I'm in the process of lining and strapping this Italian sallet and bevor. Since this is my first armour work I'd like to get some advice on a few points.

The black line around the bowl of the sallet is my guide for placing the rivets for the lining band (7 rivets on each side, plus a lower set of two rivets per side for the chin strap). Does the angle of the line appear to be historically plausible? I've looked at every original and reproduction sallet I can find but can't say for sure. There seems to be an enormous amount of variation, but I think I'm o.k. What do y'all think?

The blob of white clay in the center rivet position here represents the head size of my domed steel rivets. Again, I've seen great variety in rivet size but I'd like your opinions. Is this size within spec, historically?

I have a few photos of lined bevors, but none that show a bevor exactly like mine (though I have seen originals of this form). The lower end of the liner should be secured by rivets at the base of the bevor's throat. That area is somewhat obscured by the lower plate of my bevor. Can anybody here show or say how the lower end of the lining should be attached in this case? (and, by the way, is the name of this piece correctly pronounced (in English) to suggest that one has a semi-aquatic mammal strapped to one's face ("BEE-vur")?

Finally, I've already done a bit of work to make this sallet more historically accurate than it was when I acquired it (removing an ahistorical visor and patching the resulting holes). It's two-piece, welded construction with a turned under lower edge, so not perfectly historical although it's looking better and better. So I'm debating whether or not to use modern round washers under the rivet peen on the lining band or make more historically appropriate square or octagonal rivets from thin steel (a relatively simple project but never to be seen.). I'm wondering if the washer choice would be a deal-breaker for living history types if I ever want to sell the piece. I'd hate to wreck the value of the piece just to avoid a couple of hours of labor. What would you do?

Thanks for any tips!

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Here's my primary example for lining my bevor (by the same fellow who made mine--Patrick Thaden). I understand how to do everything but the lower rivets since the lower part of my bevor is different. I could just put my lower rivets wherever they'll fit but I do want to hew as close as possible to the historical line. If anybody spots problems with the lining of the one shown here, that would be good to know, too.

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Sean,

I think your rivet positions look good. I've always pronounced it "bev-or" but I could be off base with that. This 15th armour with a barbuta has a similar rivet line so I woudn't think it would change for a sallet etc...

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Sean, on the lower set of rivets for the bevor, you can flush rivet them so that they won't interefer with the little bit of downward play I suspect that the middle plate has in the base plate. You can use steel dome head or tinners rivets. Installing would be easier if you can clip the two rivets that join the base plate and the middle plate so that the upper assembley is free from the base. Mark and drill your holes in thier desired locations, than using a bigger bit drill ( keep the drill running slow so you have control over the depth) from the outside counter sink the holes like you would to accept a wood screw in woodworking. When you run your rivets through for piening, ( the rivet head should be on the inside with the shank protruding out the front) clip them as very close to the surface of the bevor, 'bout as close as you can get, then pien gently with a lighter hammer. The rivet shank will spread out into the counter sink allowing the surface of the plate to stay smooth, thus allowing firm afixing of the leather without interfering with plates moving. Most all of the Rhodes bevors made as articulating assembleys seem to have been done this way. After installation you can rejoin the base plate w/ the upper assembley.

No sweat, if you need some tinners rivets let me know.

Slot rivetting is easy as long as your holes are located properly. Just drill a second hole the desired distance away from the first to create the length of slot you want, using a sharpened chisel cut on either side of the desired channel so that it joins the holes forming the slot ( two circles become a long pill shaped oval) and then a little elbow grease and a file to smooth the chieled edges out.

I like this sallet..who made it?

Sean

I would go for the hand-made washers because, in my opinion, it is beautiful. The modern washers looks like... modern... When I make washers, I heat them to "fake" heat treatment. Also, I try to hammer the washer.

I think your rivet line is well placed. It allows you to install a liner.

By the way, this sallet is very well made!

Aquatic mammal, we really could have had fun with that one... the original french term is bavière, from which the anglo-normans, who continued using french but with their own accents and evolution until the XVth century, derived bevor ( bev-or), I guess we'll have to look to other ways of attaching bee-vors... oh never mind....

I just found these!

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Sean if you're going to make your washers you can make square, hex ( on the hexagonal ones in our collection you it looks like they started with a square and then nipped the corners off so you have four long and four short sides) or filed round. We have examples of all these in our collection.