Vader Helmet Opinions Sought

Come on, man.
Mac has tried hard to help you out here to get to the bottom of what this helmet is and what it's not. I think you should be thankfull for it and not discredit his efforts just because his opinion doesn't go along the lines of what you'd like it to be. Remember that you asked for it.

Keep your hair on. I asked a valid question. Don't start derailing this with ego. I get it, you own a 20th C helmet. Good for you! You have 'studied Vader as sculpture' for 5 years. Good for you! I hope in that time you have learnt the difference between vac forming and fibreglassing. :lol. You have come in, made rather silly comments such as questioning whether this helmet has been switched out, or thinking it's a fan build which it patently isn't, interspersed it with some decent observational gems when comparing to a totally different helmet. What would you think if someone did that you you? You don't like having your 'authority' questioned do you? Get over it, it happens, this is life. I've refrained from getting shirty but to be honest, I find your last outburst offensive and a distraction from the point I made.

I only posted as a favour to the owner of the helmet. I asked a few pointed questions, put a few hypotheses in the air and asked for a comparison that any semi intelligent person would ask. If you want to start talking about a helmet that has nothing to do with this, go ahead, but I just wanted to point out that such comparisons are redundant for the reasons basic common sense would dictate. Sorry if that bruises your fragile ego :lol. I asked for opinions, not asked to be dictated to like an idiot with zero observational skills of my own. You have given you opinion, I have thanked you and I shall accord that opinion with the respect it merits.

The owner of the helmet has heard your views, he has compared them to his own observations and others outside the blinkered cloisters of the RPF, and can draw his own conclusions, but ultimately he couldn't care less and will continue on with his project and will let you chaps continue to argue about C scars and what not for the next decade. I have already posted his views, (see above).
 
umm. don post helmets existed 20 years ago.

from jez's website.
Budget/Standard ($30-$60 price range) - these were the mass produced vinyl helmets Don Post produced from 1977 through the nineties.
 
:lol

To the OP right from the get go your mind was made up


I might say the same about others here. Because something is new, not submitted by someone in the clique, there is a marked and overwhelming undertone of prejudice. As an outsider, I can see precisely what is going on and to be honest, I am not surprised and I should have expected it.

:lol

The knowledge on here is unrivalled anywhere, especially considering the fact that the original sculptor is a member and other members have studied pretty much every casting that is known about.

Er...right :unsure

That attitude pretty much sums up what I what was told. A bunch of self-appointed blinkered egotists more interested in scoring brownie points amongst each other that any serious objective discussion. You can tell me I'm wrong but the evidence is here for anyone to see. You should be embarrassed. I am embarassed for you. The original sculptor has yet to chime in with his opinion and I must say, he's the guy I will listen to most carefully. I have PM'ed Brian and await his thoughts and the offer for him to examine the helmet in person.


Come on, man.
Mac has tried hard to help you out here to get to the bottom of what this helmet is and what it's not. I think you should be thankfull for it and not discredit his efforts just because his opinion doesn't go along the lines of what you'd like it to be. Remember that you asked for it.

I am not doing anything Mac hasn't done himself. Tell me, on which planet is a like-for-like comparison not a logical thing to do? No one has answered this single simple question. We already know that photos are very misleading given angle, lighting, focal lengths, aperture, zoom and equipment so why jump to a conclusion based on that? I haven't jumped to any conclusions, I just had a suspicion about what it could be, knowing what is ISN'T, I had the silly notion that others could share their knowledge in a meaningful and adult way. I didn't expect to be patronised, spoken down to or have my intelligence insulted and a perfectly valid question blindsided when I offered an opposing opinion.

Sorry, but I just think there are too many egos, too much showboating and politics going on here. I think I will wait until I hear Brian's opinion. (And I'll pre-empt the wiseguys who will inevitably say: "but Brian will only tell you the same thing we have" by saying, I'll rather hear it from someone who has genuine qualifications and has examined the helmet in person).

Thanks for all the private messages of support and insights, they have been very interesting in the extreme. :)
 
i haven't bothered to read the whole thing, but I can see that this casting does not match the screen helmet, particularly the face. I'm seeing things like the shape of the crease on vader's right cheek near the nose, for instance, and other distances/detail relationships...
 
