tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46310486970261200832011-11-27T18:40:31.769-05:00A chronicle of projects from the Dark and Middle Ages.Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.comBlogger691100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-36225577231575519872009-10-07T17:29:00.000-04:002011-10-19T13:29:57.380-04:00

Good day to you all. I am sadly late in posting this update, and I have no excuse, so I shall simply post the pictures. This costume was a swift project, as I had decided only in July that I would be going to a renaissance fair this year. It is based off of some clothing found in the Manesse Codex, so I suppose it's Germanic, but the manuscript is so simply illustrated I may as well call it

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-73716141502960743362009-07-29T15:21:00.011-04:002011-10-19T13:30:19.494-04:00

Hello, This pair of shoes was an interesting project. I made the first shoe months ago, found it didn't fit, and dropped the project. Now, I wanted to finish the pair to sell it, but I had lost the second sole. I had to reconstruct the sole for the second shoe with careful measurements of the first. Here they are: Note the decorative stitching. This was based off of examples of

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-25597152054392639152009-07-14T19:19:00.001-04:002011-10-19T13:30:41.613-04:00

Good day,This project was a commission, and I wasn't planning on posting any pictures at all, but I do love the look of this one.

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-9370713357998071392009-06-29T14:30:00.003-04:002011-10-19T13:31:06.494-04:00

Hello,Here, finally, are the pictures of the dagger itself. And yes, those are hollow rivets:

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-68206516187161689342009-06-22T16:17:00.011-04:002011-10-19T13:31:30.554-04:00

Hello,Here are the final images of the sheath. I dyed it with a medium brown dye, utilizing the new technique of wetting the leather before application, which made for a smoother finish (the technique is new to me, anyway). I intend to post a few more photos once I finish rebuilding the dagger.

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-48583546959135758722009-06-19T13:18:00.010-04:002011-10-19T13:32:36.567-04:00

Hello,I am back after a long dry spell making hardly anything. Now that my summer vacation is over, and my summer classes have started up, I've started making things again (that's how it always is).You may recall seeing the previous dagger sheath I made (here). While I wish to create more costume pieces for this year's renaissance fair, I have at the moment no materials to do so, so for the time

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-31006486076194559742009-02-16T22:05:00.004-05:002011-10-19T13:32:29.167-04:00

Greetings and long time unseen!Recently I celebrated a birthday, and my grandfather sent me a clipping from a magazine with a picture of a Viking warrior. I admit only glancing at it, but when I picked it up a few days later, the warrior's necklace caught my eye. I had been dabbling in bonework over the past couple weeks, so I decided to undertake this project on a whim. I did most of the

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-53041310374885260122008-12-16T01:40:00.004-05:002009-06-29T16:32:34.047-04:00

Greetings:In light of the fact that I am currently disillusioned with the Middle Ages, I have taken a turn towards steampunk crafts. Since they are in no way related to the Middle Ages, I have dedicated a new blog specifically for such projects.You can find it here: steampunkcraft.blogspot.com.I hope to see you there.

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-40664454335994521912008-12-03T15:27:00.010-05:002011-10-19T13:33:32.146-04:00

Greetings to my faithful followers!I am back, and I have posts!This project is, as mentioned in the previous post, a school project for my archeology class. An atlatl is an ancient spearthrowing device found in all parts of the world, especially Mesoamerica (where the name comes from). More information can be found here.I made the atlatl itself (the thrower) first out of dry wood, found it to be

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-2415150434293863192008-11-20T14:25:00.003-05:002009-06-25T22:06:41.192-04:00

Hello all.I am thoroughly impressed with the consistency of visits over the past month. It's been over a month since I posted last, and still, I average about 20 hits per day.Thank you.Now, the reason it's been so long since I last posted is because I have done absolutely nothing with any kind of medieval crafting. School has become a nightmare, with many a project due before Thanksgiving.

