Maximilian close helmetfor ID

Raf · 4th January 2017, 05:38 PM

Hi Marcus.
I think the first thing to look for is flaws and inclusions in the plate . Most genuine armour will show some stress cracks , flaws and other imperfections that are part of the material itself and this is something that is difficult to fake. Secondly armour that is either modern or Victorian will invariably have started life as a uniform flat steel plate, as opposed to a lump of material that is beaten out by hand and progressively eased into shape . This tends to produce variations in thickness which exist irrespective of the hammer blows used to shape the piece and can usually be felt by running the plate between your fingers.

As a footnote you might expect an armour of C1530 to have outwardly turned roped edges but this is by no means a definitive guide to date.

4th January 2017, 05:38 PM	#1
Raf Member Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 252	Identifying early steel plate Hi Marcus. I think the first thing to look for is flaws and inclusions in the plate . Most genuine armour will show some stress cracks , flaws and other imperfections that are part of the material itself and this is something that is difficult to fake. Secondly armour that is either modern or Victorian will invariably have started life as a uniform flat steel plate, as opposed to a lump of material that is beaten out by hand and progressively eased into shape . This tends to produce variations in thickness which exist irrespective of the hammer blows used to shape the piece and can usually be felt by running the plate between your fingers. As a footnote you might expect an armour of C1530 to have outwardly turned roped edges but this is by no means a definitive guide to date.