Vendel Helmet -- myArmoury.com

Paul Holwell · Industry Professional

Hi Guys.

Well, Here it is. Finished at last!!
I would like to thank my friends from Wulfheodenas, Bruce and Dave for the help and guidance they gave me when working on this project. Cheers lads!
I would also like to thank Dave Roper, Thorkil, Ivor Lawton and Tim Noyes for the amazing work that they have done which has inspired me to do this Helmet.
This is my first ever Helmet, also the first time i have beaten metal into the shapes required for this project. The crest was a bit of a challenge Eek!

Forming that took a while. The vane has ten rivets through the top holding it on to the crest!
The terminals i had cast from my own master thanks to plataurum design, but they were the only cast parts. Eyebrows shaped from brass plate. The Helmet was based on the v8 and imagery represented on the Torslunda press blech dies.
I achieved the finish of the Helmet by heating the metal and polishing it between treatments. I did try burning it with linseed oil, but i didn't like the effect i got.
Theres a bit more about this Helmet on off topic talk/ Vendel madness.
Heres my pics, and the dashing model is the one and only Bruce from Wulfheodenas!!
Hope you like it Guys!

Paul.

Matthew Stagmer · Industry Professional

Wow love it. Such a clean clean smooth finish. I would wear that any day!

Paul Holwell · Industry Professional

Thank you very much Matthew Happy

Colt Reeves · Posted: Fri 11 Nov, 2011 4:06 pm Post subject:

"Look how shiny she is..."

James Cunniffe · Posted: Fri 11 Nov, 2011 5:14 pm Post subject:

A true work of art, great job Paul.

Jim Adelsen · Industry Professional

Oh that is fantastic! I've always wanted a good Vendel helm for my collection. You should be very proud.

David Phelan · Posted: Fri 11 Nov, 2011 7:33 pm Post subject:

I love the helm. Very well done! Great work!

Myles Mulkey · Posted: Sat 12 Nov, 2011 5:24 pm Post subject:

Paul, it's perfect. Quality components, quality construction, quality finish. If you made any in-progress photos, I'd be very interested to see them. Excellent job.

William P · Posted: Sun 13 Nov, 2011 3:34 am Post subject:

what can i say. its stunning, thats the sort of helmet poeple would spend at least 500$ on , if not a whole heap more.

may i ask about the ventail? it looks butted, im not faulting you if it is, just wondering.

Paul Holwell · Industry Professional

Hi guys.

Thanks lads. Sorry Myles i don't think i have any construction pics, but i will have a look and see if i have any (girl friend has a habit of deleting stuff as i use her camera) or if any one else has. some friends took a few pics.
William, yes it is butted. I used a piece of mail given to me curtsey of Dave Huggins, I altered it to size and fitted the bronze links around the edges. I would have preferred riveted, but i didn't have any and i could not invest any more time to this project.

thanks

PAUL

David Huggins · Posted: Sun 13 Nov, 2011 12:21 pm Post subject: Vendel Helm

Today Bruce and I and other local Wulfheodenas members visited the TORM re-enactors market to hand over the helm to it's now owner Mr. Mark Halls, who is also a member of Wulfheodenas. All I can say is he was like a kid at Christmas...and who wouldn't be!

We did suggest to him that he should consider in the future exchanging the mail for solid/riveted combination mail but at the moment he appears to be happy with the mail as it stands.

best
Dave

Mark Routledge · Industry Professional

Paul this is outstanding work, Bruce sent round some pics and I was impressed to say the least. It has made me want a vendel helm and up until now that has not been the case. Something about it, so give yourself an enormous pat on the back.

Johan Gemvik · Posted: Sun 13 Nov, 2011 4:29 pm Post subject:

Amazing first helmet! I can only imagine what you'll accomplish further on. Happy

Very interesting how you could make so much with only minimal casting involved. I've been thinking a lot about what one can do without casting for crest and eyebrows and this helmet shows that off beautifully. No one could guess that it isn't all solid cast really.

BTW. The trick with linseed oil is to add powdered charcoal to it before burning to get it fully black and not dirty brown with just a few layers, then add only sparse layers at at time so it doesn't run. This way you get a black metallic, almost pearly finish. On the other hand the finish you got with your own method is just excellent, I'll try it myself as an alternative. Maybe it won't stop rust as effectively but it sure looks good and should still give some degree of protection. Even just polishing plate helps vs rust as it has less purchase on the slick surface, and your polish has obviously added some other component than pure ferric to this surface to make it dark like that.
Very nice really.

Matthew Bunker · Posted: Mon 14 Nov, 2011 2:43 am Post subject: Re: Vendel Helm

Paul Holwell · Industry Professional

wow!, Thanks guys.
Cheers dave, I am really pleased Mark liked it so much.
Thanks Matt and Mark for your kind words.
Johan, Thanks very much and thanks for the tips on the linseed oil. i could not find much on the process when i was ready to try it out. i shall have another go using your tips. Fantastic, really want to get that real dark look down the line for other projects
and if you want to know more about the crest just email me.

Cheers,

Paul.