I just finished this one today - a replica of the Lough Henney helmet in the Ulster museum. The museum dates it 14th - 15th C, though I often see it dated c.1400. It is thought to have been worn by an Irish gallowglass.

Mine is made of 16 gauge steel with raised phosphor bronze ocular reinforcements. The surface of the steel is blackened using a technique I was alerted to on this thread by Peter Messent. The surface was carefully given a natural russet finish over several days, then boiled so that it turned a rich black. A bit of oil I added absorbed right into the surface. It seems very durable and has a pleasant velvet texture.

The bronze trim is attached with handmade rivets - commercial bronze rivets were not the right alloy to match satisfactorily, and the concave heads are like nothing I have seen before.

The row of rivets around the bottom is meant to secure a liner, but my patron requested that it be left unlined so that he could wear it with a coif and arming cap instead. I have simultaneously produced a prototype helmet to subject to my new blackening technique which will have a liner attached in due course - I will post an image of it here when it is finished (and anyone interested can buy it!)

More images and full details are available on the Etsy listing.

-Hildebrandt

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p.s. - Apologies to anyone trying to access my website. It is still down! Feel free to PM me.

Beautiful work Jeffrey, very nicely done. I really like how the black and bronze look together.

This is a beautiful helmet. I have never seen the original before, and this is a very striking reproduction. Well done.

This is all Scott and our re-enactment friends have been talking about it seems! That and your wonderful greathelm for Dr. Metz. Have to get my project from you goin, each piece from you seems better than the last. And the brass/bronze nasal with the turn is a bit of fun to watch the greybeards debate about ;)

I am certainly glad it is going over well. I am curious about the nasal debate - where is it raging?

Also, to anyone who has been trying unsuccessfully to view my website over the last week, it is finally working again.

Oh, I wouldn't call it raging. Good scholarly exchange of theory and ideas. A couple of groups on Facebook, one for the Days of Knights re-enactment/timeline event in Kentucky and a Gallowglass group. And betwixt ourselves.. Leading theory is a headbutt enhancement.