Home   »  All Products   »  Dark Age Helmets   »  Gjermundbu Helmet
$117.95 – $158.95
Based on the find at Gjermundbu, Norway, this Viking helm will provide the re-enactor with authentic head protection. Crafted in 14 gauge steel with a full leather suspension and chin strap.
Sized as follows:
Medium – 25” around, 9” front to back, 7 3/4” side to side
Large – 27” around, 9 1/2” front to back, 8” side to side
| Weight | 4 1/2 - 5 lb |
| Gauge | [14 Gauge] |
| Type | Ocular Helm |
| Material | Mild Steel |
| Culture | Viking |
| Manufacturer | GDFB |
| Country of Origin | India |
You will receive an email notification, including tracking information, when the order ships. If you ordered an in-stock item, please reach out to us only if you have NOT received a shipment notification after 7 business days.
We prioritize quality over speed.
Our shipment times include an amount of time for us to inspect and then appropriately package and protect your purchase before we ship. We are proud to be famous for our brown-paper protective wraps which help your purchase arrive in excellent condition.
Shipment times will vary due to the stock status of an item and whether you included other services, such as sharpening in your order.
If an item is in-stock, we aim to ship within 7 business days of your order. If you have added sharpening, the item will ship within 12-14 days.
Our items that are listed as Usually Ships in One to Two Weeks normally ship within 10-14 days.
Thank you for being a valued customer!
Kult of Athena Team
After you place your order, we’ll work on getting it ready as soon as we can. We know you’re excited to get your new items, but please make sure you wait to hear from us before you head over to our facility for pickup. We don’t want you to show up before your order is ready and have to wait.
You’ll receive a call or an email from us as soon as your order is ready for pickup.
See you soon!
Kult of Athena Team
A factory blemished model will have small cosmetic defects but no issues that will affect its function. Examples include, small surface scratches, scabbard dents or cracks, minor blade pitting, etc. Larger issues like blade chips, cracks, warps or anything else that will affect performance will not be included with these. Please note that we do not keep track of every specific minor blemish, so please do not contact us asking for details, we will not have them available. We are offering these items at a further discount for customers who are not overly concerned with cosmetics and intend to put them to some use.
A munitions grade item is not up to our normal high standards. Munitions grade items will typically have various bends or twists in the blades, basically rendering them as 2nds quality. These items are still a great choice for collecting and re-enacting and functional pieces will still be functional. Please keep this in mind when ordering.
Take advantage of our deposit option and pay only a deposit (+shipping) at this time. The cart will process this as a normal order and calculate your shipping costs so you know what to expect. When the item is available to ship we will contact you for the balance.
Please note: this deposit is non-refundable. Turn around time is an estimate and can vary depending on the manufacturer’s given work load.
This option is not for in stock items, it is only for special orders with long turnaround times. If you do order something marked as in stock, the stocked model will not be held for you. A new special order with the listed turnaround time will be started for you instead, to allow you the time to pay off the full price.
Swords listed as “Sport Combat” (also known as “Stage Combat”) are specifically designed for combat reenactment, stage and film fights, and other activities where they will be hit edge to edge together.
Using a sword in this capacity is very different than how a sword would have been used historically, and as a result the sword must be made differently. Sport combat swords feature extra strong tangs and thick blades with thick edges. Sport combat swords will generally weigh more than a “Battle Ready” equivalent and are not made to be sharpened.
Swords listed as “Sport Combat” will hold up to a fair amount of usage, but will wear out with time. No sword is indestructible, and “Sport Combat” swords are no exception.
Our sharpening service will provide a good serviceable edge on the blade. The result is typically “very sharp” with a small secondary bevel and a bit of an “apple seed” profile. The resulting edge is somewhat dependent on the particular blade. Some blades will take and hold sharper edges than others and the thickness of the blade will determine how wide the bevel will need to be. We adjust the angle of the edge to suit the specific blade and attempt to get as close to a bevel-less edge as possible without marring the surface of the blade.
The sharpening service is done with a belt sander. The process involves many passes with sanding belts of various grits. The blades are rested between passes to prevent them from becoming hot and damaging their temper. By default we will sharpen as much of the blade as possible including any false edges if appropriate. If you have a different preference, feel free to make that request in the special instructions at check out. We can sharpen only the last half or third of an edge, for example. Our sword sharpening expert has personally sharpened several thousand swords at this point, so will provide you with a professional service.
The resulting edge will be “sword sharp” not razor sharp. Our goal is to provide you with a usable edge for cutting practice that will hold up to some use and not require constant re-sharpening. In other words, we intend to provide you with a serviceable weapon, not a personal grooming implement. The service will not provide a completely bevel-less edge. To create that type of edge will necessarily scratch up the blade surface and we lack the machinery and time to provide a full re-polishing of a blade’s surface. A service of that nature would be significantly more expensive as a great deal more time would be required. We do not offer this type of service at this time.
