Can this be fixed?

B. Amos · Post by **B. Amos** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 8:10 pm

Tonight while fighiting I noticed a very disturbing developement on my helm, A CRACK!... It appears that I have developed a stress fracture on the brim of my kettle. My question is can this be fixed with a weld or somthing? also the rivits holding the brim on are pulling out, can this also be welded so that it is closed permanetly?

Uryen · Post by **Uryen** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 8:21 pm

Drill a hole at the end of the crack point. Grind out the crack. Re-weld up the crack and fill in the drilled hole with weld.

Sean Powell · Post by **Sean Powell** » Fri Sep 04, 2009 8:36 pm

Uryen wrote:Drill a hole at the end of the crack point. Grind out the crack. Re-weld up the crack and fill in the drilled hole with weld.

Assuming that it isn't spring steel then pretty much yes. Don't just weld over it. The material on either side of the weld is 99% as fatigued as the actual crack. It needs to be ground out, (cutting out with a plasma torch would be easiest, OA torch can also work) backed with brass or copper and then filled with weld and ground smooth again. If a good welder does it, it will be indistinguishable from the original.

For the rivets, grind out the loose ones, add bolts to pull everything as tight as it can be, weld and then replace the bolts with cosmetic rivets.

Good luck!

Sean

B. Amos · Post by **B. Amos** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 10:07 pm

That is great news. Is there anyone in the Mid Atlantic area that could handle such a repair?

Kilian_the_warlike · Post by **Kilian_the_warlike** » Sat Sep 05, 2009 10:27 pm

B. Amos wrote:That is great news. Is there anyone in the Mid Atlantic area that could handle such a repair?

This is going to sound weird, but my old boss found a guy in Norfolk that owns an autobody shop that did a similar fix to a broken breast plate.

I'll see about getting the name of the place, but you could also ask shops local to you.

Uryen · Post by **Uryen** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 12:08 am

Any decent autobody place could do this. Stress cracks like this appear all the time in chassis suspension mounts and roof pillars.

Garreth · Post by **Garreth** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 2:04 pm

You might want to contact Adam Berry, since he made the helm. I bet he would fix it for you.

white mountain armoury · Sun Sep 06, 2009 2:35 pm

Yes mail it to me asap, I will fix it for free, shipping is on your dime.
Even though your new lid will be ready soon (thanks for being patient) you should get it to me asap and dont fight in it anymore will its fixed.
Via priority service you could be without less than a week, as I can fix it the day I recieve it.
If you want for a modest fee I can reinfoce the hell out of it as your kettle has that sweet shallow and easily bendable shape.

B. Amos · Post by **B. Amos** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 4:36 pm

white mountain armoury wrote:Yes mail it to me asap, I will fix it for free, shipping is on your dime.
Even though your new lid will be ready soon (thanks for being patient) you should get it to me asap and dont fight in it anymore will its fixed.
Via priority service you could be without less than a week, as I can fix it the day I recieve it.
If you want for a modest fee I can reinfoce the hell out of it as your kettle has that sweet shallow and easily bendable shape.

Adam that would be awsome, I will send you an email for your adress

mattmaus · Post by **mattmaus** » Sun Sep 06, 2009 6:56 pm

Garreth wrote:You might want to contact Adam Berry, since he made the helm. I bet he would fix it for you.

Not to sound like a jack-ass, but I really think this should have been the first thing that should have happened.

Most of the really good armorers got that way by having a reputation.

By all accounts Adam's reputation is nothing short of stellar, and he's earned that.

He didn't get that way by selling crap, and being a dick.

I'd have straight up shit my pants if he hadn't agreed to fix it.

white mountain armoury · Sun Sep 06, 2009 7:32 pm

I am pretty sure Brother Amos figgured he would just get it fixed closer to home, the helm is onehe bought second hand, and was one of my first.
This type of thing can happen.
I know he has had to straighten the brim before, especially on such a flat and big brim.
Nothing lasts forever, mild steel dents, bends breaks etc.
I am happy to fix it although its not because of any flaw or anything, gettng hit over and over causes stress,no biggie.

Sir Thorfinn · Post by **Sir Thorfinn** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 12:25 am

I had something like this happen to a breastplate once.
I had it fixed, but when the weld was polished out, you could see a jagged line, which made me crazy, so I rivetted a strip of brass over it and called it a band-aid. It always got a chuckle.

So if it comes back not so pretty, put a band-aid on it.

Sir Thorfinn

B. Amos · Post by **B. Amos** » Mon Sep 07, 2009 1:32 pm

mattmaus wrote:
Garreth wrote:You might want to contact Adam Berry, since he made the helm. I bet he would fix it for you.

Not to sound like a jack-ass, but I really think this should have been the first thing that should have happened.

Most of the really good armorers got that way by having a reputation.

By all accounts Adam's reputation is nothing short of stellar, and he's earned that.

He didn't get that way by selling crap, and being a dick.

I'd have straight up shit my pants if he hadn't agreed to fix it.

Matt, I was not trying to sully Adams reputation, that is why nowhere did I mention the maker of the helm. I know he is a busy man and I did not want to bother him with this, as well as just trying to get it done quick and local.

If it was not somthing that could have beed repaired by a weld then I would have definately contacted Adam to have it replaced.

Adam the helm has been striped of maille and padding and boxed up and ready to ship, I took it to the post office this morning and it wasn't until I got there that I rememberd it was labor day. *doh* I will send it out first thing tomorrow.

Apollonian · Post by **Apollonian** » Tue Sep 08, 2009 10:00 am

B. Amos wrote:Matt, I was not trying to sully Adams reputation, that is why nowhere did I mention the maker of the helm. I know he is a busy man and I did not want to bother him with this, as well as just trying to get it done quick and local.

If it was not somthing that could have beed repaired by a weld then I would have definately contacted Adam to have it replaced.

Adam the helm has been striped of maille and padding and boxed up and ready to ship, I took it to the post office this morning and it wasn't until I got there that I rememberd it was labor day. *doh* I will send it out first thing tomorrow.

If I remember correctly, this helm has been around a long time and Amos has gotten more than a lot of use out of it. Amos stands toe to toe with some of our best and does very well. As such, he asks a lot of his equipment and taxes its usability on a regular basis. Although Adam offered graciously and Amos accepted in the same manner, I believe it would have been unreasonable to ask. Helms aren't supposed to last forever - even the high quality work of art that Adam produces.

I will say this - I would never be concerned for a transaction with Adam and his willingness to help Amos is both laudable and exemplary.

Falcone