Looking for high-quality bascinet recommendations.

[Ian]

So, I'm in the market for a high quality hundsgugel bascinet.  I contacted Jeffrey Hedgecock about it and he seemed interested but I can't seem to get a hold of him anymore.  (He said he would contact me in a few days, a week or 2 goes by, I email him, repeat).  So I'm considering that a no-go for now.

I've tried to ask on the Armour Archive as well, but so far I've only got what seem to be SCA-centric responses and I'm not interested in an SCA helm.  I'm looking for a living history quality bascinet capable of live-steel contact.  Historical dimension and accuracy down to the liner and padding for the aventail is priority #1.  Greg Mele recommended Jacek Matera (who does ridiculously awesome work), but he said Jacek has terrible English skills and to go through secondary sellers of his work (like Gambesons.pl), but neither have any houndskulls currently (But they do have some beautiful klappvisors if anyone's intersted http://www.gambeson.pl/medieval-on-line-shop/medieval-armour/helmet-klappvisier-1.html).  If I were in the market for a good klappvisor, that one would be on it's way to me right now.

http://jollyknight.com.ua/armoury/product_info.php?cPath=21_27&products_id=65  Something like this comes very close to what I'm looking for, but I want heat-treated spring steel, not mild or stainless.

I'd of course consider Jeffrey Wasson again, but I'm trying to avoid a long queue if possible.  If you guys have any recommendations I'd love to hear them.

[Sir Brian]

Did you ask Allan if he'd be interested in making a helm for you?

[Joshua Santana]

So, I'm in the market for a high quality hundsgugel bascinet.  I contacted Jeffrey Hedgecock about it and he seemed interested but I can't seem to get a hold of him anymore.  (He said he would contact me in a few days, a week or 2 goes by, I email him, repeat).  So I'm considering that a no-go for now.

Wait for his response and if he doesn't email him again or call him.  I have heard some things about Historic Enterprises that sound like they are slowing in their production rate, but I cannot be sure if that is true or not.

I've tried to ask on the Armour Archive as well, but so far I've only got what seem to be SCA-centric responses and I'm not interested in an SCA helm.  I'm looking for a living history quality bascinet capable of live-steel contact.  Historical dimension and accuracy down to the liner and padding for the aventail is priority #1.  Greg Mele recommended Jacek Matera (who does ridiculously awesome work), but he said Jacek has terrible English skills and to go through secondary sellers of his work (like Gambesons.pl), but neither have any houndskulls currently (But they do have some beautiful klappvisors if anyone's intersted http://www.gambeson.pl/medieval-on-line-shop/medieval-armour/helmet-klappvisier-1.html).  If I were in the market for a good klappvisor, that one would be on it's way to me right now.

http://jollyknight.com.ua/armoury/product_info.php?cPath=21_27&products_id=65  Something like this comes very close to what I'm looking for, but I want heat-treated spring steel, not mild or stainless.

I'd of course consider Jeffrey Wasson again, but I'm trying to avoid a long queue if possible.  If you guys have any recommendations I'd love to hear them.

That is a very difficult because there are very few armourers that work with spring steel.  However I would ask Wasson and see what he says since he produces houndskull helmets like these







I would try to give Matera an email written in his native language to help things.  And I would try asking Allan along the way.

[Ian]

Well, my harness is entirely by Jeff Wasson and Jeff Hedgecock already, so I was trying to share the love a bit   I also have no idea how to write in Polish nor do I know anyone who speaks polish so emailing Jacek Matera is out for now.  When it comes to designing things like this, detail is so important, I don't want anything lost in translation when I'm spending $2000 on a piece.

I think I will probably contact Jeff Wasson again.  It's expensive, but he really is one of the best in the world.

[Joshua Santana]

I also have no idea how to write in Polish nor do I know anyone who speaks polish so emailing Jacek Matera is out for now.  When it comes to designing things like this, detail is so important, I don't want anything lost in translation when I'm spending $2000 on a piece.

The solution to that is simple: Google Translate your email from English to Polish and you're set. 

Well, my harness is entirely by Jeff Wasson and Jeff Hedgecock already, so I was trying to share the love a bit

I think I will probably contact Jeff Wasson again.  It's expensive, but he really is one of the best in the world.

What ever suits you, go for it, and do be careful. 

[Ian]

I also have no idea how to write in Polish nor do I know anyone who speaks polish so emailing Jacek Matera is out for now.  When it comes to designing things like this, detail is so important, I don't want anything lost in translation when I'm spending $2000 on a piece.

The solution to that is simple: Google Translate your email from English to Polish and you're set. 

Well, that's the problem.  Google translate is terribly inaccurate with subtleties.  Take my last name for example, LaSpina... which in Italian translates to The Thorn.  Run it through google translate and it will give you an alternate and little used definition, 'the Plug', however, if you reverse engineer it and put The Thorn in English -> Italian, it miraculously translates to La Spina.  The point being that it's very finicky about what word it decides on and is not consistent with itself.  And that's not an option when talking about details of a custom project.  Especially when it comes to words related to medieval objects, because they're so loosely translated to begin with.

