Greek Helmets With Scales

[Iphitos]

To create the cardstock scales seen in fig. 2, it's easiest to trace the outline of one of the wedges on some drawing paper with pen, then draw lines for the bases of the scales horizontally across the wedge, then draw the scales over it in pencil, erasing and redrawing as necessary. MAKE SURE YOU ALLOW ENOUGH HORIZONTAL OVERLAP OF EACH SCALE TO COVER THE HOLES (LACING) AT THE SIDES, AND ENOUGH VERTICAL OVERLAP TO COVER THE LACING OF EACH SCALE AT THE BOTTOM. NOTE THAT YOU WANT THE SLOPE OF THE SIDES OF EACH SCALE TO BE VERY SIMILAR TO THE SLOPE OF THE CURVED SIDE OF THE WEDGE!! (Notice how they line up on the left side of the wedge in fig. 2!!). BEWARE! THAT THE BASE OF EACH SCALE DOESN'T OVERLAP THE LACING HOLES OF THE SCALES IN THE ROW BELOW IT!! YOU WILL NEED TO EXPERIMENT WITH HOW CLOSE TO PLACE THE VERTICAL HOLES TO EACH OTHER.
So, once you have some good scales drawn, make a couple of photocopies, and take one and cut one perfect scale from each row out of the paper, carefully trace it onto cardstock and cut out a perfect scale for each row. Indicate the holes with pencil on each (remember the pattern reverses from one row to the next), and punch the holes into the cardstock scales with the 1/8" (I think) Whitney punch bit. You can use the next smaller for the smaller scales near the top, just be sure you can get a needle threaded with twelve-ply linen cord through it.