard I made in the photo above was carved out of fir. By the time I was finished it, it probably weighed less than two pounds (I made the crown from very thin brass, and the tail was a piece of bar stock). I covered it with gesso and then applied the gold leaf; you can still see a bit of the wood grain, but I wanted it to show through, if only slightly. I know that the original Black Prince crest was made of leather (Jeff DeBoer made his from wood and covered it with tiny diamond-shaped lozenges stamped with a hair pattern), but I'm sure that wood was also used.

I make my caps from a piece of thin steel, instead of the hard leather you used. Both will suffice, but on one of my crests, I attached a small pin that fit into a corresponding hole in the top of the great helm. This kept the crest from sliding around, and I didn't have to cinch up the laces as tight to keep everything in place.
I sort of wish I'd read this about 6 hours ago. I started cutting up the leather for my mantle and stitching it..But Ironically it's turning out very similar to your pattern. But what I did was lay the leather over the helmet (under-side up) and put a bunch of potato chip clips along the centerline (like a mohawk) and then traced out the line to cut. I really appreciate the information, as I was starting to think I might have too glibly trod down the wrong path.
I really feel a lot more comfortable with the input you've provided. I once again, wish I'd thought of the pin idea. I may have to integrate that.
ANd there does appear to be some room up in the crown to do the tying inside. I might try that.

I was the victim of girlfriend interruptis the past two days. So the project stalled. But I should have the mantle finished this evening. The torse and the crest are awaiting more supplies by postal.
Image
Image
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-Cian
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by Old Armourer »

Mac;

Thanks for the kind comment about my work; it's appreciated.

With regards to the points, I think for the most part you're right, But somewhere along the line I recall seeing a photo of an effigy showing the points laced on the outside of the crest, on all four points of the compass. I distinctly remember saying "hey, that looks cool!" and incorporating it on the first crest I made, as well as all of the subsequent ones. However, trying to find that photo may be somewhat problematic; I don't know what book it was in, I don't even know what library; my own (I have altogether too many books!) the late Hank Reinhardt's (which I longer have access to), or the Glenbow Museum library when I worked there back in the 80s and 90s. Of course, my argument has no legs unless I can produce the evidence. I guess I've gotten used to the way I do this; I like the way it looks with the points tied on the outside. However, if I can't find the photo I mentioned, I will probably resort to your method. Looking at period images of helm crests, it's definitely the norm.

I know the points are too big, but the lacing I normally use is no longer available, so I was forced to go with a thicker alternative. I'm currently working on another helm and crest, and I've already decided that I won't use the same cord for the points; I'll keep looking for something thinner. BTW, have you actually tried tying a good knot at the top of the interior of a great helm, while balancing the crest on it? It's a bit like putting a bell on the cat; easier said than done. Please don't get me wrong, I'm not accusing you of not having tried it, I'm just saying it's not that easy do to and get a tight, secure knot. You have to lay the helm down, have someone else hold the crest in position, pull the lining down and tape it out of the way, then try to tie a knot without being able to see what you're doing. It's definitely a challenge. Having small hands helps as well.

Cian;

Sorry I didn't post the photo of the pattern sooner; I don't frequent online forums, and I only stumbled on this thread almost by accident. It looks like you're on the right track, though. It's wonderful to see how good your mock-up looks, even with everything still unfinished! BTW, I hope you're going to paint your coat of arms on the back of the mantle, like I did on the Prince Arthur one. And I can provide period evidence of that.
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by Cian of Storvik »

Well, all of the items you make are awesome. It's often suggested that people hit the Medievalrepro.com site for inspirational motivation.

And it's not a problem about the pattern. I never even considered asking anyone if they had a pattern. That's entirely my bad! One of my worst habits is never asking for help on projects.
I don't have Arms. I have the badge (my avatar) that I put on a lot of items:
ImageImageImageImageImageImage

If nothing else the argument of: 'omission of evidence is not evidence of omission', is probably applicable. I have already been smacking authenticity in the face by using chrome-tanned goatskin, cotton velvet, and a foam molded crest. And the base was glue-hardened with polyurethane glue, not hide-glue.
I actually like the lacings. If I can get some nice looking color coordinated points, I will probably display it with the ties showing. The little doo-dads and bits and bobs really add to the impact of items like this. Some nice multi-colored points with metal aillietes is a nice aesthetic touch.
All of the pointes I have now are made out of cotton clothesline cord. (It's durable and cheap, but not authentic even from a distance). Might have to hit-up Historic Enterprises for some fancy pointes.
One thing at a time though.
-Cian
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by aetheric991 »

quote="Mac"]
One
thing strikes me, though. The laces make a big visual impact, and while
I think that looks nice, we don't see them in period art. That suggests
to me that the fastening method is not supposed to be seen. Perhaps the
laces should be of the same color as the mantling, and the knots made
inside the helm. Alternatively, perhaps the "lacing holes" in the
helmet should really be thought of a "sewing holes".[/quote]

[quote="Old Armourer"]

BTW, have you actually tried tying a good knot at
the top of the interior of a great helm, while balancing the crest on
it? It's a bit like putting a bell on the cat; easier said than done.
Please don't get me wrong, I'm not accusing you of not having tried it,
I'm just saying it's not that easy do to and get a tight, secure knot.
You have to lay the helm down, have someone else hold the crest in
position, pull the lining down and tape it out of the way, then try to
tie a knot without being able to see what you're doing. It's definitely
a challenge. Having small hands helps as well.



