helm-padding-msg - 8/28/10 Suggestions and recommendations on how to pad your helm for SCA combat. Descriptions of how helms were padded in period. NOTE: See also the files: helmets-msg, armor-msg, gorgets-msg, p-armor-msg, shields-msg, SCAweapons-msg, rattan-msg, armorers-lst, armor-chklst-msg. ************************************************************************ NOTICE - This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that I have collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some messages date back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday. This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org I have done a limited amount of editing. Messages having to do with separate topics were sometimes split into different files and sometimes extraneous information was removed. For instance, the message IDs were removed to save space and remove clutter. The comments made in these messages are not necessarily my viewpoints. I make no claims as to the accuracy of the information given by the individual authors. Please respect the time and efforts of those who have written these messages. The copyright status of these messages is unclear at this time. If information is published from these messages, please give credit to the originator(s). Thank you, Mark S. Harris AKA: THLord Stefan li Rous Stefan at florilegium.org ************************************************************************ From: Halfdanr To: All Date: 01-Aug-90 11:26am Subject: Padding For a truly period style of padding for your helm try horsehair. I have used it for my Markland viking helmet which is used in re-enactment steel combat. It works well and does not mat when wet. I prefer the shed out winter coat as it is easy to obtain (in Spring) and is softer than the normal coat. Sift out the dirt and rinse lightly, then sew pouches of deerskin to hold it (use whatever pattern will work for your helmet) and make small balls of the hair. Insert the hair until you build up enough of a pad and sew the pouch shut, attach the rest of the completed pouches to each other and affix the whole to your helmet. You can also use the hair to pad an arming cap which is worn on your head and the helmet is placed over it (the padding is external to the helm itself), This works just as well as padding affixed to your helm and allows you to have several helms with one set of padding. Good luck and have fun. From: ddfr at quads.uchicago.edu (david director friedman) Date: 23 Aug 90 03:37:26 GMT Organization: University of Chicago Horsehair Padding: I have also been using this in my helm for some years, with no problems. I make cloth tubes, stuff them with horsehair, and glue them vertically in the helmet. I do not think, incidentally, this this was the period form of construction, but have not yet gotten around to anything better. I have also experimented with using human hair as padding (not in a helm). It is very soft when put in, and has a tendency to come through coarse cloth. After putting the padded garment through the washing machine, the hair mats up into a very dense, springy mass. David Friedman DDFR at Midway.UChicago.Edu From: harald at matt.ksu.ksu.edu (Harold Kraus Jr) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Spun tops ringing... Date: 25 Oct 1993 13:10:18 -0500 Organization: Kansas State University The good Jessa wrote: >Greetings, from Jessa! >My lord Mitchell advises that you *glue* in the padding in your helmet. >(Contact cement works well.) This dampens the vibration of the metal. I can't remember who I learned this from, Humpk or Pavel, but I recommend that the interior of the helm be duct taked first, then the padding glued to the tape. This way, you don't need to use a chissle when it comes time to replace the padding. I find that welded seems encourage ringing while riveted seam inhibit ringing. I hot forged a peaked round top and welded it to a face and back plate for a "seamless" great helm. Just about everyone on site new when I would catch a flat snap to the side of the head. Gluing closed cell foam reduced the sustain time of the ring but the impulse was just about as loud as without padding (and painfull). Enough open cell foam would probably work better especially if the interior of the open cell foam was in turn lined with leather, heavy canvas, or heavy closed cell foam. Rather than going to this trouble, I just used ear plugs, rubber or foam, just a twist of tissue paper worked fine for me. BTW, I found that I realy only needed to protect the ear facing my oponents primary sword arm, off hand side shots did not seem to cause discomfort (then again, I may already be deaf on my right side. :) Don't trust your hearing to just anyone, especially me. Harald Isenross, Spinning Winds, Calontir, harald at matt.ksu.ksu.edu Newsgroups: rec.org.sca From: dlc at fc.hp.com (Dennis Clark) Subject: Re: Spun tops ringing... Date: Mon, 25 Oct 1993 18:21:54 GMT Organization: Hewlett-Packard Fort Collins Site Marla Lecin (0003900943 at mcimail.COM) wrote: : Greetings, from Jessa! : My lord Mitchell advises that you *glue* in the padding in your helmet. : (Contact cement works well.) This dampens the vibration of the