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-73624426473393483412008-10-18T11:26:00.003-04:002011-10-19T13:33:39.014-04:00

Hail!I told you I'd have pics, and although I took some time in posting them, here they are: And in case you were wondering, it was a very hot day, and too sunny. Still fun, though.

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-64841125719851206932008-10-08T11:19:00.000-04:002011-10-19T13:33:46.237-04:00

Hello,I thought it fitting to post this, as it does have something to do with both the Middle Ages and crafts. I made this project in Jewelry/Metals class at Kent State University (quite a fun and useful class, despite my low grade).

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-71923344184661239112008-10-07T11:16:00.002-04:002011-10-19T13:33:52.815-04:00

Hei!They're done. Here are some pictures. I don't have to tell you much, because it's all the same as I have been doing.

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-30502953003161652282008-10-06T01:49:00.002-04:002011-10-19T13:34:00.711-04:00

Hail,These shoes are finally receiving my attention, after more than a month of neglect (school...). Well, I'm nearing completion of one of the pair. I've finished the sole-to-upper seam, and have started the heel stiffener.Here it is, pre-turned: And here it is, moist, stuffed with a piece of cloth after turning. Until next time, then,

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-72235196791217679722008-10-05T01:38:00.004-04:002011-10-19T13:34:09.523-04:00

Hwæt!This project was swift and secret, as it was a gift for my sister's birthday. I bought the buckle from Thorthor's Hammer, waited about a week, then started working. I cut out the belt based on the width of the buckle (½"), cut out the buckle area, then sewed on the buckle. I then moistened the belt and tooled a simple pattern into it. I dyed it black, and packed it up.Here are pictures:

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-19411712134541201102008-10-01T14:55:00.000-04:002011-10-19T13:34:14.699-04:00

Hello,This project was made for my friend's birthday (back in early July), but I just finished it. It's leather, dyed with diluted dark brown. Actually, it's the same dye as on my other sheath, just well-diluted. It's actually more streaky than the picture shows. That picture is actually surprisingly beautiful. Till next time.

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-82810348647801940742008-09-30T00:51:00.000-04:002011-10-19T13:35:00.228-04:00

Hello,Well, it's done, and I have one picture to show: Well, that's it. More pictures of it (on me) on 10/12.

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-52601562722692261672008-09-27T01:12:00.008-04:002011-10-19T13:35:11.258-04:00

Hello,Whaddaya know; I've finally done some work on this blasted thing.Basically, I've been doing the same thing since last time, that is, hemming down the seams on the inside to prevent fraying. Here's a picture showing the inside of the tunic, with the gore and sleeve on display: After finishing all the seam sewing, I finally got around to cutting the neck hole, also known as the first time

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-91498263872849902832008-09-14T01:55:00.007-04:002011-10-19T13:35:17.913-04:00

Hello people,It hit me the other day that there is one thing a Viking warrior oughtn't be without which I had somehow neglected to have. A whetstone, obviously, comes in quite handy to hone the axes, knives and saexes the Viking may have. Since I have a total of three bladed implements on my costume this year, I kind of need a sharpening device.So I went to the river, which was handily low, and

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-46964569681824949572008-09-13T01:49:00.008-04:002011-10-19T13:35:31.313-04:00

Hello,50th post, and 4155 visits. I'm happy.Anyway, more work on those splinted greaves of mine. I added the buckles and fitted the holes. That is, I fitted them on one greave, which is why I'm not posting any pictures of the pair on some random legs I happen to own.Anyway, here are the pics: This one shows the holes in the straps; exciting, I know: Until post 51:

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-584357528111068032008-09-11T11:49:00.004-04:002011-10-19T13:35:40.209-04:00

Good day to you all.Last Sunday I spent approximately eight hours creating a Viking costume for my dad. Naturally, despite having the camera with me, I neglected to take any pictures until everything was finished. Also, I only took pictures of the hood. Mind, the tunic and trousers are exactly the same pattern as my own (also on this site), so they aren't important.Anyway, this hood is similar

