[Grzegorz Kulig]

Hello Guys.

As I promised, I am sharing with you my newest replica – Valsgarde 8 helmet. It took me a while, but first I had some problems with spectacle (I have made it too big and decided to exchange it and now it is OK) and second- I am very busy, so it’s hard to find a free moment to write here.

But, about the helmet…

1) the bowl – 2 halves hand forged of medium-carbon steel with heat tread, and then welded together. The main target was to make a helmet looking as original and making the bowl it historical technique, I mean without electric welding, would raise the price, unnecessarily.
2) Eye-brows and crest casted in brass, like in Vendel 1. But I think in few month I will be making the crest made of brass/bronze plate with using authentic technique.
3) Decorative panels pressed with using hammer hits in 0,25mm silver plate (930 assay), so with authentic press-blech technique. Motives are exactly like in original helmet find.
4) Everything was hand made – from forging and making models of moulds (templates?) for panels to putting everything together.


More photos of this replica, as well as photo of original helmet, you will find here : http://www.thorkil.ovh.org/valsgarde8_eng.htm

Enjoy the photos and feel free to comment. :o)
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[David Huggins]

Thorkil,
Simply breath taking, outstanding work, a bench mark for others to emulate.

Will your future helmets of this series have the maille added?

Best wishes
Dave

[Blaz Berlec]

Wow!

I recently tried to make something similar to Valsgarde helmet (but not in metal, fake decorative thing). I failed at pressblech (templates for pressing the foil were too soft - I used Fimo, or the brass foil was too thick...), and the hand embossing of foil took too much time (I had a deadline, some sort of art contest in our Tolkien society).

And this is what I ended up making:



Dragon Helm of Dor-lómin.

I'm just posting so you can better appretiate the artistry of Thorkil.

[Richard Gessman]

Out of all you helms I've seen (which are all amazing) this is definately my favorite one. The detail is astounding!

[Grzegorz Kulig]

Thank you, Dave.

With regard to maille : I am armourer and I am not making chainmailles - I order aventails, if someone needs. But, usually, I leave this choice to my customers, because there are few options and one can chose whatever he wants.

[Grzegorz Kulig]

Thank you, Richard and Blaz. You wrote your messeges, when I was writing.

[Hugo Voisine]

Wow Thorkil, the quality of your work seems to increase with every new piece... this one is simply breathtaking.

Having an helmet made by you is one of the thing I must absolutely do before I die.

By any chances, do you have some pictures of the original, so we can make a side-by-side comparison ?

[Richard Gessman]

Heres a photo from thorkils website:

http://www.thorkil.ovh.org/platnerstwo/helmy/wczesne/valsg8.jpg

[Jean Thibodeau]

Again we are in the " High Art " territory here and mere words fail to do justice to the work.

[Andreas Auer]

[Hugo Voisine]

[Grzegorz Kulig]

Thank you, Guys.

Sorry, I forgot to put the link to my web site. But I have edited my post.

Original helmet has different shape, but it was damaged in grave, so it is flattened. My replica is fitted to customer head's measurement, that's why it has different.

One more thing Blaz : I was making this helmet for about a month, if put everything together. Lots of time I spent on making models for casted element and matrices for pressing decorative panels.
I have learned lots about embellishment while making fantasy helmet "in vendel style". But, I have made my first embellishments on helmet about 5 years ago. If you will be patient and ambitious, you will be able to achieve a lot. Personally, I am making embellishment on steel, brass, copper and silver and maybe some day gold. I have never been using other materials than metal.

[Chris Gilman]

Grzegorz,
Nice looking helmet. Where you at the Moesgaard viking market a couple of years ago? Did we meet? I had my 2 decorated helmets there as well as Wolin. (Although I didn't wear it at Wolin)
They are allot of work. Did you cast your matrices? What type of lining do you have?
Again, Nice work,

[Patrik Erik Lars Lindblom]

[Gregory Alan Singer]

[quote="Grzegorz Kulig"]Hello Guys.
2) Eye-brows and crest casted in brass, like in Vendel 1. But I think in few month I will be making the crest made of brass/bronze plate with using authentic technique.


would you sell copies of the castings?

[R. Mcwilliams]

Wow that is the nicest helm I have ever seen.
Simply stunning!

Thanks for the picture.

R.

[Grzegorz Kulig]

Hi Guys.
I am sorry for not replying earlier, but somehow I haven't received any "reply notification".... I am so busy with new projects and have no time for writing here.