Rusted and Dented Helmet Restoration

In this video I restore a Finnish M40 WWII helmet. This helmet is very dented with a lot of surface rust.
I start with disassembly and then use a least tester to determine that the paint contains lead. I proceed with using paint stripper as sandblasting lead paint is very dangerous and damaging. Once all the paint is removed I sandblast the rust away to bare metal.
I wanted to keep the leather cap original since it was not too damaged. The leather cap was badly stained so I decided to stain it black. After creating the other leather straps and head band I hand sewn it all together.
Did you see my next project??
I hope you guys enjoyed the video, if you do leave a like and a comment. Subscribe if you would like to see more awesome content ;).
Much Love,
Dr Restoration
Music: “Echappe” by Dan Bodan from youtube library
If you would like to support my channel check out my merch: / @drrestoration
Facebook: / drrestorations
Instagram: / dr_restoration
Tiktok: www.tiktok.com/@drrestoration...
#restoration #helmet #restore #militia #rusty #howto #asmr #antique #DrRestoration #germanhelmet #military #military #WWII #WW2

[@DrRestoration]

Apparently this is a Finnish helmet, so sorry for misguidance! I was asked to do more militia restores. However since youtube required me to remove all my firearm videos, I came up with this helmet. I really do listen to all the comments and try to do my best. Much Love, Dr Restoration

[@DrRestoration]

Maybe someone can explain the differences in helmets, so that we all may learn?

[@martimhenriques1169]

@@DrRestoration the helmet shell is basically the same shape as the German M40 helmet. The liner on the Finnish one is secured by rivets, whereas on the German one, it is secured by split pins. The liner and chinstrap assembly is different, just look it up.

[@GarrisonsMadHouse]

​@@DrRestoration if you have stubborn dents that won't go completely correct use a brass ballpine hammer and slowly work from the outside in without heat. Did this on my M40/55 and it was perfect

[@GarrisonsMadHouse]

Also I have a spare complete liner if you want it

[@DrRestoration]

@@GarrisonsMadHouse thanks for the offer but I’m happy with mine

[@albundy704]

No doubt that you are a skilled restorer ! You did a great job on this helmet ! Also no doubt that for collection purist, your job will make them have an heart attack !

[@DrRestoration]

😂

[@shenkker1]

That is definetly post war finnish helmet so no history ruined i remember these my conscript times keep up the good work

[@user-qf3bl9qp1w]

Original WW2 German helmet reissued to the Finnish Army. Thanks 👍😊

[@williamxii4343]

don't really know how to feel about the restoration of the helmet... Looks like a fake copy now. I think it would be better to keep the helmet as it was. You removed a lot of everything that gave the helmet a story. But what's done is done. Normally like your videos. But this time not as much

[@DrRestoration]

Thanks for the comment, maybe next time

[@teacheme]

I agree totally. Please see my comment for how I feel about this so called restoration.

[@thebrick9315]

I feel that that this restoration was pretty good because usually videos where I see these Finnish being used are normally about them stripping the paint off of perfectly good helmets and repainting to look a like a German one, but in this video the person restoring the helmet actually fixed it into a proper Finnish copy of the helmet

[@MillwalltheCat]

Post War Finnish helmet.

[@h_restore]

The helmet turned out great. Nice job.

[@DrRestoration]

Thanks!

[@wodkaknall]

This comment is just to support this channel

[@shirleyannconfer9651]

Very good stitching. I loved seeing the details.

[@Olexandr_UA_]

Стойкое ощущение, что шапка послевоенная. Нет клейм приёмки клейма размера на подшлемнике, подбородочный ремень не так к обручу крепится, перфорация в коже в оригинальном так не делалась, нет декалей,

[@G.A.Romero]

Обычный "новодел"!!! :)

[@DrHutOfHandcraft]

Very impressive outcome doc ✌🏻

[@DrRestoration]

Thank you kindly

[@LittleRestorers]

Great job mate 👏

[@DrRestoration]

Thanks 👍

[@patriciapimenta5084]

fiou otimo

[@Dam_ramsa__]

I like the original color

[@skatiesadiemator5948]

Can you restore the dusty rusty broken human

[@ericbadia5]

Well rather than keeping the history of this helmet you preferred to eliminate any bit of history from it and make it look like a modern ww2 german M40 replica. I normally like watching your videos (your work is amazing) but not this time. I understand how difficult it may be to preserve such a piece of history so maybe next time. Anyway, thanks for sharing your work!👍🏼

[@johanpeters3173]

maybe this is a stupid question to some of you, but why are there holes on both side of the helmet, is it for an attachment for something? i know the bottom row of holes are for the webbing.

[@DrRestoration]

Probably to let it breath while it’s on your head.

[@okandmanniska1183]

Air vents to cool the wearers head. Sometimes the soldier would fill them in during the winter time to keep his head warm

[@albundy704]

@@DrRestoration Good Answer !

[@MrPikaoi]

Great work! Why did you change colors of the leather?

[@DrRestoration]

It was hard to tell in the video, but it was very very stained

[@tthomas9160]

Because he was lazy.

