New helmet WIP

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Eric C
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New helmet WIP

Post by Eric C »

Okay, so this is something a little different for me. Some may remember my pics in a photo contest a couple of years ago where my "dwarf" was wearing a helmet. It is an old helmet - I'm thinking eastern block - that I found at an army surplus store. I was planning to do something with it then, but it got shelved after I cut the brim off. Well, I saw a thread on a knife forum that made me revisit this project. So, this will be my first WIP and my first helmet. Let's see what happens.

So here's a pic of the helmet with cut lines drawn on:

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A side view of the helmet:

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Inside of the helmet:

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I didn't like my original cut lines, so I redrew them and did some cutting today. The side-straps (for lack of a better or known proper term) are wider because the rivets for the metal headband were going to be cut if I did them identical to the front and back. I ended up cutting the headband out anyway because it was in the way.

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The inside of the helmet now:

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So anyway, hoping this will draw some interest and that it will be a successful project.

Edited: Oops, I posted the same pic 6 times. :oops:
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Re: New helmet WIP

Post by Udwin »

Yup, Soviet model Ssch-39, or more likely, Czech Vz53 copy of the design.
I've never heard of anyone using one as a base for a spangenhelm sorta helmet before! What's your plan for it? Going to make it more 'dwarvish'? Any sketches for the finished product?
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Eric C
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Re: New helmet WIP

Post by Eric C »

For some reason I was thinking Czech. No particular reason, it just came to mind. It is my plan to make it more Dwarvish in design. No sketches, it's all in my head.... which is a pretty good place to get lost actually. :lol: The cut-outs will be filled with tooled leather. I'm considering trying my hand at etching a design on the steel too. I may use the scraps for a nasal and eye protection. I really should have studied over my armour terminology before posting. I am also bouncing around an idea for an avontail.
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Ringulf
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Re: New helmet WIP

Post by Ringulf »

Hey Brother! You should use the cut outs of the metal spangen plates to make a second, smaller helm and use straight banding with rivits! :mrgreen:
If not I could use them for a helm I am working on so I can be lazy and not have to dish anything! hee hee! :wink:

(I have a chain avontail here if you want to swap!)
I am Ringulf the Dwarven Woodsman, I craft leather, wood, metal, and clay,
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Re: New helmet WIP

Post by Eric C »

Or just buy a helmet and take a Dremel and cut-off discs to it. Still the lazy way, but as you can see, it's what I did. :mrgreen: I've made a dishing stump out of a piece of oak, but I've never used it. Hopefully I'll change that soon. But you might be talking my language. I was thinking of making a chain avontail. That would save a LOT of time on this project.

But I do warn you up front, the cut-outs aren't all even.
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Eric C
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Re: New helmet WIP

Post by Eric C »

Okay, today I took an angle grinder with a worn 120 grit disc to the helmet. Probably not a good idea. Since I was sent home at about 1:15 today because of weather, I've been working on sanding out the swirls with 80 grit paper. This is going to take a while.

Here it is before I started the 80 grit work. I still have a long way to go though.

Image
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Eric C
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Re: New helmet WIP

Post by Eric C »

Okay, so I spent about 8 hours sanding on the "spankin'helm" today. I've named it the spankin'helm for two reasons. First, I should be whipped for taking an angle grinder to it. Second, it's spanking me pretty good. After 8 hours of hand sanding with 80 grit paper, I'm still not done with that step. Hopefully tomorrow I'll finish with the 80 grit and to give my hand a rest, I may cut out the leather panels and figure out what pattern I need to tool into it. In the meantime, here are a couple of "action pics." :P

Image

Image
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Re: New helmet WIP

Post by Greg »

Wow. Look at that concentration.
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Re: New helmet WIP

Post by Mirimaran »

There should be a bubble over his head with those *&%$$####% signs :) looking good, Eric! Can't wait to see the final product!

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Re: New helmet WIP

Post by Eric C »

Heheh. More like oww my hands hurt, but I WILL get these scratches out!

Ken: You nailed it. :lol: :lol:

Got tired of hand sanding scratches that were incredibly stubborn. Today was clear enough for a while so I got outside with my 1"x42" belt sander and hit the helm with it. It really sped up the progress. Here it is after maybe 30 minutes on the belt sander with an 80 grit belt.

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Once that was done I moved on to cutting out leather for the panels. I used the cut-outs to form the leather. Probably an unnecessary step at this early stage as the leather needs to be wet down and tooled before it is ready to be put in place.

Image

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I also looked through a book for possible patterns for each panel. I think I've chosen some good ones.
Now, quite frankly, my hand hurts from gripping the sand paper so until I get tired of sitting inside with idle hands, I think I'm done for the day.
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Eric C
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Re: New helmet WIP

Post by Eric C »

No new pics yet. Things kind of slowed down this week as I had a problem finding a pattern for the leather panels. I was going for a different pattern for each panel. I found one instead and stuck with it. I need to start making my own patterns I guess. :oops: This one may look a little too Elvish for a Dwarvish helm, but we'll see if I can redeem it in the end. :lol:

Anyway, I tooled one of the panels tonight and discovered that it has been a WHILE since my last tooling event. So I've got some catching up to do and I still need to improve on my overall tooling abilities. So, only 3 panels to go. Then there is more sanding that can be done on the helm but I don't want to get too far with it until I drill holes for the rivets. All in due time. Progress pics coming soon.
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Re: New helmet WIP

Post by Straelbora »

Eric C wrote:Heheh. More like oww my hands hurt, but I WILL get these scratches out!

Ken: You nailed it. :lol: :lol:

Got tired of hand sanding scratches that were incredibly stubborn. Today was clear enough for a while so I got outside with my 1"x42" belt sander and hit the helm with it. It really sped up the progress. Here it is after maybe 30 minutes on the belt sander with an 80 grit belt.

Image

Once that was done I moved on to cutting out leather for the panels. I used the cut-outs to form the leather. Probably an unnecessary step at this early stage as the leather needs to be wet down and tooled before it is ready to be put in place.

Image

Image

I also looked through a book for possible patterns for each panel. I think I've chosen some good ones.
Now, quite frankly, my hand hurts from gripping the sand paper so until I get tired of sitting inside with idle hands, I think I'm done for the day.
Don't forget that once you get it all nice and shiny, you need to 'distress it' by putting some scratches on it.
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Eric C
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Re: New helmet WIP

Post by Eric C »

That has crossed my mind actually. It's kind of a shame. I want to take it to about a 240 - 400 grit finish to try to etch the steel. but after that, it needs to look like it has seen some combat. Also thinking of ways to beat it up a bit. I could drop it onto my carport floor and kick it around a little. Concrete will do a good job of scratching it up.
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Eric C
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Re: New helmet WIP

Post by Eric C »

Progress pics at last! Here are the panels after tooling. I think I will treat them with some butcher's paste wax. I was thinking of beeswax but I looked up an old thread from 2010 where we discussed this. So I decided against it.

Anyway, the pics:

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Image

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I'm thinking I should take a trip to FL to see Ringulf and let him give me some lessons on my leather work. But I'm pretty happy with the way these are turning out.
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Peter Remling
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Re: New helmet WIP

Post by Peter Remling »

It's coming along nicely.
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