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-47020078079326952632008-08-30T01:27:00.005-04:002011-10-19T13:35:54.334-04:00

Hello everybody!I'm back! It's been over two weeks since I've last posted, which I can blame mostly on two things:a) I'm lazy, and I haven't been working on more than one project at a time.b) School started, and I've been studying for the first time ever.Now that I'm back in 'the groove', I've started working on my latest project, which is a pair of shoes, based off of this example. It's a

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-72561139931670348822008-08-07T15:53:00.005-04:002011-10-19T13:36:11.391-04:00

Good day.I'm back. And here, with my newly found time, is the first installment of the tunic series. I bought the fabric from www.fabrics-store.com, where their fabric is exceptionally well priced. I chose an olive green.It arrived in good time, and I then packed it right up to move. No sense in starting only to find no time to do anything later.Yesterday, I finally got around to measuring and

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-21427473198038197492008-08-04T11:40:00.004-04:002011-10-19T13:36:17.719-04:00

Good day!I'm back in business, at least until school starts Aug. 25. This project was a bit of a short deal. I didn't make the buckle set. I bought it from Raymond's Quiet Press. Excellent work for great prices.Anyway, I dyed the belt myself, and attached the buckles. Not too impressive, to be sure.Till next project,

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-16183389199452814782008-07-29T11:29:00.004-04:002009-06-25T22:06:47.596-04:00

Hello,I've not been working on anything for the last couple of weeks, as you may have noticed, given the old projects pictures and lack of posts. I'm moving, so all my stuff is packed. Trust me, I'd like nothing more than to start stitching up my new green linen, or putting the buckles I just got onto the belt, but without the tools, I'm up a creek without a crew of oarsmen.Anyway, I should be

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-37920016912297460452008-07-24T12:12:00.003-04:002011-10-19T13:37:19.423-04:00

Hello, To be totally honest, I did not make this, per se. The spoon was ready-made, and I simply took a drill, a saw, and a number of files to it. Thanks for looking.

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-10941940980502942612008-07-16T12:51:00.001-04:002011-10-19T13:39:54.886-04:00

Well come,This is an interesting project, as I've had the pair for over a year and never had a reason to wear them. The renaissance fairs I've visited since I finished them have been either too dry, or I was wearing a different costume at the time.I'm still quite proud of them, as I think they look quite accurate, down to the 'rustic' nails.Till next time,

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-10725791020902543632008-07-15T12:47:00.002-04:002011-10-19T13:40:43.138-04:00

Hail,This hat was a spur-of-the-moment project. I had some scrap from a tunic I made, and I could barely fit eight panels onto the pieces I had. I then decided to use the mink fur I had to edge the hat.It's extremely warm. I think it's too warm for Ohio winters, even.Till tomorrow,

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-91455005297273368052008-07-14T12:34:00.002-04:002011-10-19T13:41:08.870-04:00

Greetings,This project has been an ongoing thing since last fall. I bought some 8 gauge brass wire, twisted it into a simple 'rope', and called it finished. About a month ago, I experimented with steel wire, and figured out that I could make it look more detailed without any trouble. Then, I bought some cap nuts, ground off the hexagonal bit, and soldered the finished pieces onto the ends of the

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-86859614965995118672008-07-13T12:31:00.003-04:002011-10-19T13:41:28.441-04:00

Good day,Today's project is a sheath for a dagger I bought. I did not make the dagger, but I did modify it. It came as a live steel dagger, with thick edges and a large, blunt tip. I ground them down to a realistic shape.The sheath is made with a wooden core, wrapped with thin leather which is glued then sewn.Until tomorrow,

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-5232128962622153302008-07-12T12:26:00.004-04:002011-10-19T13:41:54.212-04:00

