The beginner's guide to German helmet conservation

This video is geared to the beginning helmet collector, and contains tips and techniques for taking care of your helmets.

[@eliakachun9993]

Just a note to anyone who uses a towel or microfiber on German helmets. Be careful around original decals, the fibers of a towel could potentially lift and break off loose edges and chips on decals.

[@manniegentile6099]

Elia, great advice!

[@FriedrichWilhelmViktorAlbert]

How about that, seeing that you have not posted for a long time made me doubt your presence on KZbin, yet here you are, Brilliant.

[@manniegentile6099]

Thanks Kaiser. I'm struggling to learn a new editing program, which has made me less productive, but I've promised myself that I'd try and do two videos per year, until I've nothing left to say...which may be soon :-)

[@fondag4221]

This is so useful and well set out to follow. Preserving history is so important and particularly items like these which may have been not so well treated in the past. keep the videos coming they are wonderful

[@cmaster0368]

Love your videos and the knowledge you share. My interest in this hobby began in the 1970s and I am only now returning to it after a long hiatus. Please keep posting and sharing!

[@usna98]

Thank you for the conservation tips. I'd love to see a video on your helmet mounting setup and how you display them without damaging the inside.

[@GunnarShaffer]

I just bought an m35 lufthansa helment doublD and will be using all this info! Thanks!

[@Ducttapeupurass]

Congrats on your retirement! It is great to see you post another helmet video after such a long time! I hope you and your family had a wonderful holiday season, and a happy new year!

[@manniegentile6099]

And a very happy, and healthy, 2023 to you. And retirement has been filled with existential joy.

[@sieg68]

Sounds like Bob Ross restoring a German helmet 😂

[@dianehewston9700]

Thanks for sharing your valuable experience Mannie, it's very much appreciated.

[@1968shinobi]

Thanks for the advice ! I started my collection 2 years ago. This was so helpful !

[@zpy-nq7wv]

LOVE YOUR INFORMATION! THANK YOU FOR SHARING SIR .

[@kevinbooth6293]

Great video Mannie! Good to see you posting once again!

[@manniegentile6099]

Thanks Kevin, I wanted to take advantage of the semester break to get this one off the ground. Thanks for tuning in!

[@Danny344S]

This video is very informative and helpful thank you

[@stephen8577]

Really helpful, learnt a few things especially about the leather preservation. Thank you for sharing.

[@manniegentile6099]

Stephen, Thank you, I'm glad that you found it helpful.

[@greghanson407]

Very interesting. Thanks.

[@csaint6780]

Good info, Thanks Mr Gentile.

[@darrinrentruc6614]

Thanks for the tips

[@zookster66]

Quality posts over quantity any day - and this is another QUALITY post! - great stuff and I totally agree with the leather comments. I find any leather treatments tend to soften the leather, which weakens it and ultimately causes tears and destruction. Thanks for the great post Mannie

[@manniegentile6099]

Thank you for the very kind words. And we are in agreement. Best wishes to you for a happy new year.

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

Brilliant. Heard about Renaissance wax but great to see how best to use it. Was hoping to smear it on the leather bindings of my oldest books, which are several hundred years old and starting to dry out and crack on the spines.

[@WolvCustoms]

Hope to see more videos from you sir

[@joecanteen7428]

Very informative thank you.

[@steelhelmetstan7305]

Some great bits of advice there....I've got about 60 helmets...no original german ww2 ones yet, but a few repros. I've tackled a bit of restoration myself but I wish I'd seen this video first!. I've viewed your website a few times , I like the fact that whilst you do have some high end stuff , FJ helmet etc..you also have beginners stuff in your collection, I also could see I've got a few of the ones on display in the background. All the best to you and hello from the UK 🇬🇧 🙂

[@manniegentile6099]

Hi Stan, I'm glad that you find the video helpful. Regarding the "beginners stuff"...you're right; of my favorite helmets were the inexpensive low-hanging fruit that I've picked up on ebay. I've also been collecting for just over fifty years and helmets were plentiful and relatively inexpensive, I bought my SD m.40 for $35.00 in 1978...those days are long-gone. Happy collecting and best wishes for a happy 2023,

[@steelhelmetstan7305]

@@manniegentile6099 cheers Mannie, all the best 🙂🙂

[@marc1kim]

Thanks very much for this video. I'll be picking up my first German helmet in a couple of weeks (M40 Luftwaffe). My buddy bought it at an antique shop, but he's not a collector. I'm new to the hobby and this video really helps, as there's not too many videos on conservation. The liner is all here but some of it has separated from the liner frame, I'm wondering if I should try the gluing techniques you described, or just leave it as is and clean the rest. Anyways, thanks again for the informative video.

[@manniegentile6099]

Hi Marc. Although PVA glue is archival, I'd recommend caution regarding the liner. PVA is best for small jobs that don't involve any load-bearing. Good luck, and thanks for stopping by.

[@angus1ish]

Thank you for shearing this information. Yes it is a fun hobby collecting helmets. As a fellow helmet collector I have came to the realization that these helmets are getting very old now. Some of my ww2 germen helmet liners, I have noticed are like paper. but the Australian mkII helmets those liners go very hard, But have to say your wife getting you a Fj helmet, what a very luck Man. Also liked to see your collection in this clip like the way you put them in there nations. A lot of your helmets just do not see that often on the market these days, like the wide brim m26 Swedish helmet. also like that all your Spanish helmets have there front badges.

[@manniegentile6099]

Thanks for the kind words Angus. Those Mk two liners do eventually get hard and brittle...in the museum business that phenomenon is called "inherent vice" - that's when the very materials that comprise the artifact work together, over time, to break down the artifact. It's similar to newspapers....the chemicals used to manufacture the newsprint paper are so acid-rich that they eventually destroy the paper.

