Holster care

[Ron Wood]

Steve,
George has handled a lot of pickelhauben, so he knows them well. I would embellish on his instructions a bit if I may. Your helmet is quite dirty so when you remove the parts George suggested, you can clean the exterior with saddle soap. Do not over soak the exterior or leave it wet very long as this will not be good for the lacquer. Work up a foam and apply with a soft brush, then immediately wipe off with a soft cloth (t-shirts work great). Use the styrofoam head to maintain the overall shape. The most misshapen part is the rear visor on your helmet. Leave the helmet on the styrofoam head and use a wet sponge to moisten the bent area. You do not want to excessively soak it but it does need to be fairly moist. Then using your fingers gently reshape the moistened area to match the other side and let it air dry. Once it is completely dry you will find that it has stiffened up a bit and will retain its shape. Then apply the Renaissance Wax as George directed. Use a soft horsehair shoe brush to buff and you will be surprised how much the cleanup will improve the appearance. Keep your helmet on its stand as you show in your photo and do not let it sit for extended periods (days) resting only on the visors.

I do not recommend crumpled up newspapers for extended storage. The newsprint (paper) has a high acid content, so if the holster is exposed to any moisture it is not good for the leather. A more inert substance, such as bubble wrap or a wad of plastic wrap, is better for "stuffing".