What do you gentlemen/women think?

[Sir Hancz]

What do you guys thing of this helmet: http://steel-mastery.com/en/plate-armour/helmets/hounskull-bascinet-with-high-top-point
I figured that I would customize it a little and get sewed liner and some padding in it, etc. thought appreciated

[Sampf]

Personally I love Hounskulls and even Bascinets in general. If you are getting it for show then that steel thickness is fine but if your are getting it for fighting I would recommend 14 gauge.

If your doing extremely heavy fighting Id go for the 12 gauge (although terribly expensive it comes down to that's whats between you and a possible concussion)
 

[Ian]

What do you guys thing of this helmet: http://steel-mastery.com/en/plate-armour/helmets/hounskull-bascinet-with-high-top-point
I figured that I would customize it a little and get sewed liner and some padding in it, etc. thought appreciated

What's your budget?  And how interested in historical accuracy are you?  Steel Mastery does ok looking helmets (the one you linked is probably the best looking bascinet they offer), but there are a lot of things wrong with the shaping.  The skull looks good, but the visor is a little awkward.  They're really missing the proper lines and elegance of a real 14th century bascinet.  It's a lot nicer than the lower price point Indian made GDFB bascinets, but for roughly the same price as Steel Mastery you could step in to a much nicer houndskull (side or center-pivot) from a place like Matul's in Poland.  The shaping is much more akin to extant examples and artwork.  If you are willing to spend more you will really open up the opportunities for better and better helmets.  But bang for buck, the Matul's offerings are probably the nicest looking houndskulls for the price that I've seen in a long time.  They are vastly superior in shaping to the Steel Mastery products, for not much more money.

Here's the link to the other helmets they offer (houndskulls are mixed in there):
http://www.matuls.pl/index.php?IDP=1&Lng=en&IDKategoria=15&IDPodkategoria=19&WyswietlOd=0&Strona=1

Prices don't include aventail:

Matul's take on one of the extant Churburg pieces, price 375 Euro, and much nicer shaping than the steel mastery offering:


Another bascinet from Matul's, for just 410 Euros:

[Sir Hancz]

What do you guys thing of this helmet: http://steel-mastery.com/en/plate-armour/helmets/hounskull-bascinet-with-high-top-point
I figured that I would customize it a little and get sewed liner and some padding in it, etc. thought appreciated

What's your budget?  And how interested in historical accuracy are you?  Steel Mastery does ok looking helmets (the one you linked is probably the best looking bascinet they offer), but there are a lot of things wrong with the shaping.  The skull looks good, but the visor is a little awkward.  Their really missing the proper lines and elegance of a real 14th century bascinet.  It's a lot nicer than the lower price point Indian made GDFB bascinets, but for roughly the same price as Steel Mastery you could step in to a much nicer houndskull (side or center-pivot) from a place like Matul's in Poland.  The shaping is much more akin to extant examples and artwork.  If you are willing to spend more you will really open up the opportunities for better and better helmets.  But bang for buck, the Matul's offerings are probably the nicest looking houndskulls for the price that I've seen in a long time.  They are vastly superior in shaping to the Steel Mastery products, for not much more money.

Here's the link to the other helmets they offer (houndskulls are mixed in there):
http://www.matuls.pl/index.php?IDP=1&Lng=en&IDKategoria=15&IDPodkategoria=19&WyswietlOd=0&Strona=1

Prices don't include aventail:

Matul's take on one of the extant Churburg pieces, price 375 Euro, and much nicer shaping than the steel mastery offering:


Another bascinet from Matul's, for just 410 Euros:

Yes, matul's definitely looks look a real 14th century bascinet! I'm kinda saddened by seeing all these Indian made pieces of junk everywhere! 14th century armor is my personal preference since they didn't make it to full suits of steel yet. Much appreciated everyone who commented (and thanks Sir Ian for the link. Looks like I'm buying from Matul's)

[Thorsteinn]

On this I'd take Ian's word. He's put a lot of time into this subject more than the rest of us put together I suspect. Especially Houndskulls.

My MTO Norman Nasal in my pic with Aventail costs about $850 USD.

[Ian]

Depending on your budget there are certainly other options out there aside from Matul's, but at the 350-400 Euro range I think they're the best that I'm aware of.  You can spend upwards of $3,000 on a bascinet if you want to, and everything in between.  But getting a good helmet is not an instant-gratification thing... you will have to wait some time for it as they usually are made-to-order, but I think most people here will tell you that instant-gratification purchases in armor almost always lead to disappointment and buyer's remorse.

If you're interested in studying real examples of surviving side-hinged bascinets, I've assembled a pinterest album here of various examples:

Side-hinged Bascinets

[Sir Hancz]

Thank you all for your comments, I've looked around my area and I've found a armorer willing to make me a set. I've based my kit around a Italian knight around 1460. We've agreed on a fair price, and I will soon measure myself to start. Thanks again all of you for your comments!

[Ian]

Thank you all for your comments, I've looked around my area and I've found a armorer willing to make me a set. I've based my kit around a Italian knight around 1460. We've agreed on a fair price, and I will soon measure myself to start. Thanks again all of you for your comments!

Unless you meant 1360,it's important to note that bascinets are not appropriate for the 1460 date you've listed. Italian Knights of 1460 would be wearing armets, barbutes, or sallets. Side-pivoting Houndskull bascinets span from roughly the 1360s to about 1420ish.

Please read my guide here if you're interested in historically accurate kit:

http://modernchivalry.org/forum/index.php/topic,3207.0.html

[Sir William]

Putting them side by side (SM and Matul's) its easy to see what you pointed out, Sir Ian.  I know for my part, I'll be looking at verveilles and maille aventail and the height they achieve on a helm more closely from now on. 

[Sir Hancz]

Thank you all for your comments, I've looked around my area and I've found a armorer willing to make me a set. I've based my kit around a Italian knight around 1460. We've agreed on a fair price, and I will soon measure myself to start. Thanks again all of you for your comments!

Unless you meant 1360,it's important to note that bascinets are not appropriate for the 1460 date you've listed. Italian Knights of 1460 would be wearing armets, barbutes, or sallets. Side-pivoting Houndskull bascinets span from roughly the 1360s to about 1420ish.

Please read my guide here if you're interested in historically accurate kit:

http://modernchivalry.org/forum/index.php/topic,3207.0.html

Yes, mistake, that was a typo, 1460 is not correct, the helmet on my set that the local armorer is making dates from 1360, and it is a Italian bascinet to match my Italian kit. I've seen some of this guy's display armor, and it is just magnificent! The helm will be 12 gauge also.

[Lord Dane]

Are you currently wearing a Churburg armor kit??

[Sir Hancz]

Are you currently wearing a Churburg armor kit??

No, I was considering that as a decorative kit, but since I've learned that a lot of the sites I was gonna buy sets from are Indian made, I refused to buy anything online, and now I rely on my local armourer, because I know that everything he makes is hand-crafted and is special for me.

[Lord Dane]

Are you currently wearing a Churburg armor kit??

No, I was considering that as a decorative kit, but since I've learned that a lot of the sites I was gonna buy sets from are Indian made, I refused to buy anything online, and now I rely on my local armourer, because I know that everything he makes is hand-crafted and is special for me.

Hand forged & custom to you is always best.