So I am aware of the search function, as well as google, as well as books and all other resources so I apologise in advance for the immediate knee jerk reaction that will occur to the above title - but I did look.
I have recently Purchased a coolus helm and want to pad it both on the cheeks and in the bowl but right now the only caps I can find are the typical arming cap http://www.kormax.com/images/910930.jpg or this example from Legio XX http://larp.com/legioxx/helmintth.jpg, All the other threads on RAT that I could find had references to threads and pictures that no longer exist and i was wondering if anyone had photos of their padding or if they just use a pilos cap when filling out their helmets?
I think there are two major schools of thought on helmet padding. One is the "Arming Cap" school and the other is the glued in wool felt or wool and other period materials like leather and Linen. I myself am going to try a "Cheat" of using US Army ACH helmet pads covered in linen as an experiment. It will look authentic until you pull the pads off the velcro circles to wash them. I have had the glued
in ones fall out after a while when using carpenters glue and high tech glue seems to me just as inauthentic as using the velcro cheat.
we use a felt cap, it forms around the had while sweating ( undder the helmet) then it is a snug fit.
[attachment=6288]cap.JPG[/attachment]
It works very well
AgrimensorLVCIVS FLAVIVS SINISTER
aka Jos Cremers
member of CORBVLO
ESTE NIX PAX CRISTE NIX
I used needled felt for padding, glued in with carpenter's glue. I've had no trouble with falling out, but I did take the extra step of removing the paint that was inside the helmet bowl before gluing. I noticed that the glue stuck to the paint, but not all the paint stuck to the metal, so....
On the cheeks, I sewed a "cheekpiece-shaped linen bag, quilted it, and put the felt cushion inside that. A single layer of leather, like some folks use, keeps the metal from touching the face but provides no help against impact. I don't know if it's "authentic" or not, but it's what I use. Plus I usually wear a single layer linen cap on my head, which helps to keep the sweaty head separated from the permanent padding. I just don't worry about washing it. Heh. Helps keep folks from borrowing my helmet, too.
thank you all! i will be sewing up a felt cap just for camp as well as my helm, though I think it will be padded out by an arming cap regardless. I understand cleaning out the paint first and will see if I can glue some kind of small linen pad to the sides.
Did anyone have patterns for the cap at all? i will see what I can find and I dont think it would be too hard to wing, I am just curious
I have used under my late roman helmets traditional linings made for skidoo drivers. They are made of lamb skins and they work perfectly, cushioning also the cheeks and making the heavy helmets very comfortable to wear. I have only removed the modern button and strap. You can also cut them into the shape you like. They are quite close to the shape of examples of the felt undercaps found from Dura Europos and Egypt:
Pat's Mum (who just turned 90) has been making helmet liners for the Sydney Ancients (and others). She started doing naalbound ones, but found that far too time consuming. Currently she knits woolen caps that look like a Rasta hat for keeping Dreadies in place. Pat then fulls them (repeated hot washes and cold rinses to 'shock' the wool), which causes them to shrink and felt. We end up with a solid felted cap about 6-10mm thick that makes an excellent padding under a helmet. Most are done as a skull cap shape similar to those seen on vase paintings, with a few in a Pilos shape. Once fulled, you can't really tell they were knitted and not naalbound. If you want one, e-mail me.
Thanks for the offer Pete! I have two of the standard arming caps being sent out with the last of Suhels gear. I have some felt that was given as a bonus and I am going to try sew a cap of some sort.
If you have felt and want it "thicker", you can needle felt it. It sticks layers of felt together into one piece. If you want to investigate this process, here's one of the suppliers. I have the 8900 model they picture with both light and heavy needles. It works very nicely.
CAUTION: the needles are extremely sharp, and will make a mess of a finger if you're not attentive. And you bleed on your fabric. And stay sore for several days. Honest.
![[Image: fectio.png]](http://s226.photobucket.com/user/sattuviitana/media/fectio.png.html)
