09-01-2012, 09:45 PM
Patrick, if I can put my two cents in, I personally think you would be happier with the solid brow guard. It is fairly easy to make, as I learned in making mine. I used a solid piece of 1018 mild steel and cut out the basic shape of the guard, grounded it smooth, put the ends in the forge and flattened them out, drilled the holes, smoothed the whole thing with a flapper disc, tinned it and installed. Came out great and would "help" stop a sword blow. There are pictures of the nearly finished helmet under "reconstruction of Gallic G helmet". I would be happy to help anyway I can.
Manius Acilius Italicus