We make no guarantee that the resulting edge will meet with your expectations. Every blade is different and some will take and hold a sharper edge than others, due to the blade material, heat treatment or geometry. Some customers can also have incorrect assumptions about sword sharpness and improper expectations as a result. All we can say for sure is that the resulting edge will be sharper than the default edge, in most cases, significantly so. We can not provide any refunds for the service once it has been completed, so consider it to be provided “as is”. That being said, if you are unhappy with the product for any reason, we do still allow you to return the item for a full refund, including the sharpening costs under our normal return policy. This does not apply to special sharpening requests, for example if we sharpen something specially for you that does not normally list that option on our site. The vast majority of our customers are happy with the results of the service, so as long as you keep the above mentioned in mind, we are confident you will be pleased with the results as well.
Unsharpened edges will be thinner than a “blunt” edge, but will not offer any cutting ability. They will typically taper towards an edge, but then stop short.
The “Culture” spec will denote if the item is associated with a specific group of people, conflict or geographic area. For example, “Viking”, “Crusader”, “Pirate”, “Indian” “WWII”, and so on. Please note that many items will not fall into a specific culture like this and were used by many peoples or across many time periods.
“Country Of Origin” refers to the coutry where the product was manufactured. This is not to be confused with the “Culture” spec. For example, a culturally “Japanese” Sword could be made in India, a culturally “German” sword could be made in the US or a culturally “Indian” sword could be made in China. The historic “culture” associated with a particular sword and the country a reproduction is currently being made in, are two separate things and should not be confused.
As you would imagine, the “Manufacturer” spec refers to the brand or company the item is made by. Not all products will have a manufacturer listed. Some products do not fall under a specific brand.
The “Class” spec can have four possible values:
P.O.B. stands for Point Of Balance, this is measured in inches from the hilt down the blade. It refers to the point on the blade where the sword achieves a perfect balance. A number of 0” would balance exactly at the guard, while a negative number will have a POB in the hilt itself. In theory a sword with a POB of 0” is perfectly balanced. In practice however, there are many reasons why you may not want this for a particular sword. A POB of 3”- 5” usually results in a well balanced sword, but does depend on the type of sword. In general, a low POB results in good point control well suited to a thrusting blade, while a higher POB adds impact to a cleaving blade. A very high POB will result in a sword that feels heavier than it actually is and is difficult to wield.
Please note: Due to the hand made nature of these items, all specs should be considered as approximates. This info is provided to give you a good idea of the product being presented, the one you receive may vary from the specific one we took measurements of.
The Pommel entry refers to how the pommel, and usually by extension the whole sword, is held together. Possible values include “Peened” where the blade tang goes through the pommel and is hammered flat at the end, Threaded” where the end of the tang has threads and the pommel is screwed on, or “Nut” where the tang goes through the pommel and is secured by a separate threaded nut at the end.
“Thickness”, not to be confused with a blade’s “Width” is measured in millimeters on the blade where it first leaves the hilt and will refer to the thickest portion. For example the back edge on a katana or the mid section on a diamond shaped blade. Sometimes you will see two entries here, in that case it is usually because the blade is “distal tapered” meaning that it gets thinner towards the tip. The second measurement is taken approx. 1” from the tip.
Please note: Due to the hand made nature of these items, all specs should be considered as approximates. This info is provided to give you a good idea of the product being presented, the one you receive may vary from the specific one we took measurements of.
On blades, the “Width” is measured in millimeters and is taken where the blade leaves the hilt. A second measurement is provided when a blade widens further down, such as in a leaf shaped blade. The second measurement is taken at the blade’s widest point.
Please note: Due to the hand made nature of these items, all specs should be considered as approximates. This info is provided to give you a good idea of the product being presented, the one you receive may vary from the specific one we took measurements of.
The “Edge” spec will tell you about how sharp a blade is. Possible values could be “Rebated” meaning the edge is intentionally thickened for safety, “Blunt” meaning the edge is fairly thick with little to no taper, ‘Unsharpened” Â Â which would taper to the edge but stop short of having any real cutting ability, “Slightly Sharp, Moderately Sharp , Sharp, or Very Sharp” Sharp or Very Sharp are considered good for cutting swords. Moderately Sharp is close, but may need to be touched up to get the best performance. A common misconception is that swords should all be “razor sharp”. However for reasons we won’t get into here, this is not the case.
Please note: Due to the hand made nature of these items, all specs should be considered as approximates. This info is provided to give you a good idea of the product being presented, the one you receive may vary from the specific one we took measurements of. The Edge ratings in particular are somewhat subjective and each blade can vary. Consider this as a general guideline only.
