[Alex Standerford]

Hello people!
New here, just joined a little while ago and didn't really know where this would fit sooo...... I am building (or trying to) a Norman helm out of some 18 gauge sheet steel (mild). Problem is when I tried to make the prototype from poster paper I could never get the right shape. Always ended up too pointy at the top and really tall or it would look good from the front then from the side looked like crap. Does anyone know of a template for the plates used in making this helm? Like the dimensions of each plate etc?

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[Nathan Keysor]

Hello Alex,

My avatar is a Norman helm I made so if that's the style you are going for I can give a quick explanation of how to make it. The reason you are having trouble is probably because poster board doesn't bend the same as a dished out piece of steel will. Basically you first decide how big the brow band needs to be which is the circumference of your head plus room for padding, mail coif etc... You then do the framework which is a metal "strap" front to back and side to side. These will determine the size of your four interior plates which are roughly tear-drop shaped. You can make the helm more or less pointed based on how long you make the frame work. It's also a good idea to cut the tear drop plates a bit oversize so when you dish them they don't gap. When I build a helmet I assemle the whole thing with nuts and bolts first to make sure everything is lined up and then take it apart to work out any problem areas. I learned this the hard way after grinding off rivets after screwing something up a few times.

Hope this helped,

Nathan