Tools:

A drill, a power saw, files, sand-paper.

An aluminum sheet 1.5m x 1m of 2mm .

Antique helmets seen on the net inspire me. I made the templet in paper according to the measures of the helmets that saw. I cut up the pieces with the  saw.

I formed pieces by hand while bending them progressively. Then I filed faults and sanded the sides to round them off. For the discs I followed the curve of the helmet. I traced, pointed, pierced and chanfreiné 288 holes for 12 pairs of laces and 9 holes to fix pieces to the helmet. (Longest…)

I painted the whole with the black satin spray paint.

Decoration of the helmet: I based it on a true helmet of the XVIII° Century (the crane and the golden circles at the side) were varnished with several layers.

For discs I put a red painting veil and I gilded the edges. For the visor and ears (mabizashi and fukigaeshi) I have glued a piece of fabric and painted a red line around it, golden the edges and varnished.  For the lacing I only found large laces of shoes (with  is not the best) that I dyed with 2 colors (I wanted a gradation of 4 colors…)

For the plaiting, see pattern

The helmet is conical with 40cm of diameter at the base and 20cm at the top. The leight of the whole is 34 cm, including the neck protection of 22 cm.

I remade horns in brass and decorated the visor. They ‘re 44cm x16cm.