Restoration of a 2nd Empire Shako

[meme32]

Dear fellow members;

Nothing to do with spiked helmets, but I'm sharing photos of a 2nd Empire shako troupe.
It's a lovely piece that I'm very happy to have in my collection, but I'm annoyed because the leather visor is drying out and rising to the top.
It's getting to the point where the corner of the visor has torn.
If you have any advice or method of gently straightening the visor to prevent this, I would be very grateful.

Many thanks

 

[pickelhauben]

Bend it the other direction and put a rubber band on it.
Moniter the rubber band and take it off when satisfied.
The rubber band will continue to bend in the other direction pull it off when it has done it's job.

 

[ccj]

Nice shako. Ive not had an opportunity to see one in person.

 

[Naprawiacz]

There are several methods for repairing this visor, but the main reason for the deformation of the visor is the lack of animal glue in the structure of the leather, which has degraded over time.Rabbit glue was used as a base for shellac in leather helmets in that era. It is enough to dissolve shellac from pickelhaube in spirit and lubricate the visor with such a diluted solution after straightening it.For straightening I use templates with squeezers.Before straightening I soak the canopy in a solution of water and vinegar in the ratio of 10 parts water and one part spirit vinegar.This cracked visor can also be repaired and without any problem.Just use ground leather and combine vikol glue with paper glue and vine black. I know that it is easy for me to write,because I have done hundreds of such repairs and for me it is easy because I have everything in my head,but for an inexperienced restorer it can be a problem. The inner lining is also repairable.If you have a problem I can help

 

[Naprawiacz]

2

 

[meme32]

Hello Naprawiacz,

Thanks for your detailled reply, indeed it does not look so easy at all !
It looks quite a professional way of doing things...not sure I will take the risk to do it ...

 

[meme32]

Beautiful results !

 

[Naprawiacz]

Hello Naprawiacz,

Thanks for your detailled reply, indeed it does not look so easy at all !
It looks quite a professional way of doing things...not sure I will take the risk to do it ...

If you are not able to do this repair then I can help.Provided that you live in Europe, because shipping to North America takes months and there is also the duty that you have to pay.I can do the work in the spring, because I need good light and UV rays.Do not ask me about the cost of the repair, because I do such things for fun.If you are interested then get back to me in April or May.
Wojtek

 

[meme32]

Hi Wojtek

Many thanks for your offer ! I really appreciate it.
That is very nice from you...sure I will get back to you in April or May !
That's great to know that we have a chance to gently save that mid 1860's Shako !
I will owe you a favor

 

[marty]

Hello meme32,

thanks for this exceptional topic, perhaps you can help with the following.

The shako here below (red interior, no chinstrap,..) belonged to my deceased father (+2003).
It's a nice french shako, unfortunately with the frontvisor a bit fallen out, but still original fixed to the interior border (bord intérieur)
I have no idea why my father bought the item at the time and have no relevant information either.
I can’t trace a similar shako (17reg?history?) with same plume on the internet, suppose it’s a Second Empire
but is shako+plume the correct configuration?

Many thanks in advance for yr help.

 

[meme32]

Hi Marty

Indeed it is the right configuration and you do have a nice 2nd Empire Shako of the 17th Infantry regiment.
This is a nice item in its full original configuration.

Kind regards

 

[marty]

Hello Meme32,

Finally a belated ‘thank you’ for yr reponse.

Our support and help to our family and renovations issues (which takes us ‘time and nerves’) mainly delayed my forum interests.

However I paid visit to the ‘Guerre et Paix Museum at Novion-Porcien which has a simular Tschako (R.I. 87 – see picture) in display and a full green plume op top. Remarkable, as I found now on the R.I. 17 still some green trashes, but faded away or bleached out during the time.

https://www.guerreetpaix.fr/

Kind regards

Martin