DoneDoing
Member
I'd like to thank all that have written here on how to conserve haubes as it made my job that little bit easier after buying my first Pickelhaube.
I hadn't seen one in the flesh previously to taking delivery of this on Wednesday of this week, although I'd wanted one for a long time (they just don't show up here in Australia).
Thought I'd show & write here what I did with before and after shots and a few words to the previous owner from a recent message.
Regards Wayne
Well I got to it and did what I've wanted to do for a long time with one of these. Most may not approve but I only had to do this once and in time the patina will return. It's in my blood to restore and conserve and it's my profession as well. Besides in my opinion these were meant to be 'the-bling' of the time.....I wouldn't dare do it to my steel helmets albeit I have done it to one of my WW1 camos with surface rust.
They're such a delight to work with!
It was always a good helmet to start with.
Some of the completed works:
- The hard helmet needed in some spots filling, sanding and realigning & ultimately polished but not over & above.
-The spike base was slightly bent as were the spilt pins & the 'inner plate' refitted to the inside.
-The spine was slightly dented & out of shape along with an unattached pin that had to be re-soldered.
-The wappen was moulded (re-bent) to the helmet.
-The brass trim on the front peak was realigned.
-The liner was re-moulded & touched up black near the ear cutouts.
-The inner peak was re-coloured after the removal of tape that had been used to keep the brass trim in place..
-Original Kokardes & chinstrap fitted.
-All brassware polished.
-Still to do: A couple of washers & a leather tie (reproduction used at the moment).
Completed in 3 days, off & on and late into the night.
Thanks for looking.
I hadn't seen one in the flesh previously to taking delivery of this on Wednesday of this week, although I'd wanted one for a long time (they just don't show up here in Australia).
Thought I'd show & write here what I did with before and after shots and a few words to the previous owner from a recent message.
Regards Wayne
Well I got to it and did what I've wanted to do for a long time with one of these. Most may not approve but I only had to do this once and in time the patina will return. It's in my blood to restore and conserve and it's my profession as well. Besides in my opinion these were meant to be 'the-bling' of the time.....I wouldn't dare do it to my steel helmets albeit I have done it to one of my WW1 camos with surface rust.
They're such a delight to work with!
It was always a good helmet to start with.
Some of the completed works:
- The hard helmet needed in some spots filling, sanding and realigning & ultimately polished but not over & above.
-The spike base was slightly bent as were the spilt pins & the 'inner plate' refitted to the inside.
-The spine was slightly dented & out of shape along with an unattached pin that had to be re-soldered.
-The wappen was moulded (re-bent) to the helmet.
-The brass trim on the front peak was realigned.
-The liner was re-moulded & touched up black near the ear cutouts.
-The inner peak was re-coloured after the removal of tape that had been used to keep the brass trim in place..
-Original Kokardes & chinstrap fitted.
-All brassware polished.
-Still to do: A couple of washers & a leather tie (reproduction used at the moment).
Completed in 3 days, off & on and late into the night.
Thanks for looking.