Fixin Yer Leather Hat

b.loree

b.loree

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In order to fix collapsed leather shells you have to rehydrate the leather ie put moisture back into the leather to soften it. Once this is done, one has to block the shell top back into its original place then let it dry. There are 2 ways to hydrate. First method: Wet a cloth with water, turn your haube upside down and pull the liner up out of the shell so you do not get it wet. Place the wet cloth into the top of the shell and allow it to sit for an hour. It may take more than an hour to soften up the leather on some helmets. Check frequently as you do not want to add too much moisture. Too "wet" can lead to finish flaking off. The leather is ready when you can push it back into place easily with your fingers. The second method of hydration is more suited to putting moisture into an entire helmet. For example an OR's helme that has sides collapsed so that it looks like a deflated football. Place a plastic grocery bag into the shell to protect the liner and fold the sides of the bag out over the sides of the shell. Put a ball of wet newspaper into the bag. Place helmet into a larger plastic bag and seal it up so moisture can not escape. The water in the news paper evapourates into the air within the larger bag. The helmet is then hydrated and soft enough to block back into proper original shape. After one day of hydration check the helme for softness. You MUST keep checking daily because if the shell gets too wet the finish will flake off. You can also ruin the liner. This method demands CARE and CAUTION! I KNOW CAUSE I SCRWED UP THE FINISH ON AN OFFICER SHELL RECENTLY AND GOT INTO A WORLD OF HURT!!

BLOCKING: Place a plastic grocery bag over a strofoam headform. This is done so the styrofoam will not stick to the liner. Pull the helme down until the collapsed top is pushed back into position. I use quilters "T" shaped pins to pin an officer shell to the head. Scales are off so I can access the 2 side holes in the officer shell. For an OR helme you can tie elastic around the M91 side posts placing it around the base of the head form. This exerts enough pressure to keep the top in position. Allow to dry for 2 daysat least and it will be blocked into proper shape.
You can use this head form method to block a helme whose sides have collapsed as well.
Most leather helme parts can be put back into shape by hydrating and then blocking. For example, repro OR's chin straps. We all know how crappy they look where the strap bulges out around the M91 post fittings. Solution: Wet the strap with water pull it tight around the back of the skull on your plastic covered head form. Pin it to the form using the holes in the end fittings. Allow to dry for a couple of days. The strap will now be tight to the end fittings and have a nice curved shape that fits well against the shell of your helmet.
 
I have a Guarde helmet that is also suffering from some shell collapse as well as finish flaking :( . Can anyone recommend a restorer in the U.S. that does good work? I'm tempted to do the rehydrate and block process myself, but I'd like to keep other options open. I would certainly appreciate any recommendations.
Cheers,
Joe
 
Feel free to contact me (private message) at any time. Most of the work I do is for US collectors.
 
I think it is an effort by Brian [who is the best around] to lure US customers into a sense of relaxation before he leads a Canadian strike south of the border. Tricky one he is! :guns:
 
Hmmm.....take over Fla and CA we are already thick on the ground there with our seniors forces....MN too cold and besides Paul LeB lives there He's always packin and is a jet jockey. I also know James has an MG. No go on Idaho either we would have difficulty in disarming Gus besides, he is such a character! Ariz?? Joey would probably be in command there and I know he has combat experience. So over all no strike from north of the 49th. Besides, we have not yet broken the trillion dollar mark in national debt....pretty expensive to take you guys on board.
 
b.loree said:
. Besides, we have not yet broken the trillion dollar mark in national debt....pretty expensive to take you guys on board.
Click to expand...
No problem on that, All you have to do is devalue the US greenback and replace it with that pretty Canadien stuff.
By the way, Arizona is already occupied by a large force of Canadians, I suspect that it will be the first state to fall to the invasion from the Great White North
 
Brian,

How about some advice for restitching projects? What thread do you use for instance? Needle type? Any other hints for self repair?

Thanks,
Chip
 
I have taken a couple of my Pickels with loose neckguards and/or visors to the shoe repair guy in my neighborhood. He does a great job and only charges me between $15 and $20.
 
Hopefully he does them by hand??? Any modern machine re stitch will chip the finish along the stitch line. He will also not be using 100% cotton thread. Consequently, they are going to "light up" under black light.
 
b.loree, do you have any advice on repairing when the finish on the leather has cracked and flaked away in small sections? Photo is attached of my latest purchase, with some flaking.

Do you just brush on black shoe polish and then buff to a gloss? I'm worried this will look very modern and fake compared to the patina of the surrounding original finish...

I also think this would leave visible edges of the flaking, even though the black shoepolish would cover the tan colour of the leather which is currently showing.

Any advice is welcome!

Thanks, Bungo
 
There is no modern off the shelf thread that matches. I buy vintage cotton thread off ebay. You can also buy linen thread used in book binding. Both of these do not light up under black light as they are totally natural like the originals.
 
My apologies Bungo. I don't believe I answered your post. I do not recommend using black boot polish on any missing finish sections like the one you have shown.. You can use multiple coats of this polish to fill in crazing but not missing patches. Filling in with boot polish on flaked off finish areas does not last and does not look natural. Eventually the polish itself flakes off...been there done that!
 
Like this 35/3 gauge linen?
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b.loree said:
There is no modern off the shelf thread that matches. I buy vintage cotton thread off ebay. You can also buy linen thread used in book binding. Both of these do not light up under black light as they are totally natural like the originals.
Click to expand...
 
Yes, that's the linen all right. Don't forget to run it through a cake of bees wax before stitching. You might also have to dye it black or see if you can buy black thread. Good luck.
 
What needle type is best suited for repairing a neck guard/visor?

Would a #18 bookbinding needle be in the ballpark?

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You can use any ordinary sewing needle. However, I like fine glover's needles which are very sharp and have a triangular blade. You do not want a thick needle but you do have to have one which will take your thread through the "eye". BTW measure out about 40" of thread to do one visor, you do not want to run out of thread 3/4s finished. A I said, wax your thread frequently as you stitch.
 
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