First Sneak Peek at the Dioskouri Corinthian - Printable Version +- RomanArmyTalk (https://www.romanarmytalk.com/rat) +-- Forum: Reenactment (https://www.romanarmytalk.com/rat/forumdisplay.php?fid=5) +--- Forum: Greek Re-Enactment & Reconstruction (https://www.romanarmytalk.com/rat/forumdisplay.php?fid=32) +--- Thread: First Sneak Peek at the Dioskouri Corinthian (/showthread.php?tid=20854) |
First Sneak Peek at the Dioskouri Corinthian - The Dioskouri - 09-28-2012 Thank you It took over a year of carefully studying and tweaking literally every millimeter of its shape. I spent many hours in staring at it then changing something tiny then staring at it, rinse and repeat. In my mind close wasn't going to be good enough. I know this helmet needed to be absolutely spot-on to satisfy those very discerning historians and reeanactors. I knew I could go ahead with the final build after I had gotten a thumbs up from leading researchers of these helmets. They felt I nailed it and that was a great day for me. Finally To be able to say this helmet is indistinguishable from the real ones in its shape, curves and details. They particularly noted the nasal as being absolutely dead on! Nothing I saw being made was anywhere near what these look like so I had to make my own. I'll be in Dallas over the weekend and I'll have a great opportunity to sit this helmet next to a Manning. I think the differences will be quite noticeable. First Sneak Peek at the Dioskouri Corinthian - Gaius Julius Caesar - 09-28-2012 Yeah, I would love to see it myself! Well, after almost 10 years waiting to order a Manning, you appeared with this thread almost a week after I confirmed the order....sods law! :-? Still, Mannings are still better than the rest! now to save for one of these! :whistle: Odd, on my iphone, the photos were all the right way up....now they're sideways... :-? First Sneak Peek at the Dioskouri Corinthian - KrimzonKnight - 09-28-2012 ALright! now to save up a bit!! cant wait to see what other armor pieces will be available, their xiphos and kopis are pretty sweet as well. First Sneak Peek at the Dioskouri Corinthian - Andy Malcolm - 09-28-2012 What is the price of this helmet? First Sneak Peek at the Dioskouri Corinthian - The Dioskouri - 09-29-2012 The process to make these isn't easy or quick. Each and every helmet is made specifically for the owner. They're going to run about $1800 for a satin finished one and a bit more for polished ones as that bright polish takes some effort to achieve. Throughout this whole development accuracy was the only thing I considered more than how much they would cost. With historians and reenactors I know that price can be a very big deal and I had hoped to keep the price reasonable; and this is what the costs added up to. For the amount of labor these take to make, I'm really only breaking even. Before anyone remarks negatively on the price, please bear in mind the helmet itself. The construction is not like any other Corinthian in the world today. This is not formed with an air hammer or press then welded together leaving visible seams and weaknesses. This is all one solid piece and I think anyone can appreciate hopefully, that this way of making them is labor intensive. There are many other makers out there and as I only do this as a side hobby, I can't compete against a $100 Indian helmet. But what I did want to do, was make my helmet as exact as they could be made. First Sneak Peek at the Dioskouri Corinthian - Vindex - 09-29-2012 You are to be congratulated on your effort and considerable skill in making this. It's a beautiful piece and I would say worth every penny! (or dime). First Sneak Peek at the Dioskouri Corinthian - Theron_of _Sikyon - 09-29-2012 On my list to save up for. Have you ever considered making a boeotian helmet? I also sent you a PM about a spear head about a month ago. Not sure if you recieved it. Edward First Sneak Peek at the Dioskouri Corinthian - The Dioskouri - 09-30-2012 Well it's on my list of things to make and it would be tons easier than the Corinthians. Actually what I have to research and develop next are Greaves. Correct me if I'm wrong but hardly anyone makes greaves that are worth much and most Hoplites just seem to go without. So I see a need there! My list of things to create never seems to get shorter! I've been trying to build Lyres and Auloi for about 2 years and never seem to get those back to workbench! I still need to run pig Carcass tests for the Spears and swords here at some point. So at least I'll have ham sandwiches for awhile! Thus far the pitch attachment of the crest has been solid. I've even been carrying the helmet by holding just the crest and it doesn't feel like it will give any time soon. I never liked the pins, screws and various attachment methods I've seen over the years. I always thought they used pitch for this. Folks, that stuff sticks and turns hard as a rock! First Sneak Peek at the Dioskouri Corinthian - Gaius Julius Caesar - 09-30-2012 Actually, I have a set of greaves from Rado, which are not to be sneezed at! That are the best I have seen anywhere, and a reasonable price! Any chance of sharing your pitch recipe? I have some but it seems to remain tacky! Good for spear Points, buti've