Handling a stiff and dry M1 helmet liner chinstrap

[Abomb]

 

I had a mid-war helmet on which I wanted to add a liner chinstrap. The metal strap ends were still in the helmet and were green.  So, I wanted a green buckle strap as a replacement.

   I snagged a ratty M1 liner from the Texas National Guard with the strap I needed. The problem was

that it was on  there tighter than a jumpsuit on Elvis. The Texas heat had also made the leather stiff as cardboard.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Before attempting to remove the chin strap I applied leather conditioner to the strap surface and let it sit. The leather still seemed stiff so Pecard’s leather dressing was applied and let sit for some hours.  Next, I lifted the center buckle very slowly using a thinned popsicle stick. Underneath, a crack in the leather surface appeared but seemed no deeper. I could then loosen the strap but only a bit.  Using a tiny screwdriver for eyeglasses I pried the end fittings off the studs inside the helmet liner and  was able to remove the strap. The center buckle was pushed back down in the original spot. The leather was still stiff. This chin strap will be forever as it is with no change possible.

                    

 

         

At this point the chinstrap was off and intact, but;

       Leather conditioner had little or no effect on improving flexibility.

       The old leather had darkened where it had contacted the conditioner.

       The center buckle had lost its patina due to contact with the leather product.

        So, leather conditioners are a bad idea on old leather, as others have said.

       It was ineffective and changed the color.

       I concluded that if you want a flexible leather item you must buy one in that condition.

I still wanted to use it on the helmet I had so I made adapters that could secure the chinstrap

without stressing the leather. I used a rubber strap, brass brads and a hole punch for this job.

 

I cut out one inch pieces and punched two holes of the smallest size into each end. A brad was pushed into one hole and the adapters placed on the chin strap ends.

 

 

It was just a matter of pushing the pierced rubber strips over the studs inside the helmet

to secure the strap without stress. Overall, I was satisfied to have made use of an unusable chin strap.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

[CavalryCombatant]

Very interesting, I would’ve called that chinstrap a goner.  Did you have enough slack in the liner chinstrap to take the hook off the stud properly (I.e. pulling it past and off) or when you used the screwdriver did you get it off by pivoting it enough to get loose?  How much force was required? 
 

I’ve often struggled to get perfectly good, supple liner chinstraps off of liners due to the force required.  I’ve always wondered if there’s a better way to do it.  
 

CC

[Abomb]

To remove the liner chinstrap from the donor  helmet liner I used an eyeglass repair or jeweler's screwdriver.

The flat blade is  1/16" wide .  It will fit between the inside liner stud and the

circular part of the clip on the chinstrap end.  I just pushed it in and levered 

the clip away from the stud. If the strap is tight the liner body can be squeezed to allow a little movement.

Very little actual force was needed. The clip moved off the stud quite easily.

Photos to demonstrate :  

        

                       

 

[conn]

pretty good ingenuity