I was reading the FAQ:s about spun helmets and began to wonder...
Q: What is a spun bowl and why am I condemned to Archive Hell if I want to buy one. Insert plastic here too.
A: A spun top(top not bowl) is a modern innovation (we might be wrong on this, and are open to authoritative correction) that has become common place in helm construction. Worse than not being a period method, it has this funky hole in the top from the spinning process, it has circular "streaks" that scream I was spun, it's round rather than oval, and for the same cost of a spun top one can purchase a much better looking and more authentic helm. [i]Side bar:the use of plastic - Members of the archive are some what divided on the use of plastic, they are the "steel rules" and the "plastic is okay, if no one can see it". Both sides can be quite loud about their particular opinions, but all seem to agree that if, in the end the person using plastic is able to maintain a more authentic looking kit, then it is at least acceptable.
From what I know, a lot of the roman helmets were spun... Or were they not? Does anyone here know for sure?
Avete!
Yup, many brass or bronze Roman helmets were spun, as were some shield bosses, some types of patera or mess pan, etc. The spin marks are sometimes quite clear, and you can even see the center punchmark, or there might be scribed lines.
But iron helmets (and other items) were not spun because of the hardness of the metal and the slag inclusions. It was probably easier to forge the iron hot, too, which you can't really do on a lathe. And medieval helmets were iron or steel, almost never brass or bronze that I know of (except for decorations or added bits). So no spinning!
Not sure who is responsible for cleaning up that part of the FAQ section, but it does need to be done.
And besides, spuntops always seem to look like, well, spuntops. It is not hard to build a helm without using this technology and IMHO, you get a much better looking finished product.
Ok Gotta throw some wrenches around might as well do it here As a "Professional" (Hehehe) armourer I have to say: It all depends on how much effort you put into the look of the helm. You can SQUISH them and cut the side dips off of the bottom to make them more head shaped or leave them round for certain types (Roman, english lobster tail, ETC); You can weld up the hole in the center to hide that; you can sand the spin lines off; you can cut a 1-2 inch strip out of the center and weld it back together for a quick and simple ridge line; You can go all out creatively on the skirting; and all of this with little to no hammer skills and few tools. IE Riveting hammer, anvil (Rivet setting Block, etc) jigsaw (Or torch) sander, and welder. I once cranked out 10 helms in a week using spuns, still had time to pack for the SCA event we were going to and got compliments on all of them. It all depends on your needs and desired end result. For someone wanting to fight (SCA, ETC) able to say you made your own helm they are great. As well as for someone just wanting to start off playing with doing a helm with out a lot of time and money invested.
William S. Giltner
Lrd Tatsuo Okami
Iron River Armoury
So when you spin a top, you have to cut a hole in the center of it, then put it on a lathe. Got that part. Now, how do you get it to take the shape of a helm? Do you beat it with a hammer as it spins? I'm not quite understanding this.
Anyways, from what I hear, yes. The Romans did use them. I actually have a friend with a 10ga spun top helm. It looks a little like an onion top kind of thing. It's really heavy though, so I'd just as soon take the extra time to make a quality helm that's lighter, and doesn't spin around on your head when you get whacked in the side of the face.
Usually, there is a wooden tool as a shaping device on the spinning machine. Affixed to the point of it is the center of a disc of metal sheet.
This arrangement is set to slow rotation.
The shaping tool is a small metal wheel at the end of a rod which is pressed to the sheet which slowly presses the metal down to follow the shape of the wooden "core".
The drawback of this method, despite quick and quite reasonable is the fact, that the results are perfectly "round", as opposed to the more oval profile of a human skull seen from above.
Ok Gotta throw some wrenches around might as well do it here