Hey you guys. So a few years ago I came into possession of an old leather helm (one of our old fighters was moving) which needed fixing up. I passed it along to someone else, but they didn't do anything with it and now it has come back to me.

It's leather, and probably needs reforming (no mold, but not 100% head shaped anymore). I would soak the helm in water and put it on a mold, but it was put together with inexpensive rivets (probably quick rivets), and I don't want all the rivets to rust. The helm isn't worth a bunch of expensive rivets, but I think it's worth saving if I can do it inexpensively.

The main suggestion I've gotten is to oil the rivets before submerging in water, but I'm worried that will only save the visible parts of the rivets, but will still rust the unseen parts (that are in contact with the leather). Aside from that I've thought about cutting the rivets and lacing it back together (which might work).

Any suggestions?

Would removing all of the rivets and replacing them with stitching be an option?

I'm not 100%, but I think so. The helmet is sorta Mongol style, and it's multiple smaller pieces of leather (for example the dome is 4 triangles/pies) instead of a few large ones. So if I can remove the rivets I think there are enough holes that lacing it all together will work.

So, how does one go about removing rivets? I believe I remember Forkbeard once writing that you can always remove rivets. (I'm assuming by sliding a thin hacksaw blade between the layers of leather, and sawing the rivets through?)

It's a cute little helmet; it will never fit me, but I think it might make a cool gift for a younger fighter or as a small fundraiser item.