Having problems

[Sirjames1]

I started restoring this helmet and all was going well until I took off the front visor metal to restitch the visors back on. I rehydrated both visors and the shell. Blocked the shell and left to dry. The front visor shrunk, and a pinch formed where there was a break in the metal rim. The shell got lumpy. The rear visor is fine and still pliable. The front visor has dried hard as a rock. I rehydrated the whole helmet again and reblocked. There are some areas on the shell the don’t seem to want to rehydrate. The finish is a lost cause and I we need to completely redo. Should I remove the old finish and try to reshape again? It seems the areas the don’t have any shellack expand more than the areas that do. The photos are before I started. Looks worse now. I’ll get photos after it drys.

 

[b.loree]

First, I would not have hydrated the front visor, from your photo it looks fine and just needed restitching. As far as actual dents in the leather shell, I have had no luck fixing them. You also have to be very careful with hydration, you have to keep close watch on how things are progressing. If you leave the helmet in too long, the finish will blister and flake off and mold will appear. I only hydrate collapsed shells and deformed visors. I have tried to wet dents in the shell and then push them out. However, you are left with the problem of keeping the dent pushed out until it dries. Pressure has to be kept on the area. I have used elastics for this but again to satisfactory results.

 

[Steve Nick]

...I have tried to wet dents in the shell and then push them out. However, you are left with the problem of keeping the dent pushed out until it dries. Pressure has to be kept on the area. I have used elastics for this but again to satisfactory results.

Brian:

Maybe I just got lucky with the first restoration I did, but I had good success removing shell dents by creating forming blocks from medium density rubberized foam that is somewhat rigid but also has some compression ability.

Using double backed adhesive tape to secure the block to the styrofoam head in a position where it would push the dent out while still compressing somewhat and then seating the helmet on the head seemed to work pretty well.

 

[b.loree]

Thanks Steve, I will buy some “rubberized foam” and give it a try. One further comment.. if you wet a dent, it will leave a stain on the inside of the shell. I have even used distilled water to stop this but again no success.

 

[pickelhauben]

Thanks Steve, I will buy some “rubberized foam” and give it a try. One further comment.. if you wet a dent, it will leave a stain on the inside of the shell. I have even used distilled water to stop this but again no success.

Yes indeed.
I hand a mint Baden M-15 with a nice creamy colored interior shell that had a walnut sized dent in it.
I figured no harm in wetting the area with a little water and push the dent out.
The area turned black !!!!
I should have left it alone.