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Proper method to preserve and/or restore a helmet liner and chin strap
I have a question about the proper method to preserve or restore the helmet liner, especially the 'pillows', and chin strap of a German WW1 M16 helmet (chin strap has fragmented) and a pre or WW2 Finnish Austrian M17 helmet liner and leather Finnish chin strap.
Thanks,
dastier
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09-05-2012 12:32 AM
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Re: Proper method to preserve and/or restore a helmet liner and chin strap
The best thing you can do is nothing. I dont really know of any way to protect the leather, but messing around with it can certainly hurt it. So I would just leave it alone.
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Re: Proper method to preserve and/or restore a helmet liner and chin strap
Yes, leave it. Time takes its toll on leather, just a fact of life. Best thing to do is keep it in a stable, neutral temperature environment out of direct sunlight. Collectors prefer nothing be done rather than do some thing that makes it look unnatural.
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Don't try to restore it... Leave it as found, and do not under any circumstances put it under any major stress
E.g. putting it on a "helmet stand" in the shape of a head etc., that put a substantial amount of pressure on the old leather.
When that has been said, I use leather oil to re-condition leather. It works wonders on old brittle leather.
Keep it out of sunlight, and the room must not be to humid or to dry. Temperatures are best kept at a constant neutral level.
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For the most part the advice given at the following link is the best way to go:
Preservation & Cleaning of Antique Headgear
There is almost nothing that can be done to help restore or soften leather. The only product used by conservators regularly on leather is cellugel.
Cellugel | University Products
This only gets rid of red rot.
I would not recommend any use of things like Pecard, Lexol, Saddle soap, Neats foot oil etc.
As for a helmet ling make sure it is supported or tearing will get worse (See page 4 of Display in the first link.
For a broken or cracking chinstrap if you want to display I have seen the use of acid free paper form being uses and then lightly attached to the strap on the back side and --never glued. It wont be 1000% indivisible.
Take a look at Tony Schnurr's website in the first link.
Joe Sweeney
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