Zweihammer Armoury

I took the opportunity a couple of weekends ago to do a raised umbo to adorn the center of a Viking round, one of three shields I am making to offer the victor in our upcoming twentieth Annual White Shield tourney. In addition to the round, we are providing a Norman kite as well as a Maximilian buckler. The victor will get first choice and the other two will be auctioned off. Anywho, I want these prizes to be worthy of the victor who more often than not goes on to win the next West Crowne a couple weeks later. The shields are meant to be as correct as I can make them, so I took the time to raise the umbo first, I love to raise and each time I take the time it makes me want to do more. Time permitting, I wish to raise my first helm this summer.

I neglected to record the first steps, as it didn’t occur to me as I was having too much fun. I grabbed my camera after I had already finished two courses.

	Didn't think to grab my camera until I had already sunk the center and completed the first two raising courses. Here I am getting ready to start the third course.
	here I have re marked the center before I begin the third course
	Here the third course begins around the center, as I push the material inward and down
	the first pass around the top is finished as I move down to make the second pass, pushing the shelf lower with each pass.
	Further down with each pass, compressing the metal
	further still, heating a short section at a time, I wish I had a second pair of hands or a gas miser valve! At this point I realize I am running out of oxygen.
	At this point I see again how certain helm shapes lend themelves to raising, sallets, chap de fers. I could see making a mini sallet at this point.
	Third course of raising finished
	Scribing a line inside and out as to where I want the lip of the umbo so I can begin pushing that out.
	Trace over the scribe line with silver pencil, to see through the heat
	Run a shallow line around the inside with a blunt chisel into a wood block to help define the line so it will stay on the stake better without so much visualization.
	Here is my chisel line from the inside
	Set the line further over my creasing stake in preparation to work in the saddle.
	Here begins the anticlastic curve into the saddle stake.
	Moving to the larger stake, I push down the ledge from the last raising course. At this point I run out of oxygen for my oxy-propylene torch, so I am almost done for the day.
	Halfway through, now doing this cold
	Done for the night, at this point I am debating how tall I want this to be. I started with a 12 inch circle, and now have a four inch tall, 9 1/2 inch cone.
	Next day, I go get some oxygen and mark out my base in silver pencil before flaring it out over the anvil edge
	I run a chisel around the base to define the line and spend some time on my creasing stake defining the ridge more sharply
	Putting it in the acid to take the scale off.
	Lay out and punching of the holes and scallops
	Ttrimmed off edge with beverly shear and filed burr
	Finished with a coating of olive oil and torch. Looks more even than the flash makes it appear.
	Last shot, ready to mount in the center of the viking round for our 20th annual White Shield Tourney!