I see a fan made helmet. There are too many issues with overall form and detail to believe it's a helmet close in lineage to anything shown in the films. Right off the bat I see about 5 big things that look off on this helmet. Not just a little off, but hand sculpted "off". This was likely a fan's interpretation of the reveal helmet using another fan helmet as a starting point. With a little research, this body of forum members can tell you more specifically which fan made helmet was the starting point. :)
 
I see a fan made helmet. There are too many issues with overall form and detail to believe it's a helmet close in lineage to anything shown in the films. Right off the bat I see about 5 big things that look off on this helmet. Not just a little off, but hand sculpted "off". This was likely a fan's interpretation of the reveal helmet using another fan helmet as a starting point. With a little research, this body of forum members can tell you more specifically which fan made helmet was the starting point. :)

But that is not possible unless you are calling both the original caster and the helmet owner both liars and myself by default. Sorry, but can't put it another way.

Can you see a fan-made helmet being made like this in 1990? I can't. I doubt anyone can say which fan made helmet was the starting point for this because it didn't, couldn't have been. Prove me wrong.
 
Ease off on the blanket insults of the entire board, LeAngeSolitaire. Wow...

The OP asked for opinions on what he had. He never said those opinions would sway his OR the owner's minds. He just wanted input, not judgments. I DO agree with what he/she is saying in regards to comparing it to a Reveal. Good job, KaanE.

I look forward to seeing what the owner does with this piece. Please keep us updated. Good find.:thumbsup
 
The comparison in this post was interesting: http://www.therpf.com/f9/vader-helmet-opinions-sought-115407/index3.html#post1672105

The eyebrows are certainly pretty close to the reveal look, which is different than other screen helmets and fan helmets.

But, the casting itself is warped, sanded in strange areas and have some issues that doesn't line up. But still pretty interesting and with the rest of the reveal details added to the piece could make it end up looking really awesome. Don't think it is worth trying to fix the narrowness of the face mask or the sanded chin vent area, just cut out the chin vent, paint this sucker up and add the rest of the reveal details and the owner is golden with what he has.

Just my opinion.
 
Ease off on the blanket insults of the entire board, LeAngeSolitaire. Wow...

The OP asked for opinions on what he had. He never said those opinions would sway his OR the owner's minds. He just wanted input, not judgments. I DO agree with what he/she is saying in regards to comparing it to a Reveal. Good job, KaanE.

I look forward to seeing what the owner does with this piece. Please keep us updated. Good find.:thumbsup


Sorry Hector, that was not directed at you. In fact, I've heard you're one of the more reasonable guys in these parts. I am just suffering from an extreme exasperation at some of the more obtuse comments directed at me in this thread.

Time out everyone, I apologise for being so snappy. :$
 
sorry man, my comment is directed at the casting only, not towards you or your motives or any of your friends motives. I base my opinion on what it looks like to me based on your photos only. There are big discrepancies with the screen helmets.

It's still a cool helmet and it might make a cool reveal, for what it's worth.

You asked for opinions, it's just one guy's opinion. :)
 
sorry man, my comment is directed at the casting only, not towards you or your motives or any of your friends motives. I base my opinion on what it looks like to me based on your photos only. There are big discrepancies with the screen helmets.

It's still a cool helmet and it might make a cool reveal, for what it's worth.

You asked for opinions, it's just one guy's opinion. :)

Apology accepted, it difficult trying to wade through several pages of ramblings (mine included) looking for the good stuff.
 
So has this thread graduated to an official Vader Helmet thread now? From the last two pages of arguing and personal attacks, I'd say so.
 
I'm sorry because of my ignorance but... who is Kenny Clarke?

Master plasterer on the original trilogy. His department did all the fibreglassing including all the Vaders. He's a contemporary of Stuart Freeborn, Brian Archer and Fred Hole. This guy's knowledge of Vader is extraordinary.
 
Hmm, he'd be interesting to hear from on many things... :love

Master plasterer on the original trilogy. His department did all the fibreglassing including all the Vaders. He's a contemporary of Stuart Freeborn, Brian Archer and Fred Hole. This guy's knowledge of Vader is extraordinary.
 
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