[@TinusleRouxRSA]

Hi Mannie: what a great series and I have learned a lot, thanks for the vids! I have been collecting (low key) ww2 helmets since the 80's. Just your opinion...to ensure the leather stays soft and dont dry out I have been using Dubbin...no drying the past 40 years. I do not know if this brand is known in USA but here in South Africa very popular. Your take on this please?

[@King.Leonidas]

i'm on headphones and the sound keeps coming out on the left side mostly instead of stereo.

[@manniegentile6099]

King, I had the same experience when I was using headphones while editing...I can't account for it, but thanks for letting me know.

[@thurin84]

some tips if youve got to stack your m1s for some reason such as moving, or doing a renovation and you simply dont have the space to store them all lying flat. remove the sweatbands where practical, this opens up the space a bit and should allow the liner to rest on the metal washers instead of putting stress on the webbing. you can store the sweatband up inside of the crown to keep it with its respective helmet. put the oldest and presumably weakest, or worst condition on the bottom as it will be resting on the helmet edge, not the webbing. put the strongest/newest liner next as this will be bearing the most weight. then next newest etc. dont stack them more then about 4 high as the stack will quickly become unstable/ too heavy after that. dont just leave them like that for long periods of time. keep an eye on them to make sure damage isnt occurring and hopefully you can get them back on a shelf as quickly as possible.

[@manniegentile6099]

I'd recomend that is one has to stack, to interleave the helmets with a sheet of archival paper. This method also distributes the weight evenly. Thanks for tuning in.

[@grantsmilitaryhistoryc8875]

Can you do a collection tour

[@jimbergendahl2345]

Awesome

[@grantsmilitaryhistoryc8875]

Thanks for this video

[@manniegentile6099]

Grant, I enjoy your videos. You have a nice collection, and you are very knowledgeable. Keep doing what you're doing.

[@grantsmilitaryhistoryc8875]

Thank you

[@romanogoetz4633]

So no leather oils to keep the leather soft ?

[@sirrathersplendid4825]

I have some 19th-century brass chin strap buckles that are starting to go rusty. Is there anything they can be coated with to prevent further damage? Or is it just a case of keeping them in low humidity?

[@thurin84]

great stuff! what about using a bit of soft undyed leather as a backer when making a repair to leather with white glue?

[@manniegentile6099]

That's a good question, I've never used leather for that purpose. If you attempt it, let me know how it works out. Best wishes.

[@thurin84]

@@manniegentile6099 ive used it a few times already and seems to work fairly well so far.

[@matei82]

More video please :)

[@zaphodbeetlepox6627]

Should you support leather liners that like to drop? I am looking at you Britan.

[@petercollingwood522]

What about Ballistol on the leather? The Germans used it on their leather along with lubricating firearms.

[@Maximus2108]

Hey, I’ve got a friend with a snow Camo helmet, which was found in the ground, but if he did this, wouldn’t it damage the Camo?

[@stevebrzeski9118]

Hi Manny I’m new to your channel I have an m39 it’s listed as a luftwaffen reissue it’s been painted over post war looks still has all original liner with home painted decals it was listed as a trophy helmate would I be ruining the helmate by stripping the paint and get an aftermarket decals to refurbish it back to its original war look or should I just leave it I can send picks if you answer back thanks Man

[@manniegentile6099]

Hi Steve, thanks for reaching out. My usual refrain is: "it's your helmet, do what brings you joy." I'd leave it as is, but if you want to bring it back to an approximation of its original look, proceed cautiously, deliberately, and slowly. Best of luck on the project. Mannie

[@user-vw9mb4tv9k]

Can you please let me know where to find some ww2 german helmets please. I had mine sold behind my back when I was deployed overseas. Thanks

[@sravydogs]

I have a m35 quist (big foot) double decal, im worried about cleaning it, specially over the decals, would the wax be ok over the decals? Been too nervous to touch it with anything but dont want it to rust or anything.

[@manniegentile6099]

Paul, let's start a conversation about this. [e-mail] Mannie

[@titanmma101]

I use the same wax on the Roman coins I restore

[@jimrutherford2773]

In WW1 many German soldiers stuffed mud in the bracket/ vent holes to keep the elements out. I could never remove that knowing a solsier purposely installed it for purpose. All my helmets are stored in the house where it's cool and dry and out of direct sunlight. One other thing. You shouldn't wipe over the decal with a terry cloth towel as the abrasiveness of the material will minutely wear off the surface of the decal. Better to use a soft white cotton glove and lightly go over the decal once and avoid doing so again for a very long time.

[@manniegentile6099]

Great advbice!

[@maxhenry9724]

I would personally strongly advise against waxing your original helmet finishes especially impregnated finishes which account for a majority. Waxing was hyped up in the 70s and alot of those finishes have turned into a nasty dusty felt like coating that’s extremely difficult to to remove without hours of gentle rubbing. Trust me collectors have found out the hard way that the wax doesn’t shell out like automotive wax and stays a little tacky for 40 years that I know of. I remember an old Civil War collector telling me that an expert curator shared the wonderful preservation secret of shellacking everything metal and we know how that turned out. I’m not trying to be an expert or insult anyone just sharing what I have observed over the years. I believe the best way to preserve and be able to display is using glass cases, which are easy to control humidity in as well.

[@tommybrowne8759]

thats why you use ARCHIVAL wax it doesnt penatrate ,renassaince wont harm finishes its preserves. Listen and learn

[@mclenrd]

The best conservation is to simply leave it alone! While your work looks great, it greatly destroys the value of the helmet

[@dandesch]

Mold is not part of the helmet history