How to Make Leather Helmets
- 1). Cut two leather panels in long elliptical shapes about 8 inches wide across their short axes, then cut each ellipse in half to yield four identical panels.
- 2). Sew the four panels together to make the skull of the helmet. Flatten the stitched creases where the panels meet using a hammer or mallet. Reinforce the panels with double stitching at each seam.
- 3). Soften the leather with water, then stretch over an existing hard plastic mold roughly the size of a human head. Trim excess leather from the ridge-like seams with a sharp knife.
- 4). Clamp evenly-spaced weights around the bottom of the helmet and leave it overnight so that the leather permanently takes the shape of the rounded helmet.
- 5). Apply glue to the ridged seams.
- 6). Heat rosin in a large boiler until it's fully melted. Submerge the helmet in rosin for 55 minutes. Remove the helmet and allow to dry slowly for eight weeks.
- 7). Tap the plastic cap inside the leather helmet using a mallet. Tap the nylon cap inside as well. These caps will make the helmet comfortable and snug to wear.
- 8). Soften the leather and burn away any loose threads with an acetylene torch. Attach straps to the interior liners if desired.
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