Fixing a loose visor

[Robert Hinds]

I have a GDFB sallet that I got from KultofAthena awhile back, and at first the visor stayed up on its own pretty well. But after lifting it a dozen or so times it dosn't want to stay up for very long and instead falls down if I make any quick movements.

I was wondering if anyone here could offer advice on how to correct this problem? On MyArmoury someone mentioned re-peening the rivets but I found this awkward to do (some leather on the inside covered up the rivet), not to mention my incomplete understanding of peening rivets from reading a few articles online about it. 

Ideally I'd like to add a spring pin but I don't have the knowledge or tools to do that.

If anyone could give me some advice on how to fix this I would be very gratefull. 

[Sir Brian]

Small world indeed because I have the same intentions with my visor for my great bascinet. Sir Wolf had posted a link somewhere on this forum, sorry that I don't have ready access to it for you. I have already made my spring pin out of a hacksaw blade and another pin and 'm just waiting for my visor to be returned to me from the artist who needed it for a custom job. 

If you need a hacksaw blade and pin then drop me a PM with your address and I'll send you one. I was intending to hold it in place with a Chicago screw, which I could send you one of those as well. 

[Robert Hinds]

That is very generous of you Sir Brian!   Although I think I should wait before accepting, untill I completely understand what I need to do to add a spring pin, as I'm not sure I have access to all the tools I would need (if it's just drilling I can manage that, but if it's cutting a slit in the helmet that's something else).

EDIT: Just realized that drilling might include taking the visor off. I've never done that before so I would probably be a little hesitent about doing that since this is my only helm.

Maybe I'll be fortunate enough that Sir Wolf will see this and be kind enough to repost that link.  

And Sir Brian is the artist adding something to your visor? And if so what is he adding?

[Sir Wolf]

will respond this evening.

or look in the search function, i helped sir brian on here once i think

[Sir Brian]

I found your original post on adding a spring pin Sir Wolf. Sorry I didn't post it earlier but I've been
really pressed for time this past week. 
http://modernchivalry.org/forum/index.php/topic,115.0.html

That is very generous of you Sir Brian!  Although I think I should wait before accepting, untill I completely understand what I need to do to add a spring pin, as I'm not sure I have access to all the tools I would need (if it's just drilling I can manage that, but if it's cutting a slit in the helmet that's something else).

EDIT: Just realized that drilling might include taking the visor off. I've never done that before so I would probably be a little hesitent about doing that since this is my only helm.

Maybe I'll be fortunate enough that Sir Wolf will see this and be kind enough to repost that link. 

And Sir Brian is the artist adding something to your visor? And if so what is he adding?

Drilling will definitely be involved but whether you have to remove the visor or depends on where you want to locate the spring pin. You could always drill through both when you have the visor in the position you want it to be pinned.

As to what I'm having made I'm not ready to divulge just yet as I want to unveil it here on the board when I have it all done, so I ask for your patience and pardon for my little quirk of vanity in this as it is part of my armor “makeover”.

[Robert Hinds]

I found your original post on adding a spring pin Sir Wolf. Sorry I didn't post it earlier but I've been
really pressed for time this past week. 
http://modernchivalry.org/forum/index.php/topic,115.0.html

Thanks for the link.  And that's alright, I think most of us are pressed for time these days.

Drilling will definitely be involved but whether you have to remove the visor or depends on where you want to locate the spring pin. You could always drill through both when you have the visor in the position you want it to be pinned.

Well that's good. In the pictures in that link the pin is located near the bottom of the helmet, would it need to be placed higher to hold the visor up? If not how does something located that low hold up the visor?

As to what I'm having made I'm not ready to divulge just yet as I want to unveil it here on the board when I have it all done, so I ask for your patience and pardon for my little quirk of vanity in this as it is part of my armor “makeover”.

Ah understood.  Can't wait to see it.

[Sir Edward]

Yeah, a lot of people add spring pins and the like to hold the visor shut, which is what it looks like they were doing in those pictures. So yes, it would need to be placed differently to hold it open.

[Sir James A]

Peening isn't too bad, but the confines of the helmet make it a bit rough. You want to work in a "spiral", by starting on an outer edge of the rivit and working your way around and in. The idea is to spread the rivit wider, so that it holds itself in the hole. I see a lot of people who use a washer as a backer when doing it, but you shouldn't "need" a washer unless it's a sliding rivit or attaching a strap - at least, that's my understanding of it.

Halberds makes a neat hammer (http://halberds.us/img/tools/newrivet.jpg) that would probably make it easier, but probably isn't worth the investment unless you plan to use it more than once.

I think the most important part would be not striking the rivit directly overhead. That widens the shaft by spreading it, and will make the visor harder to move. It might fix it as a temporary, but I think the constant movement might "saw" through the rivit over time. Or maybe that's what you need to do to tighten it?

Hopefully Allan can respond, I haven't swung a hammer for a decade and most of it was just working on existing pieces that I wanted to add straps or hinges to. Rivits are about the only thing I did.

[Allan Senefelder]

James has accurately described the technique for piening a rivet. Spring pins are used to keep visors closed and open. I've only ever seen spring pins to keep visors open on armets but like the idea enough that we do it on our sallets. Making and installing a spring pin is what I guess I would call a " mid level " project. Its not really that difficult but having done a few things before to boost confidence and maybe aquire a few tools previously is a good thing to have in your background. Its the sort of thing that Wolf and other living history guys would do without hesitiation as theres a heavy hands on/do it yourself background in LH for equipment making and modification. THe hammer James posted a link to is helpfull to have if the helmet bowle is a tight space. I've got a set of four very old Italian ones just like of different sizes that we use that used to be in the Kenneth Lynch collection ( he's the guy who did the restoration on the Statue of Liberty back in the early 80's ) and Halberd's hammer is MUCH more affordable and you can't go wrong with Halberds tools period.

We've installed spring pins in MRL and GDFB sallets in the past. Having to work around the liner is a bit of a pain in the a!@ but far from impossible. It will help to have a second set of hands just to hold the piece while you hammer. I can do it solo but its still much nicer when some one elses is there to steady it while you hit.

[Robert Hinds]

Sir Edward, thanks for answering my question.

 The confines of the helmet did make it hard when I tried to do it. What I found interesting is when I pulled back the leather strap that was covering the rivet, it was almost as flat as a nail head instead of domed like I was expecting.

Mr. Senefelder thanks for your thoughts on this. "Mid level project" gives me second thoughts on doing this myself. As pathetic as that may sound I have a habit of being like Tim Allen on Home Improvment and going overboard and messing things up, even if I did it right the first time lol. "Hmmm...2 rivets should be enough...But I want it to be really sturdy...better use 6 instead!"

Mr. Senefelder I think I'll send you a PM.