My first later helmet

[jackmcauliffe]

Hi Jack,

It may be a bit off topic, but I had a look at your website and just want to point out that the finish on most original ancient articles was excellent. They were made by craftsmen taking pride in their work. So leaving a knife like your sax (wrong shape, by the way) with a lot of forge markes is not historicly correct. It is a misconception that craftsmen of two millenia ago just banged out any old knife as long as it would cut.
On the helmet too, I would suggest you have a real good hard look at finishing details (such as that unriveted strip of brass/copper sticking out near the back). If you want to turn this into a profession, it is very important to reach a high level of perfectionism and to do a lot of research. And I would advice you to specialise first, learning to forge and finish something really well. Well made solid necked spearheads starting with a billet require a lot of different skills, for instance, and are a great start to a hirstorical smithing carreer.

Good luck!

Um, not trying to take offense here but as the description states, the seax was my first piece EVER meaning I had no clue what I was doing. Hence the fact there is litterally no finish job. I want to see the progress in my work which is what happens between that and say, my gladius? Secondly the shape is correct, I dont know what you are reffering to that restricts their shape from this but It is most certainly correct as they came in many forms and sizes. Now that I am learning more and only recently developing my skills under a professional smith, who does not study the same type of art I am looking at, do I understand the best method and way to polish and finish any metal work. All of my blades in progress are getting this and are SIGNIFICANTLY better than my first piece over a year ago.

I am also quite aware that smiths gave their work a profesional finish. I dont know anyone who is unaware of this, it seems rather obvious. I have done plenty of research into all of my work. I still do and I am NOT a profesional yet. I appreciat the advice but if you are going to critisize me in this way, I would first like to see some examples of anything you have made. I appreciate your 'help' but the way you stated this is almost rude, if I must say. I am 19, Ive barley been doing this for more than a year.

Lastly, what are you talking about with the unriveted copper/brass piece in the back? Do you mean the back plate, I see nothing sticking out unriveted? I left that unriveted or sewn to match the rest of the helmet. Be more specific when you try to help me out in improving my helmet like the everyone else has been so far, which is the purpose of this thread.