It took over a year of carefully studying and tweaking literally every millimeter of its shape. I spent many hours in staring at it then changing something tiny then staring at it, rinse and repeat. In my mind close wasn't going to be good enough. I know this helmet needed to be absolutely spot-on to satisfy those very discerning historians and reeanactors. I knew I could go ahead with the final build after I had gotten a thumbs up from leading researchers of these helmets. They felt I nailed it and that was a great day for me. Finally To be able to say this helmet is indistinguishable from the real ones in its shape, curves and details. They particularly noted the nasal as being absolutely dead on!
Nothing I saw being made was anywhere near what these look like so I had to make my own.
I'll be in Dallas over the weekend and I'll have a great opportunity to sit this helmet next to a Manning. I think the differences will be quite noticeable.
Yeah, I would love to see it myself!
Well, after almost 10 years waiting to order a Manning, you appeared with this thread
almost a week after I confirmed the order....sods law! :-?
Still, Mannings are still better than the rest!
now to save for one of these! :whistle:
Odd, on my iphone, the photos were all the right way up....now they're sideways... :-?
Visne partem mei capere? Comminus agamus! * Me semper rogo, Quid faceret Iulius Caesar? * Confidence is a good thing! Overconfidence is too much of a good thing.
[b]Legio XIIII GMV. (Q. Magivs)RMRS Remember Atuatuca! Vengence will be ours!
Titus Flavius Germanus
Batavian Coh I
Byron Angel
The process to make these isn't easy or quick. Each and every helmet is made specifically for the owner. They're going to run about $1800 for a satin finished one and a bit more for polished ones as that bright polish takes some effort to achieve. Throughout this whole development accuracy was the only thing I considered more than how much they would cost. With historians and reenactors I know that price can be a very big deal and I had hoped to keep the price reasonable; and this is what the costs added up to. For the amount of labor these take to make, I'm really only breaking even.
Before anyone remarks negatively on the price, please bear in mind the helmet itself. The construction is not like any other Corinthian in the world today. This is not formed with an air hammer or press then welded together leaving visible seams and weaknesses. This is all one solid piece and I think anyone can appreciate hopefully, that this way of making them is labor intensive. There are many other makers out there and as I only do this as a side hobby, I can't compete against a $100 Indian helmet. But what I did want to do, was make my helmet as exact as they could be made.
You are to be congratulated on your effort and considerable skill in making this. It's a beautiful piece and I would say worth every penny! (or dime).
Moi Watson
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, Merlot in one hand, Cigar in the other; body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming "WOO HOO, what a ride!
On my list to save up for. Have you ever considered making a boeotian helmet? I also sent you a PM about a spear head about a month ago. Not sure if you recieved it.
Edward
Edward Lindey
A horse is a thing of beauty... none will tire of looking at him as long as he displays himself in his splendor. Xenophon
Well it's on my list of things to make and it would be tons easier than the Corinthians. Actually what I have to research and develop next are Greaves. Correct me if I'm wrong but hardly anyone makes greaves that are worth much and most Hoplites just seem to go without. So I see a need there!
My list of things to create never seems to get shorter! I've been trying to build Lyres and Auloi for about 2 years and never seem to get those back to workbench! I still need to run pig Carcass tests for the Spears and swords here at some point. So at least I'll have ham sandwiches for awhile!
Thus far the pitch attachment of the crest has been solid. I've even been carrying the helmet by holding just the crest and it doesn't feel like it will give any time soon. I never liked the pins, screws and various attachment methods I've seen over the years. I always thought they used pitch for this. Folks, that stuff sticks and turns hard as a rock!
Actually, I have a set of greaves from Rado, which are not to be sneezed at!
That are the best I have seen anywhere, and a reasonable price!
Any chance of sharing your pitch recipe?
I have some but it seems to remain tacky! Good for spear
Points, buti've lost a few arrow heads with if!
I have some ingredients for tar pitch as well
But haven't made a batch yet!
