Helm Pattern - any suggestions?

[Thorondor]

Here's the front & side view of my helm pattern. I'm planning on doing the top of the helm as well as the sides in chain. I can't decide what material I'm going to go with. I'm stuck between bronze, galvy steel, or brass. It's going to be dyed black and accented in forest green and royal blue (if I can get the colors to turn out like I imagine them). The bronze I've used before in my chainmail - (edging and a cross in the chest) and it's held up beautifully...

The ear pieces are working on a floating articulation type base and the face mask is built into the overhead strap as one piece. I can't figure out how to strap the headband though. Right now it is layered 3 thick in back (each side of the strap plus the overhead strap), but I might lace it closed. Any ideas on the best way to do this?

Any comments, suggestions, it's horrible comments are appreciated

The taped spots in the paper are to make it longer, not where lacing will be. Paper is only 11" long, so I couldn't get a single piece all the way around my head.

~Þ~

[Cade]

looks pretty sweet. I would make the bridge of the nose piece a bit smaller. It looks like it might cut into your short range vision a little bit. Like when someone is within two or three feet.

Other than that, looks good. Just curious, but is this an uruk-hai helm? or is it for another kit.

I fixed the strapping issue by making two straps go over my head instead of one in the middle. The two straps connect to sides of the headband on ether side of whatever your using to connect the whole thing together. It's a little less attractive than the single strap over the crown of the head, but mine was an uruk mask and i was going for ugly so it worked out nicely.

you could also crisscross two straps over the head starting at your temples and crossing on top of your head, then continuing down to connect to the headband well clear of the connecting device.

[Thorondor]

Its for another kit. I'm working on a full suit since I'm not really able to get to events (I'm stuck in TX), so it'll be a long while before I'm a ravager especially since it's still a toss up if I'm a tribesman or grunt because of when I actually joined uruk-hai. By the time I make ravager I'll have armor making down to a science and be able to knock out a uruk kit.

I might mess with the bridge of the nose when I go to poster board and/or cardboard. Right now with paper it doesn't affect my vision, not even peripheral since the eye holes are large enough.

That's a good idea with the strapping...I might mess around with it some. I'm thinking about going wider with it and then using 4 rivets in the back to strap it together using the top strap to connect the headband in the back.

~Þ~

[Forkbeard]

Go to the armour archive and get the spangenhelm pattern. You can make a 4 piece spangen from water hardend leather. I've made like 5.
Wet the leather really good, strech it roundy like, sew it together, strech it some more and start to cook it. shape as you go.
You can do it, your smart.
FB

[Ramius]

I would make the head-band a larger diameter, then pad the helmet to fit. Right now it seems a little squished on your face and ears, and this would free up some of that compactness and make it more wearable for longer periods of time.

I see a lot of people build helms more like masks (tight fitting and such) and the lines and proportions never seem right or comfortable on the person.

Oh, Fork has the right of it (go figure!) with checking the ArmourArchive for a spangenhelm pattern.

Hope this helps.

-Ramius

[Forkbeard]

Padding out the headband is very important if you want the end result to look like a helmet instead of a mask. Dude is right there.
Many people in Bel make mask's instead of helmets. There's nothing wrong with that, it look cooler than nothing and still blocks arrows. I have both.
The drawback to a mask, to me, is you have a heavy peice of leather on your face, it's hot and smelly and you can't see as good or usually hear as good. It also make's it at least a little bit harder to breath. If it doesn't, either your mask doesn't cover enough or you're a weird bondage gimp.
In other words, all the drawbacks of wearing a helmet. But you don't get the bonus' of wearing a helmet. Like protection for your skull from all the red fighters who now think your face is your shoulder. I get hit in the head at least twice as much when I wear something on my face.
Anyone who wants to make a mask or helmet should consider this. If you are at all sensitive about getting hit in the head, make a proper helmet out of at least 12 oz leather and harden the **** out of it. If you do well and stitch it all together really well you can easily make a helmet that is every bit as strong as a football helmet and looks great on the field from that spangen helm pattern.
I'm ranting.
FB