lost a few arrow heads with if! I have some ingredients for tar pitch as well But haven't made a batch yet! First Sneak Peek at the Dioskouri Corinthian - The Dioskouri - 10-08-2012 Sounds like you need more filler ie. brick dust, ash etc Pitch can be made differently for many different consistencies Hope to have some pictures of the helmet here later today. Including 2 that are a Manning and mine side by side. First Sneak Peek at the Dioskouri Corinthian - The Dioskouri - 10-13-2012 Here are the additional pictures of the Dioskouri Corinthian. Like all things shiny and metal the nuances are hard to capture. Of particular note will be the ocular rims. These are not simply raised rims of uniform thickness as on cheaply made helmets. Like the original helmets the rims are actually reflexive of the thickness and the 'roll' around the eye socket from the needle thin outside corner to a near flat interior bezel which accurately decends into the nasal piece. This rolling edge tracing the line of the upper edge of the eye is clearly seen on artifact helmets of this type. The lower rim does not have the 'rolling' characteristic but it is uniform in depth but not in width; it mimics the eye's shape as it progresses to the outer edge. The 'eyeliner' at the outer edge of the ocular rims and the needle like joining of the lower rims where cheek and neck meet are not simply put in with a Craftsman engraver tool. These are raised sculpted features like the eye rims. These are unique features of these Zenith Corinthian types and represent the highest form these helmets attained. They were also a major pain in the ass and I can well see why no one has made one like this before!!! But here it is after a year and a half. A full Bronze Corinthian, completely one piece. NO welds, NO seams. Everything exactly proportionate and the helmet perches back on the head as it should without complaint or balancing. It was not restrictive of sight or hearing particularly and was comfortable to wear all day. I did note that the helmet is very tough and I would expect it would be pretty impenetrable as it is now and absolutely so in the actual alloy these were actually made in. First Sneak Peek at the Dioskouri Corinthian - The Dioskouri - 10-13-2012 additional First Sneak Peek at the Dioskouri Corinthian - The Dioskouri - 10-13-2012 additional pictures First Sneak Peek at the Dioskouri Corinthian - The Dioskouri - 10-13-2012 Last pictures These pictures are of the Dioskouri helmet next to a standard Manning Imperial helmet. As I am not just a maker with a bias, but as an enthusiastic living Historian, I am disappointed to see such a huge disparity between the helmets. The artifact based helmet didn't seem too different to me, just more graceful and detailed. Once it was next to another helmet its proportions and shape really got set off on how 'different' the real ones are compared to popular makes of helmets today. The differences are more than a little noticeable and I honestly didn't think the contrast would be as great as it is. Wearing the Manning helmet showed a great amount of space between the face of the wearer and that of the helmet. The Diokouri helmet is completely tailored to exactly the size of the wearer and in the pictures it shows no 'bucket' syndrome. it is exactly in proportion to the head and the panoply overall. Seeing the real helmets you get the sense of how small they really are and this is not entirely due to ancient peoples being small. The helmets themselves were not made to be cavernous but rather fit closely like an Armet. As far as an experiment to see what a REAL Corinthian is like I am satisfied. The helmet looks and behaves like we see the artifact helmets both in real life and in the pottery depictions. When worn back, its position on the head and size is identical to the sculpture and pottery depictions and unless you are really shaking your head, it appears quite happy to sit there like a hat. I hope you enjoy the pictures. I really have not in 30 years ever seen a helmet like this. I never could find one that wasn't a bad prop or a joke......so I decided I would make one and it would be accurate, perfect and beautiful. Its exactly like owning an original one except not as fragile. I tried to make it as exact as I could and I hope you all feel that way a well. Its the only helmet today made like theirs were. First Sneak Peek at the Dioskouri Corinthian - katsika - 10-13-2012 Well, I could remain silent, but at the risk of sounding like a shameless Dioskouri shill, I have to say (since I am the owner of the Manning pictured above) I am now first in line to receive the #2 "Dendaskouri" helmet. Having seen the two helmets side-by-side, I can truthfully say the differences are astonishing! I honestly have nothing to gain by saying any of this (I have to pay for mine and wait in line like anyone else), but there simply is NO comparison. The "Dendaskouri" is a substantial piece of real armor - I have NO doubt this helmet could receive a whack from any contemporary weapon (sword, axe, club, dory, hoplon, etc.) and maintain compete integrity. Sure, it weighs more than the costume armor we have all been forced to wear up to now, but c'mon, man... this is REAL!! |