Visne partem mei capere? Comminus agamus! * Me semper rogo, Quid faceret Iulius Caesar? * Confidence is a good thing! Overconfidence is too much of a good thing.
[b]Legio XIIII GMV. (Q. Magivs)RMRS Remember Atuatuca! Vengence will be ours!
Titus Flavius Germanus
Batavian Coh I
Byron Angel
Here are the additional pictures of the Dioskouri Corinthian. Like all things shiny and metal the nuances are hard to capture.
Of particular note will be the ocular rims. These are not simply raised rims of uniform thickness as on cheaply made helmets.
Like the original helmets the rims are actually reflexive of the thickness and the 'roll' around the eye socket from the needle
thin outside corner to a near flat interior bezel which accurately decends into the nasal piece. This rolling edge tracing the
line of the upper edge of the eye is clearly seen on artifact helmets of this type. The lower rim does not have the 'rolling'
characteristic but it is uniform in depth but not in width; it mimics the eye's shape as it progresses to the outer edge. The
'eyeliner' at the outer edge of the ocular rims and the needle like joining of the lower rims where cheek and neck meet are not
simply put in with a Craftsman engraver tool. These are raised sculpted features like the eye rims. These are unique features of
these Zenith Corinthian types and represent the highest form these helmets attained.
They were also a major pain in the ass and I can well see why no one has made one like this before!!!
But here it is after a year and a half. A full Bronze Corinthian, completely one piece. NO welds, NO seams. Everything exactly
proportionate and the helmet perches back on the head as it should without complaint or balancing. It was not restrictive of sight
or hearing particularly and was comfortable to wear all day. I did note that the helmet is very tough and I would expect it would
be pretty impenetrable as it is now and absolutely so in the actual alloy these were actually made in.
These pictures are of the Dioskouri helmet next to a standard Manning Imperial helmet.
As I am not just a maker with a bias, but as an enthusiastic living Historian, I am disappointed to see such a huge disparity
between the helmets. The artifact based helmet didn't seem too different to me, just more graceful and detailed. Once it was next to
another helmet its proportions and shape really got set off on how 'different' the real ones are compared to popular makes of helmets
today. The differences are more than a little noticeable and I honestly didn't think the contrast would be as great as it is.
Wearing the Manning helmet showed a great amount of space between the face of the wearer and that of the helmet. The Diokouri helmet
is completely tailored to exactly the size of the wearer and in the pictures it shows no 'bucket' syndrome. it is exactly in
proportion to the head and the panoply overall. Seeing the real helmets you get the sense of how small they really are and this
is not entirely due to ancient peoples being small. The helmets themselves were not made to be cavernous but rather fit closely like
an Armet. As far as an experiment to see what a REAL Corinthian is like I am satisfied. The helmet looks and behaves like we see the
artifact helmets both in real life and in the pottery depictions. When worn back, its position on the head and size is identical to
the sculpture and pottery depictions and unless you are really shaking your head, it appears quite happy to sit there like a hat.
I hope you enjoy the pictures. I really have not in 30 years ever seen a helmet like this. I never could find one that wasn't a bad
prop or a joke......so I decided I would make one and it would be accurate, perfect and beautiful. Its exactly like owning an
original one except not as fragile. I tried to make it as exact as I could and I hope you all feel that way a well. Its the only
helmet today made like theirs were.
Well, I could remain silent, but at the risk of sounding like a shameless Dioskouri shill, I have to say (since I am the owner of the Manning pictured above) I am now first in line to receive the #2 "Dendaskouri" helmet. Having seen the two helmets side-by-side, I can truthfully say the differences are astonishing! I honestly have nothing to gain by saying any of this (I have to pay for mine and wait in line like anyone else), but there simply is NO comparison. The "Dendaskouri" is a substantial piece of real armor - I have NO doubt this helmet could receive a whack from any contemporary weapon (sword, axe, club, dory, hoplon, etc.) and maintain compete integrity. Sure, it weighs more than the costume armor we have all been forced to wear up to now, but c'mon, man... this is REAL!!