Hello,I've decided to post a number of pictures of items I have already made, many of which are at least a year old, if not older. I'll be posting one per day, as it will a. appear correctly on the RSS feed, and b. make you come back, giving me more hits.Anyway, today's item of interest is a coat of plates. This was made at least back in May '06 (which is when the pictures were taken). It no

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-17188242128897140022008-07-10T17:18:00.004-04:002011-10-19T13:42:53.445-04:00

Good day,I finished the trousers, or at least, finished them enough I can post them.Here you can see the crotch seam pinned:Here is the bottom hem of one of the legs:This piece of fabric will be folded along the top edge of the waist, in order to create a drawstring tunnel:And here's the finished pair. Curse the sun and its shadows, but it'll have to do:I haven't found/made a drawstring yet, but

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-688536160283091652008-07-06T16:59:00.004-04:002008-09-13T02:18:28.759-04:00

Good day,I'm finally back. I got my new computer, and it's taken some time to get all my programs installed (not to mention, I've been playing many a game), and only today did I install my camera software.Well, here are the final pics of the shoes I made. These were made using the leather from the first pair I made, about five years back, and simply modified to fit better.And on my foot, to show

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-16118799329544552892008-06-25T16:11:00.005-04:002008-09-13T02:17:03.178-04:00

Hello,So, I bought an axe, and since it's sharp, and I plan to take it to a renaissance fair, I made a sheath for it. I have no progress pictures, but I have finished ones.Here you are:Front:Back:Those are arbitrary front and back sides, which is why I tooled both sides. I just plan to have the 'front' facing out more often.

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-27711842359088523302008-06-24T09:36:00.005-04:002008-09-13T02:13:16.748-04:00

Greetings:This is the final post about the Romano-Briton helm. It should be on its way to the owner today.Here's a picture of the inside, with the buckling and such:And here is an animation showing the helm from all sides:

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-19654863802779907102008-06-21T16:07:00.004-04:002009-06-25T22:06:51.453-04:00

Good day:You may have wondered why I haven't been posting. First of all, my computer went dumb, and it's rather difficult to do anything with it at the moment. Secondly, I've been making shoes, and they've all had problems with them, which is why I haven't been taking pictures. I finally decided to use a different pattern (having messed up three of the four shoes in the pair I was making), and in

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-80548025809361856422008-06-11T16:37:00.005-04:002009-07-29T15:17:09.933-04:00

Hail and well met.It's been a while since I've done anything, mostly because it's been hot around here, and when it's hot, I dislike moving.Anyway, here's the beginning of the third pair of shoes I've made recently. These are for me, and it seems they'll fit this time.The beginning of attaching the pieces together:Sewn up one side:And the other:And then sewn up the toe:The hardest part is getting

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-86569826955074236402008-06-04T05:33:00.004-04:002009-07-29T15:16:30.659-04:00

Good day,Just to follow up on those shoes, here's a picture of the finished pair.They are on their way to their new owner.

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-80479881219430594632008-06-03T02:53:00.004-04:002009-07-29T15:11:25.483-04:00

Hail!This is a pair of shoes based off of a find in York, which, although intended for myself, do not fit, and which I am selling.Here is the stitching last I made (which I ended up only using as a surface on which to work):And with a sole tacked onto it:Here are a series of pictures illustrating how they are stitched, from start to finish:And the finished pair:I shall finish them by adding a tie

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-49423547756425591962008-06-02T02:50:00.003-04:002008-09-13T02:17:03.179-04:00

Hello,This is a project that I did swiftly and with few pictures. The saex is made from a cheap WalMart machete, with an antler handle, and the sheath is obviously leather and brass.Here's the basic shape, with the beginning of some tooling (to be honest, a rather useless picture):Here is the sheath with tooling complete:And in the sun, to show off the texture:This is the tip of the sheath,

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-19219768714717415802008-06-01T00:48:00.005-04:002008-09-13T02:06:53.831-04:00

Hail,Here are the results of my latest work on my greaves.First, another strap:And then another:That's one greave done. I only have to add buckles and punch holes in the straps. More pictures when I finish the other greave.

