Everyone needs their own helmet. The Fellowship has a small number of helmets for new recruits to use, but they run out pretty fast. If you're serious about learning to fight, you will need your own helmet.

Who will make me one?

You will! It's not that hard, really. There's some fairly intense hammer work involved, but anyone can learn to do it. Our Master Armourer will be able to teach you the techniques, as well as the construction of the item itself. In the end you will do most of the construction yourself.

The main advantages of making your own helmet are:

• You will always have a helmet to use at training, and you won't have to borrow one.
• Your helmet will fit you properly.

You could always shortcut the process and pay someone to do it for you, but be prepared for that person to charge you quite a lot for the work.

Is it hard?

I won't lie and tell you that it's not a lot of work. It'll probably take you at least three or four sessions in the workshop, and if you don't have good biceps at the beginning, you'll have them at the end.

However, it really is something than anyone can do, once you have been shown the techniques. Once you understand the construction of a simple helmet, you can start to learn more advanced techniques and make a really pretty helmet.

Great! When and where?

The best idea is to talk to Victor, our Master Armourer. He's at most Saturday trainings, and frequents midweek trainings as well. Workshops usually run fortnightly, if there are people who want to make stuff. If you let Victor know that you're interested in a workshop, he will arrange a suitable weekend. Workshops are often better and more fun if there are several people working at once.

And it's not just helmets. There are a number of people making steel bucklers (suitable for I.33 training), and this is a great way to learn the techniques of dishing and raising.

Armouring is fun and productive, and at the end of the process you will have your very own helmet, sized and fitted especially for you, that you can wear while fighting at training, group events or displays. And you'll have the satisfaction of being able to say "I made it myself!"