Leather repair

[Brent Walker]

Hi guys (and girls?). I want to repair a broken chin-strap on my M35 Double decal Heer helmet. I was handling it and it slipped and the strap broke. I would like any ideas on repairing it. I was thinking of contact cement but any ideas are welcome. I don't want anything that is going to be noticeable. This is for display only (less handling than before). I don't want to stitch it and I don't want the repair to show. Any help would be appreciated.

[Rich Moran]

Brent, there's not much you can do when the leather gets to that state, or in fact, even if the leather is still pliable, the only "right' way is to stitch. COnsider too the widhth of th estrap whil reading below.

With dried leather, where the strap could not hold the weight of the helmet while you kept it from falling showed that the leather condition is too far gone.

Don't glue it whatever you do!

What I've doen in the past for display only, no weight to be put the to leather and understanding that either to find a replacement over time or expect some more years in that state, use of lightweight fishing line woven with a needle might work.

Butt the strap together, and with the uese of a small needle....watch the thumb and fingers before pushing the needle through....find thimbles to protect you fingers, push the needle slowly through the leather.

Museums use an inert thread for this, but the material ages.

I've had the leather on my Luft trumpet banner museum repaired, and it is mounted in a display case still suspended from the rings that are connect to the leather strap.

I've then reinforced these with the use of 8 lb test fishing line and it's been up for a decade with zero issues. T

he reason it has survived so long is the fishing line actually supports all the weight while the leather tie straps rest on the 1" lucite dowel used to suspend the banner inside a lucite display cas.

Another suggestion, I've used needle nose pliars to do the needle grip becuase a thin needle is hard on the figners. Use of needle nose pliers........get a high quality tool, one that has no slop when it is pressed side to side. if you have slop from age, the neelde will nit "set" properly in the jaws and can make this a bit more difficult.

Also, if you go this route , wear safety goggles and closely watch as you apply pressure to the needle. Needles are brittle and designed for cloth.

As you increase pressure from slight to medium the needle will begin to bend.....back off or you'll snap it sending the needle in pieces across your room.

I've peformed this before, not on a helmet strap but on MC leathers that I've had.

Use a lightweight line, just like putting a button on but weaving back in forth in X's with a stich or 2 over the X's center and then put the helmet away on a stand. From a short diatance you might see the break, but if no one really looks closely, no one knows but you.

In the meantime find a replacement and when you tire of seeing that known repair, don't through it away, set it aside for another day cause you might need it.

Whatever you do, consider dried leather is dried leather, now your fighting age and with that, leather is hide and when animals pass their flesh, hide and eventually the bones goes back to earth.

Forgot to ad, there may be other opinions so with that wait to see what others post.

[Brent Walker]

Leather Repair

Rich, thanks for your thoughts on this. I really thought contact cement would be the answer as I know you can use it on leather but I'm not so sure about old leather. I worry about stitching it as it may tear or break off more with the pressure needed to pass the needle thru the leather. Anyway, I think I'll take your advise and wait to see if there are any more ideas out there. again, thanks very much for your input.
Brent

[Rich Moran]

Brent,

Another consideration is that the smallest drill found in hardware/mill supply is 1/8 inch. If a smaller bit can be found one could glue the bit into a wire nut, which is a plastic cone shape deivce used to tie electrical wire together.

Use of JB weld will secure the bit to the wire nut, once cured, th ebit can be turned with th ewire nut to "drill' a small opening into the leather which in turn will allow th elinking line or cloth thread to easily pass through the leather.

Be certain to locate the smallest possible drill bit...I think 1/8" is large for this task, but if a smaller one could be found it would work well enough so as not to stress the leather.

Good luck.

[rbminis]

Brent,

Another consideration is that the smallest drill found in hardware/mill supply is 1/8 inch. If a smaller bit can be found one could glue the bit into a wire nut, which is a plastic cone shape deivce used to tie electrical wire together.

Use of JB weld will secure the bit to the wire nut, once cured, th ebit can be turned with th ewire nut to "drill' a small opening into the leather which in turn will allow th elinking line or cloth thread to easily pass through the leather.

Be certain to locate the smallest possible drill bit...I think 1/8" is large for this task, but if a smaller one could be found it would work well enough so as not to stress the leather.

Good luck.

Drill bits can be bought that are as small as 12 thousandths of an inch in diameter.
Ralph.

[Brent Walker]

leather repair.

Thanks everyone for your help. It is very much appreciated!
Happy Collecting and good hunting.