During the last OTM armoring, gaming and sword training day I started to change out my old butted maille aventail for a new riveted flat ring maille aventail and decided to try my hand at a
'How To' instruction.
Oh and thanks to Sir James for the work space and Sir Edward for the pictures of the beginning phase of this endeavor.
First some tools and implements that will come in handy:
- Pliers.
- Small finish nails that fit easily into the vervelles.
- Awl plus several various sized awl-like tools, nails, push pins, etc.
- Hemp twine.
- 7/16" Nut driver socket (fits perfectly over the vervelles)
- Heavy duty scissors or shears.
- Utility knife.
- Leather cord or wire.
- Pen, pencil or marker.
- Leather needles and/or Super-glue.
- Masking/Duck Tape.
- Hole punch tool and/or 9/16" hole punch.
1.) Spread out the aventail and centrally align the helm within the aventail. You could measure it to be precise but eyeballing it works for me.
2.) At the back of the helm, mark the inside leather strap of the aventail at the center. Be careful that the strap doesn't shift on you and skew the alignment. If it does then use some of the masking/duck tape to secure the strap as you mark it.
3.) Continue marking the remaining locations of the vervelles on the strap but DO NOT mark the last two vervelles on each side that curves upwards near the visor.
4.) On the inside of the strap use a straight edge to draw a line through your mark and then bisect it at the center width of the strap to mark the center of your holes.
5.) Punch out your holes at the center marks for the vervelles using the 9/16" hole punch or if you are more timid use the hole punch tool on the largest hole setting and 'nip' the initial hole larger after punching the center hole.
NOTE: If you marked the locations correctly you should be able to attach the strap onto the vervelles without the strap bulging to much between the vervelles. Also you can use the 7/16" nut driver socket to help push the strap over the vervelles through these smaller holes.
6.) Use the finish nails to hold the strap in place on the vervelles as you go.
7.) The strap will probably not perfectly fit along the last two vervelles on each side, hence why you don't mark them. This is usually because the strap is longer than it needs to be so you will have to shorten it while maintaining the proper upward curve to centrally attach the strap to the last two vervelles.
8.) Cut yourself a couple of one foot lengths of hemp twine and prepare the ends by applying a thin layer of superglue along the last inch of each end then hang them up to dry.
9.) Working on one side of the helm at a time; fold the aventail strap at an angle until the last two vervelles are covered by the strap's centerline and lightly mark the excess leather folds that will have to be cut.
10.) Carefully cut away a triangular section of the strap, checking often so you don't remove too much and you can make the cut edges line up flush while the last two vervelles are centrally aligned with the strap. ALSO allow enough leather between your cutaway edges and the existing holes and projected holes for the vervelles.
11.) Hold the two edges together and use an awl to indent the holes for the hemp twine to suture the seam closed. The suture holes only have to be large enough to push the hemp twine through. - The ends you had previously super glued has basically become aglets to get them through the leather.
12.) Double knot the last suture on the INSIDE part of the strap then apply a drop of superglue to ensure it stays.
13.) You can then mark the location of the last two vervelles and use the hole punch tool. I wanted these holes to be particularly tight and used the wheel punch tool on the largest hole setting and 'nipped' leather away from the center hole until I could push the strap over the vervelles.
14.) Repeat for the other side. If you notice a bit of an overhanging edge on the top section of the seam you can trim that piece off, just do so BEFORE punching the holes for the last two vervelles!
15.) The final phase is securing the strap on the vervelles with leather cord, twisted wire, etc. I had some leftover twisted gold/silver wire from wire wrapping the end of my Hungarian Battleaxe and decided to use that. Note that I wrapped back around the vervelles once and passed the wire underneath itself before going to the next one. The only exception to this was the ends where I passed the 'bitter' end under the wire and back into the vervelle.
Good luck!