metal. The best cement to use is RTV (you know, bath tub adhesive, smells like vinegar.) This stuff cares not about how porous the materials are and it is flexible throughout its life so it won't crack or break off. Kevin ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | Dennis Clark (303)229-4313 telnet 1-229-4313 email dlc at fc.hp.com | | Hewlett Packard ESD Perf. Lab, 3404 East Harmony Rd. Ft. Collins CO 80525 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ From: paulb at saturn.uark.edu (Paul A. Byers) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Spun tops ringing... Date: Tue, 26 Oct 1993 14:06:12 Organization: University of Arkansas dlc at fc.hp.com (Dennis Clark) writes: >:Marla Lecin (0003900943 at mcimail.COM) wrote: >: Greetings, from Jessa! >: My lord Mitchell advises that you *glue* in the padding in your helmet. >: (Contact cement works well.) This dampens the vibration of the metal. > The best cement to use is RTV (you know, bath tub adhesive, smells like >vinegar.) This stuff cares not about how porous the materials are and it is >flexible throughout its life so it won't crack or break off. Me, I'm a hot glue man. If it comes unstuck you just heat the helm and reseat the padding. (It sort of self repairs during hot summer battles.) I also always put my padding in a cloth cover. that way I can build a very form fitting padding that I can take out re-shape and wash at will. (some of my closest friends think it the height of comedy to urinate in my helm.) It also looks like a great weld when painted. (just don't let the marshals find out! Thank Otis I was the Earl Marshal when that happened. :) ) Pavel Calontir From: tjustus at sprynet.com (T. Justus) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Late Period Armor Padding (lengthy) Date: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 06:56:04 GMT On 21 Mar 1997 22:57:22 GMT, kymrii at aol.com (Kymrii) wrote: >Could someone comment on late period armor paddong methods, and their >effectiveness for SCA sport combat armor? So many people put so much time >and money into period armor that it seems a shame to put it all over >closed cell foam if there is an alternative. I assume that by late period you are refering to the 16th century, in Europe. Unfortunately armor padding has been neglected by the professional armor scholars-- I asked David Edge (curator of the Wallace Collection) about this specifically, and that was the response I got. Someone can make him-or-herself THE expert pretty easily.... a surprising amount has survived. I have examined a couple of 16th/17th c helmet paddings. (A cabacet and a burgonet.) Both were made of quilted linen with tow stuffing. The linings were stitched to a leather band rivited on the inside of the helmet, and laced together at the top of the crown. This creates a suspension system akin to those in modern football and military helmets. Such a padding would be too thin for SCA-style high impact fighting. It is fairly simple to cover a closed cell foam pad with fabric, however, and (I'm told) makes it much more comfortable to wear. The padding can be laced to an interior leather band, but if the helmet is snug enough friction will keep it in place. Experiment with lacing the crown together-- I have heard complaints that it does the job too well and makes blow acknowledgement very difficult. As for padding the body armor, the high quality pieces in the 16th c were often padded throughout, both to absorb shock and sound and to protect the elegant gilding and etching from being scraped by adjacent pieces, such as pauldrons. (besides, red leather picadils look SO refined, especially against blued steel...) It was not as common to pad the harness as you go down the social ladder. I won't say it was never done, but I'd say it was quite rare for the common soldier to have padding anywhere on his armor (except the helmet). He wore the padding on his body, in the form of a padded doublet of cloth or leather. Tracy (not Tom) Justus known as Clare de Crecy Newsgroups: rec.org.sca From: Bruce.sinclair at agresearch.co.nz (Bruce Sinclair) Subject: Re: Helm padding? Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2002 00:11:34 GMT John Edgerton wrote: :My old helm needs to be repadded. Does anyone have suggestions on the :best materials for padding that will both hold up well and absorb the :impact? Try closed cell foam. Great stuff :) Bruce From: "Lee Hoermann" Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Helm padding? Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2002 00:58:54 GMT Also, try computer wrist pads.. .free almost anywhere. Ld Heldo aus Visselhoevede Ansteorra From: David Friedman Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Helm padding? Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2002 01:34:22 GMT John Edgerton wrote: > My old helm needs to be repadded. Does anyone have suggestions on the > best materials for padding that will both hold up well and absorb the > impact? > > Sir Jon Fitz-Rauf, West Horsehair padding is what I have been using for many years. There's even a pamphlet someone else did that gives a period design for using it (mine is just tubes run vertically). -- David/Cariadoc http://www.best.com/~ddfr/Medieval/Medieval.html Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2002 21:15:53 -0600 From: Michael Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Helm padding? I like to use tub blocks from the toy store. Just contact cement them in. I also use the black insulation foam. A big roll is like $20. Max From: medievalbk at aol.com (Medievalbk) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Date: 23 Jan 2002 06:45:25 GMT Subject: Re: Helm padding? >I like to use tub blocks from the toy store. Just contact cement them in. >I also use the black insulation foam. A big roll is like $20. You forgot to mention glue in, THEN WAIT A DAY! We don't need another fighter collapsing before they even get to the field. Never used glue myself.... Sleeping bag 1/2 inch closed cell foam in three pieces: wrap, top, and forehead. Add three soft foam ducttaped pads to the sides, and as needed to the other pieces. Pin prick the pads over the ears. Tape the forehead strip to the wrapper. Run the chinstrap from behind the ear through the closed cell. Squeeze the top into place. Padding will now stay in place without glue. Wear a thin painter's smock to both squeeze into the helmet and to absorb sweat. Helm will not rock or rotate. Aten loved polearm face thrusts long before the Middle went to chinstraps. Vilyehm the Merchant From: db Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Helm padding? Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2002 23:23:38 -0800 Organization: Applied Theory Communications, Inc. Another period solution is felted sheep hide. db From: "Jim Grunst" Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Helm padding? Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2002 17:50:28 +0000 (UTC) Take a martial arts head protector, carve down the foam a bit. I believe this was the best I've ever seen. Or, use a combination of closed cell/ open cell foam, in layers. zack From: David Friedman Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Helm padding? Organization: dis Date: Thu, 24 Jan 2002 01:08:08 GMT RJ Bachner wrote: > >Horsehair padding is what I have been using for many years. There's even > >a pamphlet someone else did that gives a period design for using it > >(mine is just tubes run vertically). > > My concern is primarily with heat retention and sweat, would the horse hair > provide any improvement > in this way? and where would one get one without asking a horse? I think I find it more comfortable than foam. Ask someone who has a horse. It can also be bought from supplies for native American stuff, but I haven't done that and don't know much about it. Or find an old horsehair mattress being sold or thrown out, which is how I started. -- David/Cariadoc http://www.best.com/~ddfr/Medieval/Medieval.html Date: Fri, 25 Jan 2002 21:25:08 -0600 From: David Hughes Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Helm padding? Henry Vanderbilt wrote: > I'd love to find a source of the type of foam they use for karate/ > kickboxer headgear, though - the stuff has a really good mix of stiff > to sudden impacts but soft to slow pressure that, I think, would make > a helm lined with it both comfortable and protective. Anyone know > where the stuff comes from or what it's called? > > Harry ECA Foam (Ethylene Chloride Acetate) Also used in Water skiing floatation vests. Check a good uphosterly supply house, or an industrial supply house that carries neoprene sponge/foam. I've got about 20 square feet of 1" thick ECA leftover for my last set of projects David Gallowglass Stargate, Ansteorra Newsgroups: rec.org.sca From: Bruce.sinclair at agresearch.co.notreally_nz (Bruce Sinclair) Subject: Re: Helm padding? Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2002 00:43:46 GMT stefan at texas.net (Stefan li Rous) wrote: :Ragi asked: :> >Horsehair padding is what I have been using for many years. There's even :> >a pamphlet someone else did that gives a period design for using it :> >(mine is just tubes run vertically). :> :> My concern is primarily with heat retention and sweat, would the horse :hair provide any improvement :> in this way? and where would one get one without asking a horse? : :Well, it would almost have to be better than closed cell foam :as far as heat retention and sweat. Closed cell foam doesn't :absorb sweat and it is a wonderful insulation. That is one :reason it is used for backpacking sleeping pads. True ... an inner lining of toweling or other cloth works wonders for the sweat (and if you make it removable you can wash it too :) ) ... but it sure is hot :) Bruce From: nh0g at andrew.cmu.edu (Nils K. Hammer) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Helm padding? Date: 28 Jan 2002 10:04:20 -0800 I didn't write the _article_ on helm padding, but I did post a little note here some time ago about what I saw in the Graz Landeszeughaus on a trip w. Master John and Sir Reinhardt. Some of these late period helms were hanging up where we could see the linings. Most of the other thousands of them were piled around where it was hard to see inside. The linings were probabaly linen, a white fabric quilted in two layers. Some