Oldenburg Officer Damaged During Shipment
- Thread starter b.loree
- Start date
If you have been following my restoration posts, then you know that I have dealt with one of these situations before. It is amazing how the spike base just cuts through the top of the shell. The spike itself is undamaged and I will be showing the helmet put back together once the work is complete. The shell, as you can see below was mended during manufacture before the fittings were put on. I have seen these "glued seams" behind the wappen several times on officer tschapkas.
Size is 54 cm. The stitch lines in the patches tell us that they were glued on before the sweatband and visors were attached. The name Hecht is printed in ink inside the shell.
Size is 54 cm. The stitch lines in the patches tell us that they were glued on before the sweatband and visors were attached. The name Hecht is printed in ink inside the shell.
Amybellars
Active member
I didn't pack it well so I am to be blamed. Now that it is with Brian, I know miracle can happen
Started work on Amy's helmet:
The broken piece was glued back into place, in order to get it back into correct position. New finish will be applied to fill in all cracks and other areas where finish has flaked off. This will secure the "split" on the top of the shell but I will be adding further support from inside to totally secure things.
A test fit of the spike, just to see what things look like.
There is a bit of a gap obviously between shell and base but this will be fixed once a support disc is put into place. This helmet was one of those which just had 4 small tin washers supporting the spike stars. However, we are going to add a full size original disc and glue in a circular patch underneath. This will support the split crack from below and stabilize it.
Patch is traced out using the support disc. I am debating whether to use this full size patch or whether to thin it out by enlarging the inner circle...perhaps out past the star holes?? We shall see. Very often on these projects I have to take a week or so and just look at the problem and think about it off and on.
The broken piece was glued back into place, in order to get it back into correct position. New finish will be applied to fill in all cracks and other areas where finish has flaked off. This will secure the "split" on the top of the shell but I will be adding further support from inside to totally secure things.
A test fit of the spike, just to see what things look like.
There is a bit of a gap obviously between shell and base but this will be fixed once a support disc is put into place. This helmet was one of those which just had 4 small tin washers supporting the spike stars. However, we are going to add a full size original disc and glue in a circular patch underneath. This will support the split crack from below and stabilize it.
Patch is traced out using the support disc. I am debating whether to use this full size patch or whether to thin it out by enlarging the inner circle...perhaps out past the star holes?? We shall see. Very often on these projects I have to take a week or so and just look at the problem and think about it off and on.
Naprawiacz
Active member
Despite appearances, this was not an easy repair! Now only cosmetic work is left, which after such a hard work you have done is just a pleasure.
Amybellars
Active member
Thank you Brian. I know the helmet is in good hand
Thank you Amy I will do my best as always but I think this project is going to turn out well. Work continued today with gluing in the patch.
The leather patch was dyed to try and get it to blend in. This is a dry fit here with no glue yet. Lining up the holes was unusually difficult because this helmet did not have a tin support disc just small tin washers supporting the stars. A section of patch also had to be cut out to work around the spine screw post. The tin disc also had to have a piece cut out. Leather contact cement was applied to both surfaces and lining things up was a "one shot" deal, fortunately things went well.
Glued in.
The disc was put in and repro screw post stars are used to apply pressure to the patch. You can see some sort of wording on the sweat band has been scribbled out....too bad. So this assembly is going to be left for 24 hours and then I will start adding more finish to the shell where needed.
The outside view.
We still have a couple of spots/cracks that have to be filled in. However, I think things have turned out well in fixing this damage.
Work continued today with gluing in the patch.The leather patch was dyed to try and get it to blend in. This is a dry fit here with no glue yet. Lining up the holes was unusually difficult because this helmet did not have a tin support disc just small tin washers supporting the stars. A section of patch also had to be cut out to work around the spine screw post. The tin disc also had to have a piece cut out. Leather contact cement was applied to both surfaces and lining things up was a "one shot" deal, fortunately things went well.
Glued in.
The disc was put in and repro screw post stars are used to apply pressure to the patch. You can see some sort of wording on the sweat band has been scribbled out....too bad. So this assembly is going to be left for 24 hours and then I will start adding more finish to the shell where needed.
The outside view.We still have a couple of spots/cracks that have to be filled in. However, I think things have turned out well in fixing this damage.
Naprawiacz
Active member
Well done Brian! My heart rejoices seeing these photos.
stuka f
Well-known member
To bad...
Always double boxe (even tripple!) them.
I even reinforce corners (mostly).
Making a parcel is a mission (to me)!
I also buy (cheap!)small empty beauty boxes/travel cases (Mylene type) to send or carry expensive helmets.
Helmets fit well in them and protect them well.
Lucky Brian is there!
Attachments
Pictures of the helmet as it is now after restoration :
Not perfect but much better than it was.
You will notice one star is different, in fact 3 had to be replaced with my repro stars. Gluing in a circular patch on the inside naturally makes the top section thicker so consequently the shanks of the original screw posts were now too short.
Not perfect but much better than it was.
You will notice one star is different, in fact 3 had to be replaced with my repro stars. Gluing in a circular patch on the inside naturally makes the top section thicker so consequently the shanks of the original screw posts were now too short.
