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In an effort to prevent
dry rot, many collectors have considered or have used 'leather balms'
or 'preservatives' that reportedly restore the natural oils in the
leather. Unfortunately, these agents have been shown to accelerate
deterioration rather than decrease it! While many substances are sold
for this purpose, the only two that have ever been found to be
moderately helpful without causing further damage include Pecard's
Antique Leather Restorer® and also Lanolin®. Pecard's® is considered
the best and is also recommended as the only treatment acceptable for
long term leather preservation.
Never use the
following on leather parts or liners:
-
Neats-Foot® brand oils, balms, salves,
creams, or conditioners
-
Lexol® brand leather oils, creams or
conditioners
-
Water and basic soap solutions
-
Saddle-Soap® applied in any fashion
whether it be bar or cream
-
Any type of commercial leather shoe or
handbag "restorers" or "cleaners"
-
Gun, machine, or motor oils of any kind
Use of any of the
commercially sold leather restorers other than Pecard's® or basic
Lanolin® will result in permanent damage to the leather fittings in
the helmet. Although the products mentioned above advertise that they
will not damage old leather, tests of these substances on old leather
shows that they accelerate deterioration by introducing oils that
cause dry rot or wet rot in the cellular structures of the old
leather. Remember! If in doubt about how to restore old leather,
simply leave the helmet as it was found and apply no treatment
whatsoever!
Application of
Pecard's® or Lanolin®:
The technique used in
applying either Pecard's® or Lanolin® to old leather also effects the
overall results. In almost every case, the leather will turn slightly
darker than it was before treatment. Leather that has reached the
full stage of 'dry rot' can not be restored and no treatments will
prove effective with either of these dressings.
Procedure for
application of Pecard's® or Lanolin® dressing:
Apply the dressing with a
pad of cheesecloth or soft white cotton cloth using a patting motion.
In some cases applying directly by hand (using the fingers) is more
effective than using a cloth. Brushes or sponges do not serve as good
applicators as one has little control over the amount of dressing
being applied. In patting on the dressing, take great care to avoid
applying the dressing to any paper parts or cloth components of the
liner. With leather liners it is best to apply the dressing to only
one side of the leather, and this being the side that faces outward as
you look into the helmet shell. Care should be taken to apply several
thin coats over small areas one step at a time. Avoid one large or
heavy coat of dressing applied all at the same time. Excessive
dressing may bleed through the leather onto the helmet shell or
interior parts of the liner band. A piece of waxed paper inserted
into the helmet shell prior to treatment will reduce this possibility.
Using a soft clean cotton rag, remove any excess dressing from the
leather. The treated leather should be allowed to absorb the dressing
for a period of 12 to 24 hours before it is returned to storage. In
most cases the leather will absorb the dressing and will once again
have a dry surface after this time. The treatment can be repeated
every two to five years, depending upon storage conditions; when the
leather begins to feel dried out and somewhat brittle, another
treatment is necessary.
Rules for treatment
of leather:
-
Never apply any leather restoring agents
other than Pecard's Antique Leather Restorer® or Lanolin® (only one
dressing is needed, not both)
-
Never apply any leather restoring agents
to leather that is already soft, supple, and in good condition. No
treatment is necessary and the leather should be left as found.
-
If in doubt, apply no dressing and leave
the helmet as found
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