"silvered" Dome Head split Pins/Rivets

seagull

seagull

Well-known member
I have a quantity of three differing sizes of "silvered" dome headed split pins, or rivets if you prefer, which I have had for just over forty years, and which are probably nearer to one hundred years old as I know their provenance. The story is too long to go into here but I have run them past Brian and he thought you all might be interested, so here they are. I make no claims for them being made for helmets, they actually came from a long defunct Saddlers shop and might have been used for any job that came his way, but they did seem to me to have potential as spike retaining pins for some helmets.
Please note that the shanks of the pins are made in round section, with a slot down the middle, THEY ARE NOT THE FLAT 'TABS' THAT WE USUALLY SEE AND THEY ARE VERY STRONG - SO THEY TAKE QUITE SOME STRENGTH TO BEND THEM. Note also that, being cellar stored for a VERY long time, they are a real mixture, some being pretty rusty overall and others being externally fine but with rust on the inside of the domes.
I am not advocating using fake parts on restorations and will leave it to you to decide if they are suitable or not - if you want to know more, sizes etc, I will post those details if enough people are interested: if the concensus is that I should forget it, then I will happily do so and dispose of them on Fleabay or whatever. Please judge by the picture below and don't hold back on the comments!
(As if you would!)
Cheers all,
Steve
DSCF9120.JPG
 
Hi Steve,

Yes, I've seen these types of split pins/rivets used on leather goods, specifically for use with horse equipment over the years of my being interested in collecting antique horse farming equipment since I was a young boy. (straps, harness equipment, etc.)

I personally don't think they would work very well on a pickelhaube spike base because as you've mentioned, the prongs are incredibly strong and hard to bend. The prongs/pins are meant to be bent over once, probably with a hammer and some other type of riveting tool. A process not done with bare hands as we would do with a regular domed head split pin for a pickelhaube. They're actually made to be used for connecting two pieces of leather together, such as you'd see on horse harness equipment.

I hate to say this, but I feel it's wishful thinking to believe that someone would want to use or could use them on a spike helmet spike base. Sorry.

Best Wishes,

Alan
 
Thanks Alan, having had them in my cellar for half a lifetime I wasn't sure if they could be used or not, and it's a shame they can't as the domes themselves have genuine patina - pity the prongs are so robust.
I'll hunt round for a leatherworker and pass them on.
Cheers,
Steve
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top