Relic rusting again

[Andrew Reichmann]

Good evening Gents

Very interesting thread this. I bought a bad condition relic a couple of years ago and decided to "wash" it a bit. I also seemed to find traces of light paint which would seem correct as this relic was from Normandy, St Mere Eglise. Here is the silly part, it was so badly rusted that I thought I'd give it a go filling, sanding, hardening and painting the surface. Thing is, months later I can see tiny pin-pricks of what looks like gold coloured metal start forming on the surface of the helmet. I've hear of active rust but I did seal the metal first with rust converter then sealed the crack-plaster also with rust converter which hardened it a lot.

How can the rust still push through and is there anything at all I can do to save the helmet ? I have even secured replica decals to replace the single eagle decal remenants I found as I cleaned the helmet. Any comments or suggestions will be most welcome :-)

[Andrew Reichmann]

Good evening Gents

Very interesting threat this. I bought a bad condition relic a couple of years ago and decided to "wash" it a bit. I also seemed to find traces of light paint which would seem correct as this relic was from Normandy, St Mere Eglise. Here is the silly part, it was so badly rusted that I thought I'd give it a go filling, sanding, hardening and painting the surface. Thing is, months later I can see tiny pin-pricks of what looks like gold coloured metal start forming on the surface of the helmet. I've heard of active rust but I did seal the metal first with rust converter then sealed the crack-plaster also with rust converter which hardened it a lot.

How can the rust still push through and is there anything at all I can do to save the helmet ? I have even secured replica decals to replace the single eagle decal remenants I found as I cleaned the helmet. Any comments or suggestions will be most welcome :-)

[Brett]

With all due respect, why would you have even considered repainting & re-decalling something in this condition?
If kept in a stable environment it could have been a nice original display piece. Unfortunately any history & originality
has now been lost. Just my opinion!

Regards
Brett

[DougB]

Adolf I moved your posts from within the thread in the helmet section and created a new thread in the appropriate section here so you don't hijack the OP's thread.
Feel free to start new threads, in the correct sections, rather than within someone else's thread on a separate topic.
Thanks
Doug

[Jerry B]

I would have to agree with Brett, why did you not leave it as it was, a battered old relic with some history rather than the monstrosity you have created? If you wanted a helmet that looked like new, why not buy one in that sort of condition or at least a post war repainted but sound condition example and paint that rather than ruin a relic example with a ghost of its original decal. It's your helmet and you are free to do to it as you wish, but don't expect many people here to like what you have done IMHO.

[Zeller]

I have to agree with above comments. It was a nice relic lid with decal traces and should have not been molested with invasive "restoration". There are thousands of already badly restored helmets selling for few euros around and this one should have stayed as it was. It could have been mildly restored to slow down the rusting process but that's it. I don't know the correct name for this type of rusting, although I call it "fat and wet". It makes the metal crispy as biscuits and no matter how you intervene, it will eventually keep working. I've read that it can be stopped if you put the helmet in a hoven/fireplace because the chemical process will stop the rusting, but in such case it would have destroyed the decal remains. If it was mine, I would have mildly washed with oxalic acid first, then brush well and finish with a hand of natural bee wax melt in turpentine. Just my opinion.

[Nitram]

Oh dear, that was a very silly move, alas any value that the helmet had is now gone. Filler isn't enough to prevent corrosion, as it is porous usually. You need a layer of primer and paint.

Martin

[James C]

hi adolf ,im sorry to jump on the negativity band wagon but i feel the helmet was perfect just how it originally was ,even after you did the first metal treatment it was still desireable and the decal remenant was still a visible feature ,i speak from experiance with repairing car body panels you will never win against rust it will always return in the end i think this shell was far too gone corrosion wise to make good ,sorry james

[davejb]

Unfortunately all this took place a few years ago so in future you will have learnt to take a step back and rethink any action on a relic helmet, of this sort, especially ones that have remnants of decals , all history and the decal are now totally destroyed making the helmet relatively worthless, historically and monetary, the problem your having with more rust is usually caused by the filler, especially if you use one thats water based, in fact most paste fillers contain water, thats how the majority of them are produced

[Andrew Reichmann]

Good evening Doug

Thank-you very much for your assistance. Apologies for the inconvenience, it's my first posting and an honest mistake. Learning as I go :-) Thank-you for your patience with the 'new guy".

Merry Christmas

Regards

Adolf