My lastest helmet

[TomBanwell]

The pattern pieces were cut from 5-6 oz vegetable tanned cowhide, cased and handstitched together while damp. The crown parts were laser burned with the basketweave pattern. I also sculpted, molded and cast the horns, buttons and medallion in cold cast bronze. Behind the front medallion is a piece of fox fur. Around the base of the horns is garment cow in a four-part edge braid.

More photos and info here

Anyone else into this sort of thing? The kid in me loves it! Thanks for looking.

[Jordan]

Very cool. I don't know of any vikings other than the minn. type that would wear it, as watching PBS historians say that helms of that area and times never had horns, but they(historians) are kinda like weathermen, can never be sure what it's like outside unless they actually go out.

[Froghunter]

That is one freakin cool helmet.......I need one for riding my bike!!!

[Peter Ellis]

It's a nice looking piece. The decorative metal work is excellent.

I do have a question, What is "cold cast bronze" ?

[ETW Grumpy]

Very cool work. I checked out your website. You are quite a good artist. Keep posting your work, please.

[TomBanwell]

It's a nice looking piece. The decorative metal work is excellent.

I do have a question, What is "cold cast bronze" ?

Hi Peter,

Cold cast bronze is bronze powder cast into a mold using resin as the binder. As opposed to "hot cast bronze", where the bronze is melted and cast, cold cast is cheaper to do because it uses less bronze and doesn't require the high temperatures. It can still be polished though.

[TomBanwell]

Very cool. I don't know of any vikings other than the minn. type that would wear it, as watching PBS historians say that helms of that area and times never had horns,

While it is true that no Viking going into battle woud wear a helm with a protruding horn that would only serve to catch a sword blow, there is some evidence of ceremonial Viking helms having horns. Plus it's a lot funner.

[Spider]

Tom,

These helmets are awesome. Like Frog said before, Great for riding. I have horns on my helmet but nothing like this. Very cool.

[leatheroo]

excellent, so different, love the fluffy stuff!!

[ElNino]

Tom,

Very impressive, at some point I would really like to talk to you about cold casting, your work is way cool

Chris

[TomSwede]

While it is true that no Viking going into battle woud wear a helm with a protruding horn that would only serve to catch a sword blow, there is some evidence of ceremonial Viking helms having horns. Plus it's a lot funner.

That's about what I have come to aswell on the subject. There are some fimding of small figurines with hornlike birds on the helms, I believe.

Just like to add that some historians suggests that the myth about horns is influenced by the findings in mosses in Denmark (also).

They are some strangelooking helmets with big big horns on top that look more like some sort of blowinghorn (trumpetlike) and (I think)

they are from the bronzeperiod, pre-viking age.

Tom

[Jordan]

Yes you're right without horns it wouldn't be as fun. You do great work and the fact you have incorporated other skills like metalwork makes it all the more impressive.

[CitizenKate]

I'm also very fascinated by the cold-cast method of creating metal embellishments and other parts, as I have been wanting to design and create (and maybe sell) some of my own. But I'm really not interested in investing the money or time in a foundry operation. I did a quick search on the web, and here are some sites that have good information about cold-casting various metals:

http://www.sculpt.com/technotes/COLDCAST.htm

http://www.thesculptedhorse.com/howbronze.html

http://www.bmsports.com/pdfs/Molding2000.pdf

I've also recently come across something called "precious metal clay", which is another product that artists can use to create original metal embellishments and parts without investing in a foundry, although it does require the use of some heat. It's made from gold or silver powder that's been mixed in with a clay-like medium. You form it like clay, then use a torch or a small kiln to cure it.

http://www.metalclay.com/

http://www.pmcguild.com/gallery/revolution...tion/index.html

http://www.pmcguild.com/gallery/gold/gold.html

http://www.pmcguild.com/gallery/embellishm.../embellish.html

Kate

[Tina]

Horns or no horns, I love your fantasy work and the details:-)

IF i remember the history lessons correctly from shool in Sweden, no horns on a viking helmets have ever been found. The helmets with horns are all from the bronze age (500? years earlier) and during the romantic national era late 19-hundreds an artist just like you thought that horn would make it look way better and thats when the myth started. Artistic freedom, go for it :-)

[TomBanwell]

<BR>I'm also very fascinated by the cold-cast method of creating metal embellishments and other parts,

I've also recently come across something called "precious metal clay", which is another product that artists can use to create original metal embellishments and parts <BR>

I cast resin in my business so I am very familiar with it and I'm happy to answer any questions and offer advice. The resin (cold cast or other) requires a rubber mold to pour into, so it is most appropriate when you need multiples of something.

I haven't used the precious metal clay, but I've read about it, and it works best when you want just one of something. It is similar in that regard to polymer clay like Super Sculpey.

Here is a tutorial on making a set of resin berserker head buttons as shown on the Rus Viking helmet pictured. This one without the controversial horns!

http://www.tombanwell.com/howtoivorybuttons.html

More information on this particular helmet here http://www.tombanwell.com/rusviking.html

[SCOUTER]

Tom, Great helmets and great website! Question- Did the Vikings use chinstraps? :D

Thanks for posting!

[CitizenKate]

Thanks for sharing this, Tom. Great info!

Kate

[freak]

Freakin outstanding work !!! it's powerful yet a work of art at the same time. Very, very nice.

[Spider]

Whether the original Vikings were horny or not does not matter. These helmets ROCK!!!

[ClayB]

Hi Tom,

Your helmets are really unique and you do great work. I am glad you found us and are sharing pictures of your work. It's always fun to see the things that others are doing especially when they are doing really cool stuff like you are.

Welcome to the forum. I'll be watching for more stuff from you.

Clay

[bruce johnson]

Now this is what I needed to wear to the lutefisk feeds this past winter! I would have been the hit for sure, and the Swedish in-laws would have had yet another reason to wonder about me. Very cool work. Mange Takk,