The comments by Mac and Peter have got me to thinking. My greathelm is "in the style" of the Pembridge helm. I was looking at pictures of both it and the similar helm from Leeds to figure where to make holes to lace on the crest. Each one of these has two sets of two holes, one pair in the top plate and one pair in the top hoop, at the front, back and on each side. My new hypothesis, spurred on by these two gentlemen, is that the points would go in thru the two holes on the top plate, and come back out thru the two holes in the top hoop. This would make it a lot easier to tie, and the knot would be hidden by the mantle. It seems reasonable to me, and would fit the physical and artistic evidence. Thoughts?
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by Gerhard von Liebau »

aetheric991 wrote:quote="Mac"]BTW, have you actually tried tying a good knot at
the top of the interior of a great helm, while balancing the crest on
it? It's a bit like putting a bell on the cat; easier said than done.
Please don't get me wrong, I'm not accusing you of not having tried it,
I'm just saying it's not that easy do to and get a tight, secure knot.
You have to lay the helm down, have someone else hold the crest in
position, pull the lining down and tape it out of the way, then try to
tie a knot without being able to see what you're doing. It's definitely
a challenge. Having small hands helps as well.
And what's unrealistic about expecting two or more people to do such work? Medieval knights equipping themselves for combat and tournaments almost certainly had at least one extra pair of hands to help in all things, if not many more. Or what, for that matter, is unreasonable about suspecting that individual squires could actually perform the task on their own with such tricks as they may have developed? It's easy to get swept away in "what about this..." comments without considering the realities of the time when these quirky "problems," as we see realize them now, were actually typical to the point of being routine.

Consider the case of contemporary race car pit teams. In the 1950s the pace and particularity of the work done in today's pits would seem astounding and unrealistic, yet with proper practice and coordination it's now apparent that there's nothing unearthly about such efficiency. With such considerations it's important to step back and consider the possibilities.

-Gerhard
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by aetheric991 »

Gerhard, I'm not sure if you are addressing my comment, or Peter's. For some reason, when I quoted Mac and Peter, I didn't get the nifty box with text inside it. This might make my reply to them seem a little unclear.

I would agree that anyone who was able to afford both greathelm, and crest to put on it, would most likely have all the hands they needed to lace things together. I'm also sure that these experienced lacers of crests knew and took for granted many tricks of the trade that I don't yet understand.

That being said, every picture of a helm shown in this thread seems to be based on a small group of greathelms from the mid 14th century, as is my helm to a lesser degree. Studying photos of two of these original helms show 16 holes around the top, possible for lacing a crest. Using these holes, how would you suggest one might tie a crest onto a greathelm?
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by Gerhard von Liebau »

Sorry Aetheric,

I quoted it from you but it was Peter's words that I was addressing. I admit that I haven't given much time to the details of these helms lately because my current projects are more conjectural and based in the late 13th century. Tomorrow evening I'll try to give it some thought. Cheers!

-Gerhard
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by Old Armourer »

Guys, this discussion about how to tie the points on the crest is moot.

Gerhard;

To begin with, I wasn't using my comment about how difficult it is to tie the points on the inside of the helm as a challenge to Mac's point of view. It was a "By the way" comment, something like "By the way, have you tried Fanta Root Beer? It tastes terrible! Now let's get back to watching the game."

I have a hard enough time tying that stupid medieval knot on the outside and getting it snug, so I shudder to think what it would be like to try to do it on the inside. Not that it would matter, since no one would see it anyhow, so I would probably use a more modern knot. With regards to this discussion, Mac wins hands down. In 40 years of studying and making medieval armour, I've only ever seen one contemporary example of the points being tied on the outside, and I can't for the life of me find that image. So without that image to support my point of view, I have to concede to Mac. And even if I could find it, I still have to admit that out of the hundreds of images from the middle ages, if only one had the points tied on the outside, that would indicate it's not the norm. So if after this, someone asks me how to tie the points to attach a crest to a great helm, I'll suggest they tie them off on the inside, like Mac suggested. The fact that it's hard as hell to do (for me, anyhow), has nothing whatsoever to do with whether I think I'm right or Mac is wrong.

