Oiling Your Helmets & Other Helmet Preservation Misconceptions

[Bugme]

Looking at the glossy look in the photos it was either oil or shellac. Either way, doing anymore would be a bad idea. My suggestion is still leave it alone. Your climate controlled home is the simplest and best thing for it.

[everforward]

Looking at the glossy look in the photos it was either oil or shellac. Either way, doing anymore would be a bad idea. My suggestion is still leave it alone. Your climate controlled home is the simplest and best thing for it.

I appreciate your viewpoint, but the perception of the shell having a glossy exterior is more of a byproduct of the photography for when viewing in person it doesnt come off that way. But yes there is evidence of something that was sprayed and ran down the sides in drips. Thanks for the comments.

[Unicorn]

Would an application or two of wax be a bad thing? Johnson's Paste Wax, Renaissance wax, a good quality auto wax (the more pure waxes, not the stuff with silicone and abrasives).

[Bugme]

47 minutes ago, Unicorn said:

Would an application or two of wax be a bad thing? Johnson's Paste Wax, Renaissance wax, a good quality auto wax (the more pure waxes, not the stuff with silicone and abrasives).

Short answer: No

Long answer: Nooooooooo

 

Seriously, all of these car waxes are petroleum based. Great for automotive finishes, but death to aged flat cork and sawdust finishes. 

 

The broken record on this is: "Doing less is best, doing nothing is even better." These helmets have lasted for upwards of a century without our help. They will last another 100 years if we leave them alone.

[ispy]

I bought a German Camo sometime ago and then received images of what it looked like sometime prior to me buying it......hideous, if anything it's done more damage by oiling it both inside and out.

 

 

[sgtdorango]

Nothing worse than an oiled helmet and liner

[manayunkman]

Was never a fan of this preservation choice.

 

It has dramatically changed that authentic look.

 

This technique was very popular back in the 80s and 90s.

[Apache-8]

Would using a leather protecter like mink oil be okay for trying to preserve the leather headband of an m1 if it’s starting to get rather stiff and crusty? Or is it just better to stick with the general theme of this post and leave it alone?

[jmd62]

Personally I would leave it alone. I've done a lot of digging and have yet to find any "experts" that would suggest treating old leather. Oils and such apparently accelerate the breaking down of the leather. There is a product called Klucel G that works well for leather consolidation of dry powdering leather or leather with red rot. That's sort of when the leather is at the end of the line.

[MP25]

I gently wash my liners on the exterior using dish liquid using my hand.  I'm very carful to keep the interior dry.  This will remove

exterior dirt and grime.  I them wipe the interior with a damp cloth.  After I have dried the exterior with a soft cloth I then apply

a coat of Johnson's paste Wax. I would NEVER put any kind of oil or petroleum product on my liners or shells.  

[Bugme]

14 hours ago, MP25 said:

...After I have dried the exterior with a soft cloth I then apply a coat of Johnson's paste Wax...

 

I know you collect MP so, I'm assuming you do this on like parade helmets and liners which already have a shiny painted or chrome surface. Because if not, this would be the absolute worst thing to do on a combat helmet.

[MP25]

Yes, I talking about my Military Police liners.  

[Bluehawk]

Bugme,

What physical material(s) are liners actually manufactured with?

Plastic?

Cardboard?

Fiberglas?
Phenolic?
 

[The Rooster]

I Take my helmets and put them on shelves. Some of them upside down. The really good one which I have

is kept in a box. I don't clean oil or do anything to them. I don't dust them. I don't pick them up. I just look at em and leave em alone.

I don't put anything on the leather sweat bands in the liners.

I don't clean the liners.  I don't dust them out.

I do leave em like I got em.

I made the mistake of cleaning a helmet exactly one time and never again.

[dmar836]

Excellent methods that are difficult to argue with. Some people just have to do something.

From my limited reading museum curators have found nothing for leather that doesn't do long term damage - they all say add NOTHING. I assume this for the painted metal items as well.

You will always read snake oil salesmen saying museums use their products but I have yet to hear that from the museums. It's sales. Don't fall for it.

[Bugme]

On 9/12/2021 at 10:16 AM, Bluehawk said:

Bugme,

What physical material(s) are liners actually manufactured with?

Plastic?

Cardboard?

Fiberglas?
Phenolic?
 

High and low pressure liners were made of resins and a fiberglass matt type material.

 

Hawley and General Fiber were made of a type of cardboard and fabric similar to what was used in the manufacture of pith helmets

[vulcan65]

I try to revive this discussion, asking everyone for information about the conservation of helmets in composite material or Kevlar, how do you behave? for the leather parts is it appropriate to use any nivea type nourishing cream?

[aef1917]

Do not ever put anything on leather. 

[Bugme]

On 3/15/2022 at 4:59 AM, vulcan65 said:

...for the leather parts is it appropriate to use any nivea type nourishing cream?

 

Nivea??? 😳 

Let me reiterate what aef1917 said: Do Not EVER put ANYTHING anything on leather.

[vulcan65]

ok ok ,for the skin, but instead for the shell, is there any precaution to take to prevent it from being damaged with the passage of time?

[Thor996]

1 hour ago, vulcan65 said:

ok ok ,for the skin, but instead for the shell, is there any precaution to take to prevent it from being damaged with the passage of time?

 

I wouldn't put anything on a helmet or parts. Especially on leather. But it's yours do what you want. Ample warning was provided to you by those who know a lot.

[vulcan65]

@Thor996, Thank you but your answer does not mean anything, of course I can do as I want, but I asked for advice, and they kindly helped me only on the leather parts, for the rest I did not have any advice ... much less from you, anyway thanks. 

[manayunkman]

1 hour ago, vulcan65 said:

@Thor996, Thank you but your answer does not mean anything, of course I can do as I want, but I asked for advice, and they kindly helped me only on the leather parts, for the rest I did not have any advice ... much less from you, anyway thanks. 

Don’t mess with your helmet.

 

I would never want an oiled helmet in my collection.

 

In my opinion they are ugly.

 

Many other collectors think the same way.

 

So don’t make your helmet hard to sell.

[Thor996]

1 hour ago, vulcan65 said:

@Thor996, Thank you but your answer does not mean anything, of course I can do as I want, but I asked for advice, and they kindly helped me only on the leather parts, for the rest I did not have any advice ... much less from you, anyway thanks. 

 my advice is

I really don't care how you decide to ruin or potentially ruin your helmets or anything for that matter and I really don't care if you like what I have to say or not. But you will not prevent me from commenting. Oil up to your hearts content. See how you can't sell them later and do whatever damage you deem right and good for you.

 

Have a great day.

 

[The Rooster]

I try to revive this discussion, asking everyone for information about the conservation of helmets in composite material or Kevlar, how do you behave? for the leather parts is it appropriate to use any nivea type nourishing cream?

 

I think the "Kevlar" Composite helmets will be around 2000 years from now

when steel helmets have turned to rusty powder.

The advice given is sound. Dont do anything to your helmet.

Just keep it dry and out of the sun.