Tips on Cleaning Residue from Pickelhaube Shell?

[HatEnjoyer]

Hello everyone! Lately I’ve been getting more free time to work on my pickelhaube restoration project, but I’m a bit stumped on how to go about the next step.

As you can see in the photos below, the shell and a few of the metal parts of my pickelhaube retain traces of red residue from some sort product that was applied by a previous owner. I’d love to clean it up if possible, but I’m not sure what I should use to do so.

I’ve seen a post in this restoration section recommending a little bit of window cleaner for removing grime and dust from pickelhaube shells, but I haven’t seen any posts where this method was used to remove staining (I doubt this would work anyways). Any input would be appreciated!

 

[Naprawiacz]

Here I see a big problem with the pickelhaube skin. Repaired with car putty,glue compound?.I would start by removing this repair and doing a proper one.

 

[HatEnjoyer]

Repaired with car putty,glue compound?

I was wondering what that was, but I didn’t give it too much thought. How would you undo that repair?

 

[Naprawiacz]

See from the inside if the skin at the repair site is good.

 

[HatEnjoyer]

Here is the inside. It appears that the previous owner tried to repair a small dent or bare area with this stuff?

 

[Naprawiacz]

Maybe it is a mounting foam for doors and windows? The mounting sheet is also repainted.It's hard for me to say what it is without having the item in hand.Try cleaning it chemically,with extraction gasoline,acetone,mounting foam cleaner ,3V3 etc.Maybe it will clean something.

 

[HatEnjoyer]

Do you reckon some light grit sandpaper or steel wool could reveal what it is?

 

[Bobted]

You have nothing to lose have at it! Rob

 

[HatEnjoyer]

Here’s an update for ya’ll!

After taking off the my haube’s wappen, I figured out what the mystery repair was: the previous owner had slathered silicon onto the shell and painted it black. Since it was silicon I simply used a razor blade and a small flat head screwdriver to carefully cut and peel off the “repair”. Here’s what I found under the silicon…

As you can see, the finish on the area once covered by the silicon repair is cracked, dry, and in need of a refinishing. So if anyone has any instructions on how to make and apply new shellack, please tell me so that I can make a proper repair! I also managed to clean the red residue from my pickelhaube shell with some all natural saddle soap that was recommended to me by a friend. Now all I need to do is find a way to clean the red residue from the metal components, figure out what to do with the rotted liner, and find some kokarden and a chin strap.

 

[b.loree]

There is a formula for the original shellac finish in our restoration section. Sandy tracked this down for us a few years ago.

 

[HatEnjoyer]

There is a formula for the original shellac finish in our restoration section. Sandy tracked this down for us a few years ago.

Alright thank you, I’ll start looking for it!

 

[Sandmann]

Alright thank you, I’ll start looking for it!

You will find 3 original lacquer recipes of the 19th century on my website:

Original recipes of Pickelhaube lacquers

historien-kabinett.de

 

[HatEnjoyer]

Thanks Sandy!