[Joshua Santana]

Oh!  Now I see the problem, my apologies.  All I can say is for safety sake, go with Wasson. 

[Ian]

Well, I've drafted an email to Jeff Wasson.  Now I just feel weird because I had already been talking to Jeff Hedgecock and I feel like I'm in limbo with him so I don't want to enter into something with another maker and then get an email from Mr. Hedgecock saying he's ready to begin discussing things.  At the same time, it's been 1 month now since I initially contacted Mr. Hedgecock with no progress other than indications that he's interested, even though I've asked for a ball-park timeline and quotes a couple times....  I don't want to be rude or burn any bridges because I have the utmost respect for Mr. Hedgecock, but at the same time, I'd like to start making progress on this purchase.  The armoring world can be very frustrating sometimes

[Thorsteinn]

What about Jiri Keplac? (is that Jolly knight?)

This is Clang's work: http://clang.adkinssoftware.com/hist%20helm/klap%2001.html


Also you may want to contact Aesir Metalworks to see if they could do it. I know Icefalcon could love to do it once he gets back from BOTN.

And Anshelm is making these things already: http://www.anshelmarms.com/bascinets.html

[Joshua Santana]

What about Jiri Keplac? (is that Jolly knight?)

Rautt:  Jiri and Jolly Knight are two separate companies.

This is Clang's work: http://clang.adkinssoftware.com/hist%20helm/klap%2001.html

Also you may want to contact Aesir Metalworks to see if they could do it. I know Icefalcon could love to do it once he gets back from BOTN.

I assumed that IceFalcon worked only with Stainless steel.     And thank you Rautt for reminding me about Anshelm! 

Ian: Anshelm does have the Houndskull Bascinet Helmets and can be made with Spring Steel.  Check out the link!  http://www.anshelmarms.com/bascinets.html

[Ian]

Not interested in Klappvisors (I'm depicting late 14th century English, so it would be inappropriate for the region at that time).  I dig Icefalcon, but his bascinets are not very historical looking to me.  Clang is not taking any commissions unfortunately.  Anshelm does do nice work.  The only one that really catches my eye for my particular harness though is:



but it's inexplicably $1000 more than all the other bascinets and doesn't include the aventail or brass decoration, or liner.

Now, Jiri Klepac... I'd kill for his stuff


Only negative (and this is not a negative in the product) is that he only raises his helmets, no welding.  That typically translates to cost being in the neighborhood of outrageous   I would need to see what he charges for something like that though, because that helmet there is for all intents and purposes perfect for my needs.  Jiri is also not accepting orders right now.

[Sir James A]

You could try Hammerbreaker:

http://www.hammerbreaker.com.ua/en/magazin/category/view/2

He does work in mild, stainless, and spring - though I'm not sure if that includes spring stainless. English isn't his first language, but I've traded PMs with him and had no troubles (mixed tenses, simple stuff). If you're getting something standard from his page, and just supplying measurements or easy questions, shouldn't be a problem.

I've heard nothing but good things about him, his cased greaves are fantastically shaped, and somebody in the 14th Century Mafia on facebook recently got a full leg harness from him. I'd like to eventually get a milanese set from him; seems very few people make them, and a few that do, don't shape them "right" to my eye.

[Joshua Santana]

but it's inexplicably $1000 more than all the other bascinets and doesn't include the aventail or brass decoration, or liner.

I have noticed it and wasn't sure you would care to get all of the pieces and the helmet itself.  The helmet ($2,000) in conjunction with the aventail ($275), brass decoration ($200 + $100 for geometric pattern) and liner ($150) would come to $2,725. 

At this point I would say go for either Anshelm (if you want DIY work on the Helmet) or Wasson.

http://www.hammerbreaker.com.ua/en/magazin/product/view/2/3

In regards to Hammerbreaker, I would give them a try and let's see what happens.

[Sir James A]

I'm not sure about liners, but you can also check with:

Marek of Armory Marek - no personal experiences with him, but OMG the selection of things & the pictures have killed many many hours  of my time, drooling:
http://www.armorymarek.com/basinets--armet

Milan Marek of Best Armour (different guy) - I know Das Bill, on here, has received Gauntlets from them:
http://www.bestarmour.com/bascinet_1.html

[Ian]

So a lot of the drama seems to have been for nothing!  I emailed Jeffrey Hedgecock yesterday afternoon when I got from home work.  I wanted to be as polite as possible, but let him know that since I hadn't heard from him in a few weeks that I was basically operating under the premise that we were a no-go for the bascinet project.  He emailed me back in about an hour and explained that he had some friends visiting from England and that if I hadn't moved on to someone else that he could start work on a bascinet in a approximately 2 weeks.

Long story short, I'm back on with Historic Enterprises for a bascinet!  I'm looking at the Wallace, Lyle and Charles VI bascinets as examples.  I'm leaning toward the Lyle or Wallace bascinet now though because I believe it will be more appropriate for England.  Hopefully, everything works out and I'll have an awesome bascinet to show for it a few months down the road!  I'm trying to see if maybe I can attend Days of Knights, and this would make a great addition!