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-25078944592967046782008-05-26T16:51:00.004-04:002008-09-13T02:07:31.437-04:00

Good day,I have begun a new project. This pair of splinted greaves is not necessarily completely accurate, but it does look nice, and it's armour, which makes it awesome. Anyway, here are the pictures:There are six splints, two each of 10", 13", and 14".I rounded all the corners, and bent up the bottom edges.Then I started riveting them to the straps.Unfortunately, I ran out of rivets after the

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-59281398940125583432008-05-25T01:20:00.005-04:002008-09-13T02:17:58.157-04:00

Good day,The helm is virtually complete. All that is left is to add a string to hold the suspension in place, and one to hold the cheekplates together, and to sew in the cheekstraps. Here are the pictures of the penultimate steps:These include all the parts I was talking about last time. You can see here the protective plates, as well as how I moved the aventail to the outside to increase room on

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-66444680928964493922008-05-22T01:06:00.003-04:002008-09-13T02:25:28.901-04:00

Hello,More work done. I applied a second coat of paint to the skull of the helm. I finished the earholes.I also added the straps to the cheekplates:And then I tested them in the helm:Before I attach the buckles to which those straps will attach, I have to make the buckles, as well as protective plates to prevent 'strap cutting' (ironic for a helm intended for foam-fighting). Then, when those are

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-34244822939799778532008-05-20T20:32:00.003-04:002008-09-13T02:25:28.902-04:00

Good day,I got a few hours in today on the helm, and it's coming along nicely. The list of things left to do on this helm is getting shorter quite quickly. It appears my estimate of 16 hours was just about right. So far, I've invested 12:30.Here are the pictures:First off, here's the shape of the cheekplate:Which, once formed, looks like this:And here it is hanging upon the helm:This is the

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-46052081080070382732008-05-15T20:33:00.005-04:002009-07-29T15:12:15.262-04:00

Hello,This project was withheld from being posted until after my sister's birthday, given that they were her present. The shoe pattern was based off of the one found here.These shoes took only two days to completely form, but a little longer to make the laces and coat it in a lard/wax mixture.And now pictures:Here's the pattern cut out:This is the heel seam, half-sewn:And fully sewn:This is the

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-87505436576602308362008-05-10T19:23:00.004-04:002008-09-13T02:25:28.903-04:00

I added the final touches to the pouch. And here they are. I added the top strap and the drawstrings.And open:The capacity is excellent. I could easily fit hundreds of dollar coins in this thing.

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-17854428138867945722008-05-10T19:04:00.003-04:002008-09-13T02:25:28.904-04:00

I got some more work done on the helm, and although some annoying bits happened (namely, replacing about five rivets after undue forces stressed them to popping), I did get the skull mostly finished.Here we go. First picture, I finished riveting the plates in:Here's the first spangen:And half-finished:And completely finished:Per request, I made the side spangens angled; this is the first one

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-17289620090867530802008-05-02T16:01:00.005-04:002008-09-13T02:25:28.905-04:00

Hello,Yeah, I've been working on the ridge helm some more; I am utterly surprised at how quickly it is progressing. It seems the 16 hours I allowed myself may be more than enough.First off, I dished the other two plates, making a total of four:Then I started planishing. In this picture, you can see the difference between non-planished and planished (left and right, respectively):I finished

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-58184512745053135912008-04-29T23:37:00.005-04:002008-09-13T02:25:28.905-04:00

Hello everyone,I received a commission for a Romano-Briton ridge style helmet. I've spent an hour and a half so far, and already finished the browband:and formed and fitted two of the four top plates:It's getting easier to make these things, so it's taking less time. I'm working more on it tomorrow, and hopefully I can get a good amount done, since I have finals in a week.Until then,

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-66961904638415309902008-04-27T13:02:00.002-04:002008-09-13T02:25:28.906-04:00

Good day,In the last week, I started work on a leather pouch similar in shape to one found in Hedeby, Denmark. Instead of the 9" diameter of the original, I made mine 14", as I need to be able to fit a cellphone within it.Here's all the leather remaining of the original seven square feet. It's now down to about three.Then I cut out the circle, decreasing the remaining leather to about two.I then

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-9376890408887509362008-04-23T20:18:00.005-04:002008-09-13T02:25:28.907-04:00

My customer sent me pictures of the Valsgärde helm I sold him in action. Here's the best one, in my opinion:If you want to see the others, click on the above picture to visit the album.