had worn open and white horsehair was sticking out. To make an approximate pattern, take 24" x 8" rectangle. On the top edge cut down 4 scallop-lobes. Near the top of each lobe put a grommet or button hole. Stitch the rectangle sides together to make a tube. Put a lacing through the 4 grommet holes. This is to adjust the helmet height by tightening or loosing. On the one example I got a very good look at, the lower edge had been rivetted onto the helmet. I didn't like this because it means you don't have an adjustable hatband, which I consider important for a good grip on the head. This helmet would wobble if you didn't ALWAYS have the chin strap well fastened. (like my SCA helmet). Nils K. Hammer From: sirparlan at msn.com (Robert Gleason) Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Helm padding? Date: 28 Jan 2002 18:00:24 -0800 herveus at Radix.Net (Michael Houghton) wrote > Nils K. Hammer wrote: > [snip] > > > >The linings were probabaly linen, a white fabric quilted in two layers. > >Some had worn open and white horsehair was sticking out. To make an > >approximate pattern, take 24" x 8" rectangle. On the top edge cut down > >4 scallop-lobes. Near the top of each lobe put a grommet or button hole. > >Stitch the rectangle sides together to make a tube. Put a lacing through > >the 4 grommet holes. This is to adjust the helmet height by tightening or > >loosing. On the one example I got a very good look at, the lower edge > >had been rivetted onto the helmet. I didn't like this because it means > >you don't have an adjustable hatband, which I consider important for a > >good grip on the head. This helmet would wobble if you didn't ALWAYS > >have the chin strap well fastened. (like my SCA helmet). > > > I'm having a bit of difficulty visualizing this; I'm running out of edges. > > Correct my visualization, please: > > I see you describing a tube that encircles the head with four flaps that > get laced together at the top of the head. The scallop lobes get cut into > one of the 24 inch sides, and the other long side gets rolled up and stitched > at the base of the lobes? Lame ASCII art would probably suffice for this > purpose... > > Herveus The helm padding is channel quilted linen or wool stuffed with horsehair (mane and tail). Stitched in arounde the outside of the help and a gather in the top. Wicks sweat, stays cool. It is in Brian Price's (Brion Thornbird) "Techniques of Medieval Armour Reproduction" available at http://www.chronique.com click on the link "Chivalry Bookshelf". From: David Friedman Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: Helm padding? Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2002 04:03:24 GMT sirparlan at msn.com (Robert Gleason) wrote: > It is in Brian Price's (Brion Thornbird) "Techniques of Medieval > Armour Reproduction" available at http://www.chronique.com click on > the link "Chivalry Bookshelf". Brian is, if I remember correctly, the coauthor of the pamphlet on period helm padding that I mentioned. -- David/Cariadoc http://www.best.com/~ddfr/Medieval/Medieval.html From: Robin Lindsey Date: September 11, 2005 5:13:36 PM CDT To: ansteorra Subject: [Ansteorra] Period Helm Liner For those of you who need this link: http://www.forth-armoury.com/photo_gallery/helm_liner/helm_liner.htm Moira From: David Friedman Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: sources of horsehair Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2007 22:13:08 -0800 "Ewan (Carolingia, EK)" wrote: > I'd like to pad my helm with something other than closed-cell foam, and a > quilted horsehair-padded coif is something I'd like to experiment with. > > I seem to recall that Duke Cariadoc has attempted such a thing in the > past. Your Grace, where did you obtain your horsehair from? Would one > need mane/tail hair exclusively, or would the lighter fibers from grooming > work? I still use the helm I padded with horsehair and have been happy with it. As best I recall, I got my original supply from an old horsehair sofa someone was throwing away and later got fresher horsehair from a friend who kept horses. I think some of what she gave me was from grooming, but it was quite a long time ago and I'm not sure. My padding consists of cloth tubes stuffed with horsehair run vertically up the sides of the helmet; I think I also have a long tube horizontally at about my forehead level. But there is a pamphlet somewhere describing a much better version, based on an actual surviving helm padding. My memory is that the "tubes" in that one are elongated triangles sewed together along the bottom half of the long sides, and that the tips have holes, perhaps grommets, with a thong going through them. It works as a suspension helm--tighten the thong and the helm rides higher. I don't have a source for the pamphlet; hopefully someone else can offer more detailed information. -- http://www.daviddfriedman.com/ http://daviddfriedman.blogspot.com/ Author of _Harald_, a fantasy without magic. Published by Baen, in bookstores now Newsgroups: rec.org.sca Subject: Re: sources of horsehair From: mikes at familysquires.net (Michael L. Squires) Date: Wed, 28 Feb 2007 11:15:51 -0600 David Friedman wrote: > "Ewan (Carolingia, EK)" wrote: >> I'd like to pad my helm with something other than closed-cell foam, and a >> quilted horsehair-padded coif is something I'd like to experiment with. > >I don't have a source for the pamphlet; hopefully someone else can offer >more detailed information. I have a morion made by Robert MacPherson that uses a material sold for repairing Victorian sofas - horsehair held in a foam rubber matrix. The triangles are sewn to leather strip riveted to the inner bottom of the helmet, and each triangle has a grommet at the top where a thong passes through to allow height adjustment. I've only used the morion for marshalling but it's protected me the few times I've been hit on head (Pennsic). I can look at it more closely if you wish. Alan Culross (mikes at siralan.org) From: "Dave W" Date: January 11, 2010 10:45:49 AM CST To: "'Kingdom of Ansteorra - SCA, Inc.'" Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] Helm strapping If the helm is pivoting at all, then the padding needs to be adjusted to take up the voids currently in place. When padding a helm, the less the chin strap has to do, the better off you are. Play with the padding a bit till the helm fits snugly without using the chin strap at all, then add the strap as a safety measure. If you can't get the helm to fit snugly after adjusting the padding, you may just have to start with a better fitting helm... As for the padding, I usually go with a liner made out of linen laid into the helm. It is made of two layers of linen sewn together to form tubes, which are then stuffed with cotton batting. By adjusting the level of stuffing you can shape it. For most helms, the top will be pie shaped wedges to fill in the top curves. Alexis -----Original Message----- From: ansteorra-bounces+wiselaw=comcast.net at lists.ansteorra.org [mailto:ansteorra-bounces+wiselaw=comcast.net at lists.ansteorra.org] On Behalf Of Chris Lucas Good morning. I have come to all of you to seek help. In the past I have helped 8 or 9 folks strap their helm based on a four point over under/chin cup strapping system with success, a system i've used for years and still use. However I have run across a guy with an odd shaped melon and it doesn't work. We worked for nine and a half hours and it still pivots up and back to a point that is illegal. It does not pivot forward and the forward strap keeps the front to back sitting well, because of the shape of his head Njord says that even his army helmet does the same thing and rides back on his forehead .we have set it down for now and am asking for advice. We've tried buckle straps with different tensions and lengths as well as different tie straps and all to no avail. So if anyone has an idea or option please let me know. Warder Kristoff Fugger von Augsburg From: Chris Lucas Date: January 11, 2010 10:50:53 AM CST To: "Kingdom of Ansteorra - SCA, Inc." Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] Helm strapping <<< Type of helm? sounds like a padding issue to me. EdV >>> Ashcraft baker spangen helm. Padding balances well and padding alone keeps it from rocking side to side and front to back on a push. It still will rise and then pivot when the helm rises too much and head gets unseated from padding. I've test hit it at about a five and the padding works well. I'm afraid though that even with a drape that a shot width wise under and across or a well placed thrust that ot will rise or be pushed up and will pivot to allow the front of the chin at the lower apex to be struck thus the illegal part.. I will try to get the camera set so I can put out photos of it. Kristpff From: Brandon McDermott Date: January 11, 2010 11:09:18 AM CST To: " Inc.Kingdom of Ansteorra - SCA" Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] Helm strapping I have to agree with other posts... I think it is a padding issue. My chinstrap is a set of "Y"'s with an oval cut out on the middle for the chin to rest in. The upper point of the "Y" should be between where the top of the ear meets the head and the temple. The lower "Y" should be behind the ear at the base of the skull just below the "Bumps" (In line w/ the bottom of the jaw). Sir Lochlan Dunn From: Jean Paul de Sens Date: January 11, 2010 12:52:15 PM CST To: "Kingdom of Ansteorra - SCA, Inc." Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] Helm strapping Alexis and Lochlann both have the right of it. A thing I will add is that helms can rock, and rock safely. My salada does rock when hit, but never touches my nose or the side of my head. The only padding I have is up in the crown area, where it's roughly two football shaped pieces of padding. The chin strap is a single, and instead of being above and below the ear, lies on a line between my chin and the opening of the ear canal. That vector gives good resistants to inward (thrusts) and upward movements. JP From: "jan_downs at netzero.net" Date: August 7, 2010 12:01:43 AM CDT To: bryn-gwlad at lists.ansteorra.org Subject: Re: [Bryn-gwlad] Open Shop For helm lining attachment that is quick, easy and next to permanent, I use heavy duty double sided carpet tape. It works really really well. Martel Edited by Mark S. Harris helm-padding-msg 12