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Jean Thibodeau
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 Posted: Wed 21 Feb, 2007 6:32 pm Post subject: Got a Valentine armouries bascinet. |
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Closing sales hounds' snout bascinet. ( the current model uses butted maille so I was glad to get this one with riveted maille from their earlier production. Since they are closing their Canadian operation they are selling some old stock they were keeping I guess as a record / samples of earlier production. Movie stuff also like scale armour might be interesting to look at. )
Just got the bascinet and it looks real good. The gauge seems to be 14th rather than 16th ( not sure as I don't remember what was stated on the web page: I think it was described as a heavy duty helm designed for those group simulated fights where a lot of bashing happens or for steel blunt fights. )
In any case it feels as thick as the nasal on my MT spangenhelm that I know is 14 gauge thick.
I had a leather lining installed to replace the foam one that must be miserably hot and I don't have to conform to any sports' fighting safety equipment rules.
The lines of the bascinet skull are very pleasant to look at with a very defined front to back ridge line that comes to a distinct mini crest i.e. slightly concave reverse curve in the last inch / half inch. The back is of the almost vertical type as opposed to earlier period ones with a more central high point.
The riveted mailel is of larger diameter than my hauberk that has 3/8" outer ring diameter.
I haven't tried it on yet but I'm curious to see if I can use my 14th century MT gorget under the aventail ? Don't know if this was done historically but that is hard to know as a gorget would be hidden by the aventail in period iconography: Should be possible if I tighten the gorget as closed as possible and if the diameter of the bottom of the bascinet / top of aventail permit it.
There are many interesting and attractive helms but this kind is sort of the " classic " one seen in most old movies and T.V. shows ( even when the period is wrong for it ..... LOL ).
Movies like " The Black Prince " with Errol Flinn ( title could be wrong ), Ivanhoe with Robert Taylor, most of the Excalibur or Joan of Arc movies. T.V. programs like the 1950s' Sir Lancelot or the 1960s' Ivanhoe series staring Roger Moore ( when he looked very baby faced and before " The Saint " series ).
Anyway, you get the point that this design is burned in my Brain as the quintessential " Knights " helm. 
P.S. Nice touch the pins holding the visor look hand made i.e. forged and not modern made machine perfect pins.
No digital camera yet ( yes, I should get one.  ) but here is a link to the current model using the butted maille and the site pics are truly representative of what I see in front of me.
http://www.varmouries.com/tran_09.html
You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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Jean Thibodeau
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| Posted: Wed 21 Feb, 2007 8:56 pm Post subject: |
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Oh, just tried it on and it fits me perfectly: Tight and close to the head but I don't have to smear my head with butter to squeeze it on.  
The visor stays up when I push it back but I could see it closing by itself if I jumped up and down.
Breathing seems fairly good even with the visor down: Better than with my great helms and the breath hole are large enough to supply some fresh air. I wonder if the snout also helps as it puts some space between the nose and the visor ? Maybe with great helms having the front plate very close creates a space of stagnant air or bad air flow that increases the feeling or stuffiness ?
Vision is restricted and some moving of the head is needed to improve situational awareness but seeing things works better than I thought it would. Still I can see were removing the visor might have been preferred for close combat or frequent lifting of it. Good to leave it down in an arrow storm or when on horseback for a cavalry charge.
The aventail being attached to the bottom rim of the skull piece is kept away from close contact with the neck and feels less warm than my much closer fitting coif. The coif could / should be laced closed as it does gap a bit under the from bottom of the visor but that would be easy to do with a leather lace through a few rings of the maille.
Haven't checked yet but the gorget should work with this helm and increase neck protection even more.
Any jousters out there who have worn this kind of helm during reinactments battles might be able to confirm or contradict my initial impressions about how well this type of helm works. ( Pluses or minuses compared to armet or sallets ).
Really nice even to just look at in a form follows function almost perfect design i.e. great aesthetics.
You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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Randall Moffett
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| Posted: Thu 22 Feb, 2007 12:24 am Post subject: |
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Jean,
A very nice helmet. I was unaware they were closing. Let us know when you have your whole kit together.
Hope it serves you well and keeps your brain together.
RPM
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Hugo Voisine
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| Posted: Thu 22 Feb, 2007 7:05 am Post subject: |
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Congratulations Jean ! I may try to get one of those before they close... this one or a great helm...
Do you plan to get a full kit to go with it ?
« Que dites-vous ?... C'est inutile ?... Je le sais !
Mais on ne se bat pas dans l'espoir du succès !
Oh ! non, c'est bien plus beau lorsque c'est inutile ! »
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Jean Thibodeau
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| Posted: Thu 22 Feb, 2007 11:20 am Post subject: |
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| Hugo Voisine wrote: | Congratulations Jean ! I may try to get one of those before they close... this one or a great helm...
Do you plan to get a full kit to go with it ? |
Well I think they are still taking new orders for a while yet and the only negative is that the aventail will be butted as they didn't get any new riveted maille from their supplier(s).
If you look at the Makers & Manufacturers forum they may have posted that they where closing down the Canadian operation but still in business for the movie prop market. ( If not there they did send an e-mail to all their clients on their mailing list informing us about the closing. )
I think it should be possible to order new product for a couple of months yet but it would be a good idea to e-mail them with that question before ordering. I'm fairly sure that by December they will be closed for business.
Oh, as to full kit: I already have a good variety of maille, plate and helms that I could put together a look from 1050 to 1500 A.D. if one isn't to strict about historical accuracy. Most of my plate armour is Mercenary Tailors. Oh, by the way the sub-types currently available for arm and leg armour have early and later options like round plates at elbows and knees instead of fan shaped joint protectors. Also some very early elbow cops.
http://www.merctailor.com/catalog/index.php?c...ade3a940e7
There may be " prettier " armour out there but Allan's stuff is sturdy and available NOW and not 2 years after being ordered. And was / is good enough for my need to have some functional armour.
I think this answers your question also Randall. ( And it would help keeping my brains inside my brain pan IF I went to one of those mass battle reinactments where people actually hit each other as it is the heavy duty combat model using 14 gauge steel: Oh, doesn't feel excessively heavy on my head by the way. )
Obviously if one wants a full kit fitted custom armour with perfect finish one would be looking at $20,000 + and long waiting times.
Although most of my armour is mostly collecting with only occasional wearing: In the case of this bascinet it is mostly that I really love the very sculptural shape and aesthetics.
You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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This is a standard topic