Hey Everyone,

I recently ordered a Windrose Fiore sparring helmet.

[ Linked Image ]

One suggestion I received regarding the helmet is to add a mail covering to the cloth bib and drape combination to make it look more period- a kind of false aventail. I have a couple of ideas I would like to run by-

1. What about a scale aventail. Searching the forums I have found many threads discussing them, but no definative consensus if they are a legitimate 14th century occurrence. I was thinking rather than mail, I could cover the cloth with scales from the Mercenary's tailor. I like this option because it would look interesting and I could do it myself. But it if is not period, I would rather use mail.

2. I was also thinking I could have a klapvisier like visor made to fit to the same specs as the visor's that ship with the Fiore sparring helmet. Anyone out there done this? What do you think of the idea?

Thanks!

I remember seeing what I believe as German/East European illuminations showing scale aventail. I will see if I can find any of the images.

I bought some of Mercenary's tailor scales for for a armour project. I really liked them except that I think that 16 gage, because the way scales overlap, were too heavy for the body armour I was making. If you make an scale aventail, and are going to use Mercenary Tailor's scales, talk to Allan about what you are using them for. Perhaps you can use lighter gage scale and he will make them for you.

m

Depending on what you are using the helmet 18 gauge should be more then enough.

Here are some images. Note that images or scale aventail are rare in my image collection and some of them could well be another way of drawing mail or more of a kind of collar rather then something that hangs form the helmet.

Most of theses images are nice because the show maile and what I would consider scale drawn together. So you can see that the scale is something else and not a short hand for drawing maile.

Note that maile is probably order of magnitude more common in the images then anything that might be scale which might mean maile is a better solution to protecting the neck the scale.

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@Mackenzie Cosens: Nice images, thanks!

Windrose can make the helmet with interchangeable WMA and Klapvisiers, as below:

[ Linked Image ]

If you want a mail aventail, they can do that too, as you can see.

Cheers,

Christian

Why not, give windrose a call or email http://www.windrosearmoury.com/zc/index.php?main_page=contact_us , John should be back from Pennsic. I am sure that he would be happy to make you a clap visor and a get a mail aventail.

m

The short story on the gauntlets: certainly functional, but not cheap. These will work for those with fatter wallets, but they're not in the entry level category at $700.

Yours,

CHT

You're welcome.

I also saw those new gauntlets KoA is carrying. With a little work, this might work out. As I suspected, the inside cuff piece would have to go, especially for German practitioners who need to cross their arms.

The downside: if you're using the Windrose helmet, these are the wrong period. However, if you're just using a medieval-ish look for safety gear, this might not matter.

Cheers,

CHT

The only way to meet such a price point is to have it made overseas. What scares US armourers away from that is that IP quickly gets pirated that way and then they get screwed.

Best,

CHT