So what are we talking...3-4 days in vinegar?
So what are we talking...3-4 days in vinegar?
Looks like a method i need to try. Thanks for showing and good job!
Well, relics are not the most valuable pieces but when you discover paint under the rust, it 's like a treasure when we were young.
15 $ for an incredible feeling, it' s very cheap.
Glenn66 In regards to how long I left it in, It was about 5 days in total.
On day 1, this is when I received the helmet. This is when I bought the lone gallon of vinegar and poured it in to try to see what happened. Also when It was completely submerged in the vinegar for the first time.
On day 2, it was much like the first. I examined the water to make sure that bubbles were still forming from the helmet. IF BUBBLES ARE NOT COMING FROM THE HELMET, TAKE IT OUT IMMEDIATELY, DRY, AND COUNTER ACT THE ACIDITY. As time progressed, the helmet's rust flakes grew smaller, and weaker. The bubbles got way smaller, and it was hard for me to see in darker light. I got a flashlight, looked, and saw that there was a steady stream of tiny bubbles coming from all rims of the helmet, and the occasional "bloop" of a larger bubble. It didn't make that sound, but that's what I presumed it would have sounded like. Lol.
The 2nd through 4th day are basically all the same. The bubbles grew even smaller, but continued at a steady rate. I scrubbed with the brush, and somewhere in between this period, more and more paint came through.
Okay. Skipping to today. I came home at about 1:42, and did the same thing I did last time. Removed the Saran wrap, and started scrubbing. Sat down, did the whole thing. Except this time, I had left it in the vinegar from about 4:00 yesterday, A long time. I lightly scrubbed, to see if the flakes would bombard me again, but instead was presented with the unfortunate sign that I was actually taking the paint off of the helmet, so I stopped. I began my mix, WD40, and water for the relic to be preserved.
I started mixing a TON of baking powder with water, and left that to sit in the water to form a paste for awhile. I grabbed my helmet, stuck it in the bathtub, right from the vinegar, and began rinsing it. Only small pieces came off, similar to when I first started the project with the skirt. I dried that off with my throw away towel, and spread the baking soda mix to stop the vinegar acidity reaction. For more explanatory info about how I did this, DM me. IF YOU ARE REPLICATING THIS, YOU MUST USE BAKING SODA, OR ELSE THE ACIDITY WILL CONTINUE! After spreading the paste, I waited a moment and put my ear into the Helmet. When you do this, you will hear a noise similar to pop rocks, this is the acidity that is eating away through the steel and rust. I washed the paste off with water, and the pop rock sound continued. I dried that off, and placed it outside, where I coated the entire thing with WD-40. I did it once, and came back outside within 10 minutes to dry it off and recoat it. I did this about 5 times total to make sure that no further surface rust or flash rust will occur. I now have it sitting upon my desk where my computer is, in a baseball helmet display case that I got from Micheals.
Studio DéŽcor® Football Helmet Display Case, Black
If you need one, contact me, and I will be able to buy it for you, and ship it to you. Postal charges will be given to me with the money that is used to buy the Display case. This is for those that do not have a Micheal's near them, or cannot find a display case at a reasonable price. Also, I've received another helmet, and have done the same process. The paint percentage is about 5% On it, and about 1% is on the outside. The elements are exposed much more to the outside, than the inside, so that's why the paint in mine looked a lot more vivid than the outside. I'm really starting to think about getting rust off of other people's relics for them if they cannot do it themselves, or do not have the supplies. I could get moments like this all the time, and surprise the customer!
Anyways,
DM me if you need anything other than what is listed here, Questions on how I did things, or whatever it may be.
Remss, Yes. It was an incredible feeling!
I believe that it will always be a treasure to me, because 70+ years in the ground makes you wonder what they went through, what they saw, and how there can be any paint left underneath it. Kind of like a mystery box.
LeonardoL I highly recommend this method, as this worked flawlessly. I haven't seen many tutorials around specifically getting rust off WWII helmets, or WWII relics. Only American ax heads, that are from the 60's and a steel plate that has been surface rusted, not pitted. Pictures will be coming at a later date, whenever I get a nice set up with all relics I order. I think I'll buy myself a Flak shell, panzer shell, or maybe a MG42 Drum magazine that have been dug, to see what effects I can get from those, other than helmets.
About the number that was printed inside, I still do not have an answer for. I can clearly see that it is a 6, and a 8. I assume that this is the size of the helmet. Absolutely no code can be found anywhere inside or outside the helmet. Don't know why. Did they ever make them with the sizes stamped inside, without the code?
There will definitely be more tutorials as to how I got the rust of relics, possibly the ones I listed above, other than helmets. Maybe some day I will get the rust off one, and an SS decal will show. Who knows?
Buy more relics!
Good day.
Kind regards,
Justin
Okay, Guys, comparison time!
Massive banana for scale...
Warm Regards,
Justin
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