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-9817114967474653562008-04-19T01:06:00.004-04:002009-08-22T19:05:26.244-04:00

Finally, another project. That's what comes from having little homework.These trousers aren't based off of any extant piece in particular, but I did use this pattern for the general idea.First off, here's the fabric I chose to use. It is 100% wool flannel.Here I cut out the pieces, and already pinned one ready for sewing.Here's the completed leg seam, from the inside,and the outside.I will sew

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-45603254506197234542008-04-09T14:24:00.005-04:002009-08-22T18:49:16.607-04:00

Hello all,Well, it's complete. I finished the helm a couple weeks ago, but it took me a while to add the chinstrap, and far be it from me to call something finished when it is only virtually so. Also, the pictures here following are far better than the previous few, and show better the overall look.I made the buckle myself as well, from a piece of coat hanger wire, and a bit of 16 gauge wire for

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-28335027125552382092008-04-03T17:17:00.003-04:002009-08-22T18:56:40.689-04:00

Hello,My Viking shield is finished. Here are the pictures:This is the back of the shield:And this is the front.Until next time.

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-52068729198801024602008-03-30T23:27:00.004-04:002009-08-22T18:56:10.114-04:00

Hello,I continued working on my shield. Unfortunately, I neglected to take pictures for every step, but I kind of replicated the necessary parts.First up, here's the canvas I got:I cut out the canvas, and glued it onto the shield. I then painted it; pictures of that will come last, as that is the best part.Then, I added the rawhide edging. Instead of nailing it on, I sewed it with hemp twine.

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-91322418989475192752008-03-29T22:44:00.006-04:002009-08-22T19:01:15.875-04:00

I finished the helm. It took a total of about 7 hours.Here are the pictures:All the pieces cut out and filed:Everything together:Second piece in:Third and fourth:Done:Top view:Suspension added:And there it is, all nice and purty:Here's my armourer's mark, the futhorc letters PK, my (real) initials:That's it. It's going to be sent off in a couple days.

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-72682376818967168842008-03-26T21:54:00.006-04:002009-08-22T18:59:40.406-04:00

Hello,The helm on which I am now starting work is an interpretation of the Valsgärde 6 helm. I'm making it for money this time, selling it to a Belegarth fighter in Puerto Rico.Here are the pictures so far:More later.

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-59089188824714494892008-03-23T20:44:00.008-04:002009-08-22T18:46:50.990-04:00

Happy Easter!I promised I would post pictures of the tools I used to make my Viking helm, so here I go.First off, here's my setup of forming tools. In the background, you can see my railroad rail anvil. On the left is my forming dish, made of a tin/lead alloy. Next is my round stake. And on the right is my head form.Here's my metal shear. It is from Harbor freight, and cuts 16 ga. steel without

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-36151247604190569672008-03-22T20:13:00.005-04:002009-08-22T18:55:28.352-04:00

Hello all!I made a Viking shield a while ago, but I decided it wasn't accurate enough. Also, since it was about 32" wide, it was rather difficult to walk through doorways with it. So I decided to take it to pieces, and upgrade it.First off, here is the original:I had to remove all the clinched nails on the rawhide, and the few holding the handle on. It was difficult, but I did it. Here are the

