M42 Very big mistake.

[navyman]

Hello all,
I suppose we all make mistakes at some point but I've made a big one.
Nearly a year ago I bought an M42 with provenance and for some reason, (I really should have known better), I decided that it would be a good idea to remove the liner and treat the inside of the shell to stop further deteriation by rust. To make matters worse I treated the dried and cracked liner with neatsfoot oil to soften and preserve it. Now I have a real problem as most of the original split pins broke whilst being removed although I've at least kept everything. I have no idea how to re assemble the helmet, particularly the liner, I don't think I should have removed the pins/rivets (?) which held the liner together.
I realise I've committed the ultimate collectors error, and have been too embarrased to confess until now.
Has anyone got any idea as to what I can do to repair the damage as best as possible? No need to tell me off, I've been beating myself up about it for the last 11months!
Pictures 1 - 4 show helmet as was. 5 - 7 show it after my messing about with it.
Any help welcome,
navyman.
PS the pictures don't seem to be in the correct order, I'm confused with the different uploader.

[Schwerpunkt]

Yep you ruined it alright. Too bad as they don't make these anymore. If it makes you feel better as a inexperienced collector I also tried to swap a worn liner for a better one and broke one of the rivet legs. Lesson learned and I never ever tried it again. Manipulating old steel or old leather can cause it to break. Helmets don't need treatment they just need to be left alone.

[navyman]

Hello Schwerpunkt,
Thanks for confirming what I thought I'd done. Perhaps the only thing I can do now is to replace the liner with a repro. The outside of the helmet is untouched by me, and display the original liner alongside with the history and a warning about what not to do?
I've certainly learned a lesson here!
Best regards,
navyman.

[qotd]

Oh No!!!!! mate, I would never have mucked with it.....it was perfect just the way you found it.....the leather is going to be very hard to reatach as it would have shrunk some more after ou removed it and will never sit right again. I suppose all you can do i display it in pices as a reminder to yourslef. If the helmet has survived that long, it aint going to deteriorate much more, especialy as a collector you would have it in a fairly stable enviroment. I love the before pictures, it had character and looked great. the MOST i do to a helmet is give it a wipe, gently and place it in my display case. I do have a relic helmet that I stabilised with fish oil and it has a nice clear laquer finish, whilst still looking like it was when it was dug out of the ground.......it even had really good stamping on the inside of the liner......I am going to cry!!!!

[klinger]

dont add a repro, just try to add the old one as good as possible and let him allwasy remember you to dont do this again to any other helmets

[ObKrieger]

At least it wasn't something like a double decal SS M35!

[qotd]

At least it wasn't something like a double decal SS M35!

I think that would be life imprisonment wouldn't it!!!

[tampalam]

Just leave it as a shell. Anything you do to it from here on will only be further damage.

[DougB]

Yeah I agree. Damage is done, messing with it more will just make it worse. A helmet like this can be found quite easily and I would just sell what you have for what you can get and upgrade to a better helmet and move on.

[henna1]

Hi , iam new to this bu ti would buy a repro inner band with some new rivets and liner, keep your old parts in a bag after treating with a rust treatment as a provenant, on ebay i have used seller czprg , he has lots of good repro stuff, on the inner band ensure the date is visible and paint itr silver to preserve it as i have done, it will posibly cost you 30 pounds for spring liner ally rivets outter rivets inner rivets and chin strap, dont buy a cheap chin strap as they are rubish and thin, email me back if this is any help
Barry
badcad@bdurn.freeserve.co.uk