lundi 25 janvier 2016

Tips On Renovating Hand Painted Fire Helmet Shields

By Janet Snyder


Firefighters wear helmet to safeguard them from cinders, falling objects, and fire. These helmets have been in use for decades, and their shape has remained almost the same up to now. However their compositions have shifted from traditional leather to metallic structures such as nickel, aluminum, brass, and eventually lightweight headgears made of polymers, and different types of plastics. The leatherhead type has been used as a firefighting symbol. With little training, it is possible to refurbish hand painted fire helmet shields. They can be painted according to personal taste and preference.

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 interior part should be in good state. Examine the lining for presence of worn spots or tears. Metal one may have missing, broken, and cracked portions. This portion deserves to be replaced. After identification of both external and internal damages, the next step is purchasing the necessary supplies. Materials for brand new earflaps plus lining may be required. The shield may require fresh paint, furnace cement to cover cracks or holes.

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.

Leather fire headgear needs few coats of paint. The first one must be a mixture of boil linseed lubricant and paint, which forms a fitted resilient seal. The helmet must be given time to dry. Later, several additional layers of paints can be added.

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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