back to Commissions...         This is to be a zunari styled kabuto, or simple Japanese helmet, modified for SCA style fighting with a solid backplate under the neck guard and an attached faceplate and grill. When it's finished, it will be powdercoated black and laced in green, with red and white/blue accents. My original intent was to have all of the structural rivets countersunk invisibly in the style of an authentic Japanese helmet, but the customer preferred the look of the exposed rivet heads.

The halves of the main bowl have been formed, and the central plate is being fitted.

... and continued.

The rivets along the top band have been added and countersunk, and the top ground smooth. The koshimaki (bottom band) has been fitted and riveted, but not ground.

The addition of the mabizashi (brow plate), a solid back skirt, attached hanbo ( lower face guard) and grill.

The shikaro (neck guard) and nodawa (throat guard) have been fitted and strung temporarily with the mimi ito, or border thread. This lace will be white with blue stripes in the final assembly.

At this point, the customer asked to have removeable fukigaeshi (the ear-like flaps at the sides of the face) added, and asked to have rivet heads added along the seam lines and the brow. The helm is now ready to be dissassembled, cleaned up one last time and powdercoated. And laced....

Powdercoated, laced, and ready to go.