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Step 4The Kabuto (Helmet)
There are 3 main pieces of the helmet. The bowl itself (kabuto), the "skirt" around the sides and back of the helmet (shikoro), and the decorative ornament on the front (maedate). I wish that I took some pictures of the helmet I bought before I made it. However, it was just a typical army style helmet that I bought from Halloween express for $10.00. It did have a curved out section all around it, but I cut it off around the sides and back so I could attach the shikoro. Note!...I left the front ridge on to serve as the visor of the helmet, since most samurai helmets had a visor of sorts. you just have to merge your cut the right way to maintain this.
After I cut the ridge off the helmet, I sanded it with a fine grit and used the same paint as the rest of the armor on it. We let that sit and dry until we finish the skirt for our helmet
The shikoro (skirt) was made almost the same as the shoulders and kusazuri. Only this time, we want the pieces a lot longer so they come around the helmet and just short of the visor. The top most lame of the skirt is going to have to have 3" extra on each side in order to have the curved back pieces that traditional samurai helmets have. As you make the lames , each will be longer then the last so to make up the difference in circumference since these will overlap. Ok, so you have all 4 lames curved after running your strips through the hot water and cooling them. (It helps to keep the helmet on the counter so you can judge how well it is going to fit) Before drilling these and painting these, you have to account for lacing space. The picture in MSpaint (yee-how!) shows how. After marking where your laces will be, you have to line up the marks for each line to drill them. Once you get your holes drilled, fit the top lame to your helmet and mark the helmet where the holes line up. Drill the holes in the helmet where the laces will attach the shikoro to the Kabuto. It laces in the same fashion as the Sode(shoulders)and Kusazuri(upper leg)I hot glued some of the top lame to the Kabuto so the laces didnt have to do all the work.
The Maedate you will have to find a shape for. There are some good ones online from real samurai armor or you can make one up. Just be sure to contour it to the front of the helmet and hot glue it on.
After I cut the ridge off the helmet, I sanded it with a fine grit and used the same paint as the rest of the armor on it. We let that sit and dry until we finish the skirt for our helmet
The shikoro (skirt) was made almost the same as the shoulders and kusazuri. Only this time, we want the pieces a lot longer so they come around the helmet and just short of the visor. The top most lame of the skirt is going to have to have 3" extra on each side in order to have the curved back pieces that traditional samurai helmets have. As you make the lames , each will be longer then the last so to make up the difference in circumference since these will overlap. Ok, so you have all 4 lames curved after running your strips through the hot water and cooling them. (It helps to keep the helmet on the counter so you can judge how well it is going to fit) Before drilling these and painting these, you have to account for lacing space. The picture in MSpaint (yee-how!) shows how. After marking where your laces will be, you have to line up the marks for each line to drill them. Once you get your holes drilled, fit the top lame to your helmet and mark the helmet where the holes line up. Drill the holes in the helmet where the laces will attach the shikoro to the Kabuto. It laces in the same fashion as the Sode(shoulders)and Kusazuri(upper leg)I hot glued some of the top lame to the Kabuto so the laces didnt have to do all the work.
The Maedate you will have to find a shape for. There are some good ones online from real samurai armor or you can make one up. Just be sure to contour it to the front of the helmet and hot glue it on.
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