[@filippofior3722]

this helmet doesn't look original: are you sure it's real WWII helmet?

[@RESTORATIONOFSCRAPMETAL]

Your restorations are great 👍

[@DrRestoration]

Hey thanks!

[@RoundOneShop]

Love watching you videos. Stuff like this is the reason I started trying to do it. Thanks for the insperation

[@DrRestoration]

You’re very welcome my friend

[@brunaaraujo286]

What changes if lead tests positive?

[@DrRestoration]

If positive I use paint stopper to remove paint before sandblasting. If negative I just sandblast the paint off

[@rogerpatrongonzalez5800]

👍👏👍👏👍👏👍👏👍👏👍👏👍👏

[@Hans_Owner_of_da_Franks]

m40/55!!!! Ist das ein IMA-Kratzer und eine Delle?

[@Xtragicfever]

Why did you not just use saddle soap?

[@DrRestoration]

Still learning, I will consider this in the future

[@user-qf3bl9qp1w]

Clearly a perfectionist at work, indeed.. and just to be clear as to what this helmet is exactly so everyone knows, this helmet started off as a WW2 model 1940 and was reissued to the Finnish Army after the war. Finland bought a huge amount of these and they've been in use all the way up to the 1990s I believe.(I use to have one in my collection when I first started out) that being said, thanks again!😊

[@anthonyfaroy88]

Intérieur non ww2 post War oui

[@00recon]

Helmet liner is new. It isn't original to the helmet. Definitely not German, no markings on the rear.

[@ryanhell921]

um. Dude. That headband will never pass any inspection 🤔

[@Jonathansww2]

You just destroyed M40/55 Finnish helmet. Thats sad as fuck...

[@wesley071177]

Such a shame you've been forced to remove gun restorations. I enjoyed this restoration but can understand why others didn't. Keep up the great work.

[@TheParkAttendant]

So sorry about the removal of your gun videos, I would have liked to see those. I have a doughboy helmet in my collection. It shows were a bullet bounced off. But it has a story to tell. The top was blown out of it by a grenade. The soldier who did this heroic deed may not have survived. I will keep it this way, so it can go on telling the story. Edit: what the heck did this soldier go up against to get so many dents in his helmet?

[@DrRestoration]

If you find me on Facebook you can see my other videos 🙂

[@martimhenriques1169]

That's a Finnish M40/55

[@Schmeilo89]

That's true! This means it's a post ww2 Helmet with a liner made fromhigh quality rendeerleather, although the shells for Finnlands M40/55 Helmets were produced in Germany on the same Machines as earlier War Models. Still a beauty this shell and deserves restoration with a quality ww2 repro liner.. Maybe from dday1944 or so...

[@martimhenriques1169]

@@Schmeilo89 the shell really needed a little bit of oxalic acid and dent repairs, but liner and chinstrap only needed some cleaning and leather conditioning. This was a little over restoring but turned out ok

[@DrRestoration]

Thanks for the info!

[@martimhenriques1169]

@@DrRestoration no problem, we are always learning something new. Keep doing military restoration videos, it's awesome content

[@lecobra418]

It's not a restoration if you trash half the object. That leather was perfectly restorable, if only you took five minutes to look online how to restore leather, you would've made a better restoration and learn something new and useful... And as other mentioned the helmet lost all of its character now, denting, marking and half its original components. Sad.

[@DrRestoration]

It was a $50 helmet from IMA, there’s hundreds if not thousands of them. I bought it I do what I want with it. 🙂

[@lecobra418]

@@DrRestoration Ok and I choose not to subscribe to your channel considering the poor job you've done and your attitude. Goodbye.

[@Dam_ramsa__]

Ruined it😢😢

[@cathybenson5119]

Looks like a German helmet to me.

[@jasonpirok]

Why not just buy a replica? You totally ruined this helmet.

[@davism131]

You destroyed a piece of history…. This was sad

[@alfrede.neuman9082]

It’s a post war Finnish helmet, not an original M40, just FYI.

[@Jonathansww2]

Do not ever again take pre ww2, ww2 or post ww2 helmets that have original paint and/or other original like liner and destroy it. There might be many helmets but its history and none should be destroyed. You should ve ashamed and learn, dont just do this again, please.

[@teacheme]

Although I generally like your videos this one made me cringe. I accept that there are many thousands of such helmets around but what you have done is turned this old helmet into a modern day replica. You removed every trace of its history, the dents in particular and the initials/writing of the original owner. The replacement leatherwork should have been a repair of the original. I can go on and on but basically I was disappointed. Some people may disagree with my views, so be it.

[@DrRestoration]

Thanks for the comment

[@RollerPigg]

I enjoyed that very much! Will you put SS decals on the side? That would be authentic and awesome!

[@martimhenriques1169]

Would you put ss decals on a Finnish post war helmet so it would look authentic?

[@RollerPigg]

@@martimhenriques1169 If it was mine, I'd put a middle finger decal on it.

[@mikebetts5532]

great job. ready for battle again.⚒️🔩🛠️🔧👍