Helmets were the most important item of kit for warriors and are still the most important items of kit for the modern enthusiast as well. We offer a wide range of historical helmets. Only a few of what we can source for you from Lord of Battles are shown here. The helmets are made in different thicknesses of steel depending on the level of contact they are likley to be used for. Some helmets have additional reinforcing.
We can offer most of the helmets in four different gauges of mild steel and we have split this into two types:
Battle Ready
Battle Ready helmets are made from either 1.6mm or 2.0mm mild steel. When I started doing re-enactment, 1.6mm was considered the minimum thickness for metal weapons combat and is still the standard for non-head blow or controlled head blow combat. It is also the minimum thickness that we originally recommended for jousting. We still think 1.6mm is safe for these applications but in recent years we have seen an increase in heavier style battle reenactment activities such as solid lance jousting and full head blow style combat. So we asked Lord of Battles to develop a range of 2.0mm steel helmets for us and we can now offer this for most of the helmets in our range.
Not that for people doing "Battle of the Nations" style combat, thicker steel is required so we would not recommend any of our helmets for this style of combat.
1.6mm and 2.0mm steel is more than suitable for non-solid lance jousting and and most forms of battle re-enactment. However it is not suitable for Battle of the Nations style combat whose rules require helmets to be made from thicker steel.
We can also provide most of our helmets in thinner 1.2mm or 1.0 mm steel, We do not recommend either for martial arts training or battle re-enactment but they are ideal for collectors, LARPers and theatrical use. Because most of the manufacutring costs are for labour, these thinner helmets are the same price as our standard 1.6mm or 2.0mm ones but the advantage is that they are often up to 1 kg lighter.
"My kettlehat from The Red Knight took some heavy blows in the headblow fights & they just scratched it lol. I'm very happy with it."
All of our helmets come with a leather suspension style liner.
We can also provide a wooden stand to display your helmet.
Note that the helmets are listed in historical order with the earliest period helmets first, progressing down the page to the more recent ones.
Australian Customers - I have sent a number of these Helmets to Australia and the postal costs for tracked airmail (3 - 6 days delivery) is usually covered by 2 of our "Postal Upgrade for Australia" upgrades (e.g. $70 NZ) but please contact me first before ordering so I can give you a firm price.
12th Century Norman Helmet with iron face plate. Use of this helmet persisted into the 13th century.
14th Century Bascinet Helmet without visor. Used by archers and other troops who wanted good protection along with good vision. The good visiion is a trade off for face protection.
This is a helmet from the Vendel period (650 AD to 800 AD) and was common in Scandinavia and on the British islands. This helmet comes with a butted spring steel camail to protect the lower head and neck.
8th to 11th century generic Viking elite warrior or Chieftains helmet with rivetted maille camail. Available in polished or blackened finishes.
Well made generic 11th Century Norman Style Helmet - late Viking period and Medieval period up to the 13th Century. 68 cm head circumference in 1.6mm mild steel.
This Olmutz Nasal Helm is a reconstruction of the well-known 11th century Czech Olmutz Nasal Helm (also called Moravian nasal helmet).
Offered on special because of crack on weld line of the nasal.
12th Century Italo-Norman Helmet with brass face plate. This was used around the Italian peninsula and also during the Crusades.
This is a study transitional helmet which has a face plate added to the earlier open faced Norman style helmets and their derivatives. This style of helmet first appeared in the 12th century and later evolved into the great helm that covered the entire head and neck.
This is a beautifully made example of the full head "bucket" helmets that first appeared from the later 12th century. Our helmet is closely based on those illustrated in the Maciejowski Bible which was produced around 1250. Our price is for a 2.0mm helmet made from low carbon steel with a 68cm circumference.
Iconic 13th Century pot helm with brass trim. Straight out of the Maciejowski Bible, this helmet is popular with both mounted and foot re-enactors because of its great visibility and protection.
This is a classic 13th Century / early 14th century "Sugar Loaf" Great Helm with a brass cross.
Classic 13th - 15th Century Kettle Helmet in a style that was depicted in the Maciejowski Bible c1250 and remained in commmon use well into the 16th cenutry virtually unchanged.
Classic Late 14th - 15th Century style Kettle Hat. Although this first appeared in the late 14th century but is more associated wtih the 15th century when it came into widespread use.
Late 14th to 16th century style Kettle Hat in common use from the late medieval period (end of the 14th centiry) into the Renaissance period (late 15th and early 16th centures). This later version of the Kettle Hat has a high crown to help deflect attacks from above and was particularly useful during sieges.
This is a very well handcrafted reproduction of the bascinet helmet used from the early 14th century. It is also one of the first helmets to have a visor. We offer this helmet with either a standard visor for foot combat or a special visor with narrow eyeslits specifically for jousitng.
The "klappvisor" or "klappvisier" was a type of visor employed on bascinets from around 1330-1340; this type of visor was hinged at a single point in the centre of the brow of the helmet skull. It was particularly favoured in Germany, but was also used in northern Italy with a couple of effigies in England also showing this style of helmet.
Classic Pig Faced Bascinet from the mid/late 14th century. This is an iconic helmet that defines the 14th century look.
This early style of visored bascinet first appeared in the early 14th century and comes in two versions. One has wider eyeslits for foot combat and one has narrower eyeslits for jousting. With great lines and deflection services this is our best selling helmet!
Late 14th Century/Early 15th Century Visored Bascinet with a rounded visor and vervelles for attaching maille. This is a very sturdy helmet and represents one of the later stages of the visored helmet before the armet style of helmet arrived.
15th Century Barbute style helmet. This is a classic helmet that first appeared in the early 15th century and was porobably inspired by the earlier Greek style Corinthian helmet.
Opened Face Celata Helmet from the early 15th Century
Iconic 15th Century German Sallet
Mid 15th century Italian style closed helmet. This type of helmet closes around the entire head, neck and shoulders providing complete protection.
Late 15th Kettle Hat with spiral fluting. This beautifully made helmet represents the ultimate expression of this class style of medieval helmet.
Late 15th Centiry Italian Maximilian style Sallet with 'Bellows Style' visor.
The morion was a type of open helmet used from the middle 16th and early 17th centuries, usually having a flat brim and a crest from front to back. It was an iconic helmet most remembered for its use in the exploration/conquest of the Americas.
Sturdy Wooden Helmet Stand to display your helmet or to keep it off the ground and away from dirt and possible dampness. A seroious accessory for people serious about looking after their equipment.
