Wednesday, 27 January 2016

Important Ideas On Repairing Hand Painted Fire Helmet Shields

By Janet Snyder


The purpose of helmet is to protect the head from falling objects, fire, and cinders. The head is an important part of the human body that is exposed to danger during the firefighting process. A look at helmets that are manufactured currently, some similarities can be traced to the traditional ones. For example, shape is a feature that has been retained for decades. Some differences in material and quality can be identified. Traditional ones relied on leather, while nowadays it is easy to find those constructed from metals such as aluminum, brass, and nickel. In addition, those made of plastic structures and polymers are available. The procedure for renovating hand painted fire helmet shields is simple and clear.

Make a point of conducting the repair without necessarily contracting a service provided. The popular helmet that is remembered until today is the brass and beaver type. An anonymous sculptor who was honoring a firefighter who had died on the line of duty designed this protective headgear. The structures were later on adopted and manufactured in bulk. To master the refurbishing process requires keen eye for detail, willingness to learn, and practice. Before starting the repair, examine the extent of damages.

The supplies should be purchased only when the extent of damage is clear. Both exterior and interior surfaces should be rigorously examined. The inner part must be in a good condition. The lining may have tears, or worn spots. Broken, missing, and cracked parts are always found on protective headgears that are made from metals. Earflaps that are damaged require installation of new ones. Holes, cracks, and broken parts can be covered by furnace cement.

Important supplies and tools required during the renovation process are pliers, boiled linseed oil, knives, and sandpaper. Hardware and shield must be taken off before renovation process commences. The materials can be separately kept in different boxes and cared for effectively. These items do not require to be painted but they can be shined by first cleaning and finally polishing. Shield or hardware that has broken requires to be replaced by a durable and stable one.

Leather made helmet can be sanded by use of a grit sandpaper to eliminate old paint. Those that have stunning filigree must be handled with care to avoid sanding it off. Such areas require a slow scuffing motion. It is important to note that the leather is coated with linseed oil that is boiled. Therefore, during the paint removal some bit of oil should be added.

The material used to fix gaps, holes, and cracks is known as furnace cement.in addition, the cement retains its natural properties even when exposed to high temperature. Ensure all old cement is replaced with fresh one.

The firefighter headgear requires a few coats during the painting process. Make sure the first coat is made up of a mixture of paint and oil, to give the helmet a tight seal. It should be left undisturbed until it full dries. Addition layer should be added afterwards.

Diligence should be exercised during the repair procedure. Important parts that give the protective headgear its beautiful appearance must be protected. Repair process should be carried out when the helmet is hanged or mounted.




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