Aetheric;

You could very well be right. We see all these holes in great helms, and without a map as to how they were used to fasten the crest, it's pretty much anybody's guess, and yours is as good an explanation as any. However, common sense has to enter into the equation, and (like me) most people are basically lazy, so if they can find an easy way to do something they probably will. People haven't changed all that much in 600 years. If a crest got damaged during a bout, I'm sure they would want to be able to swap it out fairly quickly.

This whole "how to tie the points" thing seems to a bit of a non-issue, when we should actually be focusing on how totally awesome Cian's rig looks even though it's unfinished.

Cian;

Thanks again for your comments about my work. I blush...


I'm going to stop talking now.
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by Mac »

Old Armourer wrote:
BTW, have you actually tried tying a good knot at the top of the interior of a great helm, while balancing the crest on it? It's a bit like putting a bell on the cat; easier said than done. Please don't get me wrong, I'm not accusing you of not having tried it, I'm just saying it's not that easy do to and get a tight, secure knot. You have to lay the helm down, have someone else hold the crest in position, pull the lining down and tape it out of the way, then try to tie a knot without being able to see what you're doing. It's definitely a challenge. Having small hands helps as well.
No.. I've never tried it ( :oops: ), but it does seem like it would be a very fussy operation. I wonder if a bit of shoemakers coude on the laces would make it easier to get them tight. Then again, it might just make it even more like the "congress of the goat".

Mac
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Cian of Storvik
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by Cian of Storvik »

Dag-gum projects.
The torse came out okay. I wound up finishing it up between cutting dags in the mantle.
Doing the dags didn't work out as nicely as I had planned. But they could have come out much worse. The dags are supposed to look like scallop shells, and originally, I was going to use a very stylized escallop pattern that wasn't historic. But before I started cutting I changed my mind and looked-up some scallop shells from badges, belt dressings and an extant coat of arms, and went with a more historic shape. There are 32 dags, which I might have been able to do more quickly if it weren't so tedious.

Image
Last edited by Cian of Storvik on Thu Jan 22, 2015 11:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Cian of Storvik
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by Cian of Storvik »

duplicate post
Last edited by Cian of Storvik on Thu Jan 22, 2015 11:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Cian of Storvik
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by Cian of Storvik »

Here is the pembridge style helm with just the torse.
Image

and here is the mantle laid out on the floor. The little white piece of cardboard is the stencil for the dagging.
Image

This is moving a lot slower than I had anticipated. Work isn't helping out.
-Cian
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When wrongs are pressed because it is believed they will be borne, resistance becomes morality. -Thomas Jefferson
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by Gerhard von Liebau »

The dags look great, Cian! Glad to read that you decided to look up an historical shape for them - it might not be as pretty to a contemporary eye as some options, but for those in the know (or whom you tell it to) it really adds the right bit of flavor. I'm a bit confused by the use of sharpie on the outside of the leather. Did I miss you say so somewhere back there, that it'll be painted over or some such? I've always found it rather annoying trying to remove sharpie from anything, much less finished leather...

-Gerhard
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by Cian of Storvik »

I did use sharpie on the outside. As you guessed, I figured it would be okay as I plan on painting along all of the edges in gold, and the idea was to trim away anything marked with the black, since I was doing an outside pattern trace.
The more obvious choice was to do it inside out, laying on a table surface, but I wanted all of the dags to fall away from the top of the helm as if plum. So I did the lay out with it mounted on top of the helm.
This weekend, I'm going to test some different metallic gold paints and paint-pens on some of the scraps of the goatskin. And work on an idea for incorporating some more details into the design.
-Cian
The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not. - Anonymous
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by aetheric991 »

Cian,

Your project looks great so far! I'm also impressed with how fast you are making such awesome progress.
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by Old Armourer »

Looking good Cian. Doing scallops as dags is an interesting alternative.

If you want to punch up the torse a bit more, try running another, thinner ribbon (1/8" or so) along the edges of the wide one. You can hot-glue them on, or they'll stay in place once you attach the torse to the mantle. For painting the mantle, I use sign painter's one-shot. It's great for painting shields also. When you paint-trim the scallops, you might also want to paint the cut edge as well. It finishes things off nicely.

Can't wait to see everything finished!
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Re: Great helm crest, torse and mantle

Post by Cian of Storvik »

I made some pointes for the mantle this weekend and also finished painting the scallops. The other designs on the mantle I want to do after the crest is complete. That brings me to a stand still as I haven't received the wood to start carving the crest.
I hadn't thought about painting the edges, but it will be something to do. I wound-up settling on oil-based gold artist paint pens for this first task. It looked the best and seemed the simplest for the line work.

Image
Image
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The pointes I wound-up making from hemp cord, which I dyed red and then heavily waxed and applied alliettes to.
Image
-Cian
Last edited by Cian of Storvik on Mon Jan 26, 2015 8:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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When wrongs are pressed because it is believed they will be borne, resistance becomes morality. -Thomas Jefferson
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