Helmet Fit Issues

[Helvetus]

Sorry for the digression, but that is a beautiful helmet Jvrjenivs. May I ask where it comes from?

As for the original: it is from Mainz, germany, lost in WW2, unfortunatelly.
As for this repro: from my workshop. Made it myself.

Wow… It's incredible!

I love this place, I went from "ooh Romans, nice, it could be interesting" to "damn, I need to learn how to construct an armour and craft a helmet" in a week…

You don't take interns in your workshop, don't you? :whistle:

[jvrjenivs]

You don't take interns in your workshop, don't you? :whistle:

Yes, I can. But well, I'm terribly busy at the moment. This will mean you've to wait probably over a year (if not longer) AND it aint going to be cheap either. If you would like a similar helmet you might be better to contact Cezary (Cacaius on RAT) to let Robert Pustelak make you an helmet. (Or ask Noricum replikate)

[Helvetus]

Thanks for the details, I'll keep them, but I was jokingly asking for an apprenticeship position, to learn how to make such beautiful things myself ;-)

[Crispvs]

I too, use the bead method. I purchased a nice glass bead through our good friend and fellow RAT member Peronis at Armamentaria. As Jurjen said, feed the leather thongs through the bead (it should be a very tight fit) and then you can tighten or loosen the helmet by simply sliding the bead up and down. I find it much quicker to put on and take off my helmet now that I have started using a bead as well. If I do a lot of running about, the bead can loosen off by a fraction but i find that tying a simple thumb knot underneath solves this problem.

Matt, I understand why you tie your cheek guards so loosely, but remember that they are intended to be armour and as such must hug close to your cheeks to protect them from blows. Tied the way yours are, they would swing about, which would be both distracting and potentially dangerous. If you use the bead method, you can loosen your cheek guards to talk and then easily tighten them up again when you need to return to the display field. As an OT side note - I notice that your shoulder armour is very sloped. You need to add a sufficient level of padding underneath to bring them more level, which would be more in line with the evidence of wear on surviving pieces.

Regarding the idea of linked segments to extend the cheek guards, I would echo Jurjen's advice. Get some new ones made. There is no evidence which I am aware of for the Romans using such link segments on helmets.

Crispvs

[Gaius Colletti]

I completely agree with you Crispus, luckily my cheekguard hinges are pretty tight and I don't actually need the leather ties to hold them to my face.

I have since that picture was taken, made a subarmalis of sorts so that my shoulders are cushioned, but thanks for the suggestion, good eye

[jvrjenivs]

Thanks for the details, I'll keep them, but I was jokingly asking for an apprenticeship position, to learn how to make such beautiful things myself ;-)

We're you based, Olivier?

[Helvetus]

Geneva, Switzerland, not the shortest commute ^__^

[Flavivs Aetivs]

Anyone got tips for if your helmet can't fit both a head and the liner, but can fit just your head?

I'm talking about the Gallic-style helmets.

[66kbm]

Try this for altering and "squishing" helmet plus alterations.
http://www.romanarmytalk.com/rat/20-roma...ardsq.html
Kevin

Or if its in your budget...custom made/sized.

[GermanRifle]

Thanks for the continued info. Issue is cost. Links would only be 20-40 bucks or so. New plates, brass edging etc would cost more then what I paid for the whole helmet. Im not overly concerned with the historical aspects of the links however. Most of the reproductions, like mine are lacking is no many other ways & Im mainly looking for a passable fit. Thanks again for all the valued input!

[66kbm]

If you want to look like a Roman....then look like a Roman....WW1 soldier doies not look like a WW2 soldier....seriously think about your aims and goals, should be mainly to educate the public with pretty much autrhentic gear. Otherwise, whats the point?
Kevin

[GermanRifle]

Well cool...Ill gladly take donations...starting from you Kevin, to put toward the cost of the modifications of my helm & other items that I'm sure will arise.

So, the fact that the helm already has the wrong/inaccurate shape, rivets & rivet placement, brow, decoration, guard, cheek plates etc, is excusable...but the fitted links I want to add as an an inexpensive measure to make it fit my cheeks, will make the helmet not look "Roman" and preclude it from its use in any living history display? Wow. Good to know.

[66kbm]

If you follow the advice given, generally.....then you cant really go wrong....no one has the same shaped head. If it looks wrong, it doesnt matter. As long as its accurate. There is no specific look for a Legionary.
Only trying to help.

Kevin

[Virilis]

Guy, there really is / was a great variety of helmet shapes / sizes. Some cheek pieces are way too long, meeting under the chin and some follow the jawline, some are shorter. I don't see the short cheek pieces as a big problem. Please try this with the helmet: punch the pin inside the hinges which are connecting the cheek pieces and the bowl out. After that bend the hinges of the bowl and hinges inwards. This will make the helmet fit your head much better, make the cheek pieces look longer etc.

[GermanRifle]

I'm knocking out the pins as we speak. Thanks again to all who have taken the time to help. I do appreciate it. I am sure I will need more in the future. 8-)