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-14448469513460150362008-03-17T21:11:00.004-04:002009-08-22T18:43:59.563-04:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day!I finished the aventail. I cut out all the slits, totaling 69. Here's the brass with all the slits:Here's a closeup of the slits, showing how big the things actually are:The way I riveted the thing on was to drill a hole exactly the size of a piece of brass rod, then cut a piece of brass about 1/16" longer than the hole. I then peened one end, turned the piece over, and

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-23170372481723231442008-03-15T01:08:00.004-04:002009-08-22T18:42:13.018-04:00

Hail!The main part of the helm is done.Next I will be adding the aventail hanger. To start, I experimented with widths of metal to see what size would best work. I ended up with a 1" by 17.5" strip of brass, here shown polished:To bend it into shape, I took a piece of coat hanger, bent it 90 degrees, and hammered the brass around it bit by bit, moving the hanger along as I went. Here it is post

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-30233669238261606522008-03-12T21:55:00.005-04:002009-08-22T18:41:06.192-04:00

Heyla,It's getting closer to being finished, slowly but surely.I worked on the ocular over the week, specifically cutting it out, and cutting the eyeholes with a jeweler's saw. Here's the pattern I used:Today, I worked on shaping the ocular, giving it a ridge along the nose, and bending the tip up (I have no basis of evidence for this, but I like the look of it).I fitted it to the dome, and

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-36111415464644537832008-03-05T18:44:00.004-05:002009-08-22T18:40:13.692-04:00

Good morrow,First off, I would like to show how I make rivets. First, here's a roofing nail unmodified:Then, I file the flanges down so it will fit flush with the metal surface:Then, I measure 1/4" from the head and mark it:I use snips to cut at the mark:I then file the end to make it flat:Here it is inserted into the plates:And this is it from the outside:I have already posted pictures of the

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-13448635957890402112008-03-01T02:57:00.004-05:002009-08-22T18:35:00.988-04:00

Good evening,It being Friday (having been, since it's 3:00am), I got more work done on the helmet. First of all, like last time, I did some planishing. I actually did some on Wednesday as well, but since that was all I did, and I didn't do very much, or take any pictures, I decided not to post anything about it. So I finished planishing the other two plates, and tweaked them even more to fit

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-84543543424588485632008-02-26T19:51:00.006-05:002009-08-22T18:33:53.764-04:00

Hello,Because of a snow day, I had some free time, so I got to work some more on the helm. I cut out the rest of the top bands, but didn't do anything else to them:I also started planishing, which is indeed quite the bore. I estimate it took about 45 minutes to completely planish one plate. Clearly, I didn't work non-stop, otherwise I would have finished all four plates. I only finished two and a

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-90484085958888870382008-02-23T16:58:00.004-05:002009-08-22T18:33:11.591-04:00

Salutations:It will not look as though I did much today, but the amount of work greatly outweighs the number of pictures. I'll start by saying I finished the other two plates, which took a lot more tweaking. Then I pounded them against the wooden form, which worked quite well. Here you can see the four plates around the form, showing how they don't quite align on the edges. Still, it's good

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-3572287257983115722008-02-22T21:31:00.007-05:002009-08-22T18:32:23.929-04:00

Good day:I got some more work done on the helmet. I started making the top pieces, beginning by making a pattern out of tape, which I flattened, transferred to paper, and then to metal:Then I cut them out:I started dishing using a different hammer than I ever have before. Instead of using a ball peen as I usually do, I used a modified cross peen, which, although slightly large, worked a lot

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4631048697026120083.post-52349129753472844922008-02-21T14:19:00.008-05:002009-08-22T18:30:21.518-04:00

Greetings:I have acquired a camera, so now, finally, I can chronicle my projects with purpose.The first project I shall chronicle, from start to finish, is that of my third Viking helm. Below is a picture of my last helmet:As you can see, it ended up rather bulbous on top, so it doesn't have the proper profile. The one I am making now shall be slimmer, more dainty, and better formed. I started

Peter K.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18082382228641354668noreply@blogger.com2