Mary Ostler

Long, long ago…

When I first joined the SCA, I had wanted to start fighting with all the heavys. I made armour, and went to fight practice…and eventually built my own helm. Its a nasty piece of work as I really had no idea what I was doing. The welding job was pretty bad (Having not welded in 15 years it should not come as a big suprise). What really set it apart from other butt ugly beginner helms was the face grill. I made it way to big, giving it a Homer Simpson/ Monkey Jaw line. I had to suspend a very large piece of leather from the grill to get it authorised.

I have since gave up heavy fighting. I am too warm in the middle of winter let alone wearing a gambson and armour in the middle of summer. I gave the helm away to a beginner fighter under the condition that if he gave up fighting, or got better equipment he would give the helm away…and so on, and so on…etc.

I did do one last thing to the helm before I handed it off. I punched the name of the helm and painted it white. Monkey Jaw lives.