As you’d imagine, “Overall Length” is the full length of the item in question. It is the length of the main item itself, not including any accessories. For example, this measurement for a sword would be for the sword itself, from the tip of the blade to the end of the pommel. This measurement will not include any scabbards, sheaths, boxes etc.
Please note: Due to the hand made nature of these items, all specs should be considered as approximates. This info is provided to give you a good idea of the product being presented, the one you receive may vary from the specific one we took measurements of.
The “Weight” spec refers to the item itself and does not include any packaging or accessories. For example, it would be the weight of a sword not including a scabbard.
Please note: Due to the hand made nature of these items, all specs should be considered as approximates. This info is provided to give you a good idea of the product being presented, the one you receive may vary from the specific one we took measurements of.
Swords marked as “Battle Ready” are made to a higher standard than your average display weapons. The blades are usually made of carbon steel, as opposed to the more brittle stainless steel and feature longer and stronger tangs.
“Battle Ready” does not necessarily mean the blade is sharpened, this depends on the manufacturer. Some sell them sharp like Cold Steel, some dull like Windlass Steel Crafts, and some do both like Hanwei. So if you need to know if it is sharp or not and it is not mentioned in the description, just ask.
In general “Battle Ready” swords are functional weapons that will live up to actual combat usage. They are closest to historic examples in the fact that when properly sharpened they can cut as designed. However, “Battle Ready” does not mean indestructible. Any sword can be broken. Use common sense with your sword, and it will last for generations. A sword being listed as “Battle Ready” does not constitute a guarantee that it will withstand any abuse you can throw at it. “Battle Ready” swords are not designed for blade to blade type combat, you will want to select “Stage Combat” swords for this activity.
On a sword, knife or dagger, The “Blade Length” spec is measured from the tip of the blade to where the blade enters the hilt, this will include a ricasso portion if present. For katanas, this measurement includes the habaki.
On a spear it is a measurement of the edged portion and does not include the socket. On an axe, it is a measurement of the axe edge itself, in a straight line from point to point.
Please note: Due to the hand made nature of these items, all specs should be considered as approximates. This info is provided to give you a good idea of the product being presented, the one you receive may vary from the specific one we took measurements of.
bandit –
viking helmet I was very impressed with the viking helmet, and would recommend it to others, viking reanactors and they have a medium size and large size
for me I don’t have a big head and large size never fit me but the medium style fit just right.
Rick M. –
BIG Helm! This helm is massive! It’s very well made and affords outstanding protection. It covers most of the face and ears, and the cats-eye ocular piece allows pretty good peripheral vision. This would be a perfect helmet for Viking style battle (shield wall) where fighting is extremely close and blows come in downward from the front.
If the fighting is in open field, this isn’t a helm I’d use. Too heavy to run around in and restricts vision.
All in all though, for viking style melee this is awesome.
Friedrich –
High quality, big helm This is a beautiful helm design. It’s a bit heavier and taller than what I was expecting, though. Also, be careful of the spike on top (keep out of reach of children). Very good quality, nice liner, and GDFB is probably the best brand out there. One of the main reasons I purchased this helm was its bigger size – note the length, width, and circumference. My head is only 23.5″ in circumference but something about its shape requires at least a 26″ circumference helm, so many of them would be too small. Keep in mind that the helm will fit a lot smaller than your expecting due to it having a liner, and due to the shape not matching a particular persons head exactly, so it’s better to go larger IMO (figure at least 1″ larger length and width than that of your head).
Mike –
Pretty decent helmet but a bit bulky. The overall quality and construction is very solid. I got this as a project helmet for display and will be riveting some chain mail to the circumference. I will also be putting a patina finish on the metal. If you will be using this in reenactments or RP, I would note, as another reviewer did, that it sits very high on the head, kind of like a Macedonian helm. It feels a bit wobbly and bulky on my noggin compared to other helmets I own, although everyone’s head is different. I typically am in the 25-27 ” range in terms of fit and the large size is definitely on the upper range of Large, both in terms of internal volume and height. You might want to consider that info when sizing but that’s just my opinion. If it wasn’t for the fact this is for display, I might have returned it for the Medium. Other than that, it is a decent helmet.
Gabe –
Big head, big helmet My re-enactment group did not have a representation of a Gjermudbu… and I got a huge noggin… so the onus was on me to get this one. It fits my huge noggin and looks cool too. Can take a hit (though we don’t aim for the head) and the liner works. I added a little innocuous strip of black foam along the nasal part but the chin strap, when you get it in good, does it’s job and keeps the helmet from a-b axis (nose to back of head) movement thus that nasal does not hit my nose with normal jostling -about. I also added a thin layer of padding between helm and liner just to filter some of that bell-ringing you might get.