leather straps for helmets

[Servio Caro (Javier Sánc]

Hello all!

I would like to know if you use some kind of leather strap with your Corinthian or other kind of helmets to fix it and avoid strange movements when you walk or run or even if there is a windy day.

I mean a strap that is attached on both sides of the helmet and passes under the chin, like in medieval helmets

Thank you!

[PhilusEstilius]

There are Corinthian helmets that show small holes just behind the cheek plates where the helmet lower rim begins, this tends to indicate that such a system of leather chin straps were used. There are also small holes on some that are at the very edge of the points on the cheek plates, when I constucted my latest one some time ago I put a piece of wire through these particular holes and found that it gave the whole helmet more strength. What happens with a Corinthian when one presses against the nasal reinforce the cheek plates tend to spread outwards, however with a piece of wire in the holes at the points of the cheek plates the whole face becomes more rigid and stonger.

[Servio Caro (Javier Sánc]

Thank you very much Brian, this is very interesting. Have you worked with phrigian helmets? I have one and I would like to add a pair of brass tubes as plume holders, and I thought about using the same holes I would use to put the tubes for attaching the leather straps inside the helmet.

This way I could wear the helmet even without the cheek plates (this cheek plates are articulated so it won't be very difficult to remove) and with the leather strap and some filling the helmet would not move when I run.

[Giannis K. Hoplite]

Indeed there are some that have holes just behind the jaw and some that have them in the edge but also some that have them on both places or don't have holes at all. My corinthian fits me properly and stripes do not seem so necessary. The cheek guards certainly don't open,unless I put my hands between them and pull them with considerable strength! Perhaps a tripe under my chin may make the helmet more stable when I bend and the helmet actually is upside down.
Khaire
Giannis