Pontiac9999
Active member
This is 100% a felt shell. The darkened area on the edge is a burnished dirty edge...that's all. I have seen this before and it can easily be sanded off...with sand paper...
Prussian Artillery Felt
- Thread starter Peter B
- Start date
Peter B
Well-known member
Thanks. Amazing how hard they make the felt. Any hints on the sanding process if I dare to try and do it?
Peter
Yes…we both need to go on the net a see how felt hats are made and shaped. The process has been going on for hundreds of years. These old helmets were produced in much the same way as civilian hats are today and in the past just a different shape and colour. I do know that steam is employed. I have carefully used steam to fix the top of a couple of caved in filz helmets. Retail clothiers also use cold vapour to remove wrinkles from clothes.
pickelhauben
Well-known member
Congratulations on this score !
Peter B
Well-known member
Thank you for that information. I imagine they must use some sort of chemical stiffener as well to make the felt get so hard, or is it just very thick felt that is compressed so much it becomes very hard? Interesting discussion.
Peter
Pontiac9999
Active member
Use some sandpaper with grit between 150 or 200 or so and sand lightly. Use a mild toothbrush to wipe lightly afterwards.
Peter B
Well-known member
Update.
Added one of Brian’s replacement liners (yes I know the purists won’t like this) and got a better wappen without the missing cross and missing small eagle head. If you look at the pictures of the other wappen you will see it is a perfect match.
Does anyone have a set of original grey steel chinstrap fittings they might sell to me?
I also used the the careful sanding trick and removed the black dirt from the edges. (Okay just noticed I missed a bit - will fix).
Thanks for the advice Pontiac9999!
Peter
Added one of Brian’s replacement liners (yes I know the purists won’t like this) and got a better wappen without the missing cross and missing small eagle head. If you look at the pictures of the other wappen you will see it is a perfect match.
Does anyone have a set of original grey steel chinstrap fittings they might sell to me?
I also used the the careful sanding trick and removed the black dirt from the edges. (Okay just noticed I missed a bit - will fix).
Thanks for the advice Pontiac9999!
Peter
Attachments
Last edited:
Peter B
Well-known member
Thanks Brian I’ll keep that in mind.
prussianmarshal
New member
Nice Pickelhaube.
Kaikun2001
Active member
k bandow
Well-known member
Drool!!!
Kaikun2001
Active member
Thank you PeterVery nice helmet.
Kaikun2001
Active member
Superb shape.
USMC-EOD
Active member
Hello Peter,
Just found this thread, but I agree; you did good work on your helmet.
It gave me a chuckle reading this.
My first ersatz felt was an identical Prussian artillery like yours, and I was convinced that there was no way that felt could be that ridgid.
There HAD to be SOMETHING under it!
But, I figured out that they actually could make felt really rigid in the end.
Nice helmet, and great job!
Bryan.
Just found this thread, but I agree; you did good work on your helmet.
It gave me a chuckle reading this.
My first ersatz felt was an identical Prussian artillery like yours, and I was convinced that there was no way that felt could be that ridgid.
There HAD to be SOMETHING under it!
But, I figured out that they actually could make felt really rigid in the end.
Nice helmet, and great job!
Bryan.