Black Iron & the sheen of finished helmets

[damianlz]

Ave! While i will say upfront that I know Iron helmets tend to rust quite quickly, I have wondered if a perfectly restored, or helmet at the time of creation, would have had the same level of pristine sheen that tends to show on most iron helmets around. Do we know or have an inkling too how well the finish on a legionary iron or even brass helmet would be?

On that note, does anyone know if there was a possibility that wrought or black iron helmets would be a possibility? i have seen a few reenactors with these helms and they certainly look impressive but i have never seen any evidence on metallic finishes.

[PhilusEstilius]

There is a process of blueing of metal that does tend to prevent oxidization of iron and indeed I have made helmets in the past where I have done this kind of treatment by useing a gas torch.
With originals I think that the finish of these would have been very much the same and came about from the heat methods of production, therefore what we see today in re-enacting are such highly polished helmets that were never as such in ancient times.

[Crispianus]

well a sort of iron black or slate grey is a product of the forging process which leaves scale on the iron this can be quite protective combined it with oil blacking, I did use flowers of sulphur and heat to produce a black finish on steel a few times but never found it entirely satisfactory, oil blacking was more successful think cast iron pans here...

This one was made mostly by my wife with some help from me, a simple hammered finish with linseed oil blacking(which gives a dry glossy finish) done in the forge , but of course its nothing like the highly polished examples done with gun blue today... and what I would consider to be more realistic and fairly easily attainable... if such a finish did exist of course.

[Alanus]

Damian,
I've always been taken aback by viewing Roman reenactors in helmets and armor so shiny that everyone knows a polishing wheel was used. The helmets positively GLOW! Evidently historical reality and spiffy reenactment gear are two different things. 8-)

[PhilusEstilius]

Ivor.
I think that that is just about how a buffed up helmet might well have looked in its period and not the shiny mirror like finish re-enactors are showing.

[1493541]

If this is true about helmets, how do I make my deepeeka Gallic g actually look like a real period helmet?

[Urselius]

In the 18th and 19th century the military and naval ranker responsible for polishing arms - muskets etc. - used brick-dust. This was cheap, easy to come by and effective as a scouring/polishing agent. It would have produced a bright finish, but as it was not a very fine abrasive, it would not have produced a mirror-like sheen. I suspect that the Roman miles gregarius would have employed something similar - perhaps fine sand or dust from ground-up pottery sherds, perhaps applied when mixed with olive oil.

[Alanus]

I would think a "quick and easy," at least temporary fix would be to simply remove the over-buffed look with some fine steel wool. If it doesn't look right, use coarser wool than 0000. In any event, I would try to tone down the blaring mirror finish. :unsure:

[Scipio Second]

Ah, Brother,

Wouldst that there were a time machine that could take us back to revel in the "real thing". It wouldn't be as much fun as cavorting about in faux fur, but no doubt we would be better off.

Your friend,
Publius Quincfius
(aka Pierre A. Kleff, Jr.)

[Conal]

I wonder if the fact that there are iron helmets sheathed in a shiny material points to a preference for the buffed look?

[Urselius]

I'm sure that any active rust or grime found on a helmet or other metal-ware would elicit a few blows of the vine-stick. A bright appearance was probably required, but what I doubt is that a mirror-like polish was achievable, maintainable or even desirable. I think fine polish was reserved for precious metal, other metal was probably scoured/coarsely polished. Medieval mail was cleaned by rolling in barrels with sand (an inventory of Dover Castle, 1344 includes: " 1 barelle pro armaturis rollandis"). This, I think gives some clue as to the finish expected of workaday armour.

Armour sheathed in tin or silver is a different matter, these softer metals polish more easily and were undoubtedly treated so as to achieve a finer finish.

[agrimensor]

Why are ther helmets found that were tinned? Is it easier to maintain ? Ore is it that al iron helmets were tinned.
Who will tell?
I personally use a chalk abrassif whit a little accid added. It gives a fine shine one brass and iron. just oil afterwards.

[Gaius Colletti]

Doesn't steel with a shine reflect the light away preventing heat compared to dull armor that would absorb rays?

Kind of like using foil when cooking or a steel pan vs a glass cooking pan?