[Eric Johanen]

I recently picked up a inexpensive 3 bar pot to get some rebuild practice. Plan on cleaning it up a bit and adding a suspension. Just saw the post detailing full linners on several examples and would like to add one to my project pot. Have necessary materials and can sew leather or cloth. Will remove the existing rivets to disassemble and make drilling the holes to sew in the suspension and full linner a bit easier. To save a bit of work, does anyone have a source of mild steel domed rivets and washers to replace the ones I remove when taking apart my pot for the rebuild?

[Michael Ekelmann]

Lots of armourers I know order their rivets from R J Leahy. Here's the page on round head rivets.
http://www.rjleahy.com/Store/rivets/trvr.htm

[Randall Moffett]

With these types of helmets usually they do not have round headed rivets but are flush with the outside. You can often see the rivets if you look really closely but only a few of the helmets of this type had visible liner rivets. If you decide to do flush rivets you can simply use roofing nails. Cheap and effective. then once rivetted you clean up the whole outside of the helmet and your done.

As far as the linings. I''d make a padded skull of fabric and use aleather strap where it connects to the rivets. Sew this to the fabric cap. If you have check pieces you may wish to line these too. I'd make them seperate.

Sorry I could not find the previous post of the pictures but I know if is here somewhere. I think the liner with insides shots is a circa 1610 close helmet which does use rivets and washer connections.

RPM

[Eric Johanen]

Thanks Michael for the source info for the mild steel round head rivets. Looks like they have the size available for replacement. Will give them a order. Randall, I'm planning on making a padded heavy leather suspension for the bowl and a cloth and deer or elk hide linner for the bowl, tail and cheek pieces sewn at the part junctions and then sew into the pot. (rather than riveted) . This would make it possible to remove the linner for repair, adjustment of the suspension and replacement of the chin straps. Are the ones you've seen sewn, riveted, or a combination of both? If riveted, pretty much makes the suspension and linner permanent and difficult to adjust/repair. I found the photos of the linners in the English Civil War Helmet post and that's what got me interested in doing more than just the suspension. Thanks again for the information.

[David Evans]

[Eric Johanen]

Thanks Dave, that just what I need to know. The photos from allen antiques really solve the problem. Almost missed the forest for looking at the tree. Now, Randall's post makes things perfectly clear. Will go this route and use the flat head flush rivets for the linner and not drill stiching holes all around the edges to sew in the linner

[David Evans]

[Randall Moffett]

Eric,

Sorry I was unclear. Today has been like that for me. My wife is sick so I am watching our 10 month old (just hit ten months today infact) and working etc. at home. If you have any more questions let me know. I spent a fair amount of time looking at the ones with liners that we had. The picture David posted from the Met is the first I have ever seen with the tail. bill, check piece padding all integral with the cap. that is pretty nice.

RPM

[Eric Johanen]

Randall, that one really impressed me also and I'll do mine like that with everything linned. It just looks to nice not to do it that way. For the linning, I think I'll do it in red deer skin with a border of heavy elk then use flush flathead rivets to attatch it to the pot. After I finish two baldrics I've started, I'll take the pot apart and get started.