Old Don Post CA Vader, what should I do?

[superrune]

Hi everyone,

I am fixing up my home office, making space for my Star Wars helmet collection on the walls and shelves. "Protected" under a plastic wrap I uncovered the first helmet I purchased; a Don Post Classic Action Vader.

Comparing it to some of my newer helmets, this thing is starting to look quite rotten. And bits of it are literally rotting away, I had to pull out the foam inside since it was halfway turning into powder. The outside plastic is scratchy and has spots in the plastic, they seem to be permanent, at least they don't go away when I try and polish with a cloth. (I remember lending the helmet out to my brother for a costume party, and seeing photos afterwards of people smoking and drinking beer through the mouth grille - I regret doing that now!). The helmet has more that smudgy ANH-look now, and not the ESB-look it once had. I really don't feel like putting it on the wall in the state it is now, it needs to be fixed up. I could have the skills to fix this helmet, but I'm not sure I have the time. I was hoping someone here could suggest me what to do?

Are there some quick fixes I could do to make it look better. Something I could use to polish the plastic, for example?

It would be cool to upgrade it and make it look more authentic, for example by having it painted like the movie helmets. But there is no way I can find time for that myself, unfortunately. Is there any recommended Vader Fixers here in Europe?

I did a quick search for Don Post CA here on the forums, and someone mentioned in the Junkyard that these things used to fetch big prices but not anymore. Why is that? Should I sell it and find a better alternative? Not sure I want to do that though, this being my first helmet

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Pictures would always help with any advise to be given, but since this is a vinyl mask... I'm not really sure what kind of work can actually be done to it. But again, seeing the kind of damage would help.

EDIT: HOLY ****... took a while before I got why the name sounded so familiar... man... I'm absolutely DAFT I should be shot twice in the head. Once for forgetfulness... the other for not paying attention. Hey man... how's it going???

 

[superrune]

How fitting that you should be first one to answer! I'm fine thanks, and just about to finish off my huge project and start my parental leave. In a few weeks time I might be ready to finish off our Vader model, if you're still interested

I've uploaded a couple of photos of my CA Vader, here they are. There are two things that bothers me the most:

The surface itself. It's really dirty-looking now, which I guess is a result of all the greasy fingers handling the helmet (mine included). Would it be enough to polish the thing?

The velcro that connected the face to the dome is now torn off. Bad glue job from the factory I would think. I've tried with a couple of glues myself, but nothing seems to stick - the velctro is just too strong. Does anyone have a glue that they know would work?

 

[JoeR]

That is still a very nice helmet and a great base. Personally I would give it a full repaint. There are some really good repaints/conversions at Star Wars Helmets

 

[SithLord]

Did you try alcohol?

That first image is great. Do you have a front view like that? My first Vader helmet was a CA and they are still my favorite licensed Vader helmet (the earlier ones without the excessive neck flare). I would hang onto it.

Here's a photo of my old DP CA from 1999....didn't have the flared neck I've seen on so many others, although I did trim the rear a little bit.

 

[mike d]

Hey Rune! Good to see you around here I remember when you first ordered this helmet over 10 years ago!
If you decide to fix this helmet i would suggest to give it a total overhaul. Do some research and try to reshape it to the desired shape. You can heat up the helmet with hot water, reshape and then use cold water to make it hold it's new shape. Resculpt some areas with Bondo in order to sharpen it as the CA Vader is pretty soft. Throw away the old lenses and grill-mesh and replace with more accurate ones and get some nice aluminium billet-sensors. Then use primer and wet-sand it smooth and give it a new accurate paintjob. Some people has transformed the CA helmet into a really great looking piece. Good luck!

 

[mike d]

As for glue i really suggest using the 2-part epoxy that can be bought at Clas Ohlson. When hardened it really stays!

 

[Too Much Garlic]

How fitting that you should be first one to answer! I'm fine thanks, and just about to finish off my huge project and start my parental leave. In a few weeks time I might be ready to finish off our Vader model, if you're still interested

Yeah... just saw the thread, responded... then slapped my head. I'm such a dope sometimes.

I found another guy who's hot at work on the files right now. Was able to tweak the face mask scan a lot since you worked on it.

Regarding your helmet. What kind of damage are we talking about? It doesn't seem very clear in the pictures, but is it actual physical puts in the plastic? You should definitely scrub it clean and get all that glue off the face mask, before doing anything else. Get as much of the glue off and then rub it with a cloth soaked in household alcohol to get the rest of the grease off.

Personally, I would neither sharpen it or even repaint it. Sure, if the shape is a little wonky, you could always try the heat approach to get it back into shape. As it is vinyl, it has memory built into it, so maybe it will revert back to its original shape if you heat it up a little.

 

[Jennigirl]

Wanna Sell it?
Seriously!

 

[superrune]

Thanks for the answers everybody!

I'm still wondering why the helmet has lost its value. Are there some alternatives that are easy to get?

Jennigirl: Not at the moment, and not unless I find a better replacement. I have to have a Vader in the house

NoHumorMan: Glad to hear you found someone to fix your Vader model. I hope you send the final model to me, I'd love to see it!

There are plenty of rubs and scratches to the helmet, but they don't show that well in the photos. But the thing that bothers me the most is the smudgy-looking surface. I will see if we have some alcohol in the house (not drinking one, I would assume!), and see if that helps. I agree on the painting, I feel this one should stay the way Don Post intended (I might just be making excuses here, though). I might heat-warp it into place, that's an interesting idea and doesn't sound too hard. Is hot tap water hot enough?

Mike: Micke! I hope you're OK, no time no see. I'll visit you soon and bring the baby, we should have a helmet chat again I don't have the time to overhaul it I'm afraid, I think I have to realise I can't find time for these things. I still have the Trooper I purchased from you untouched, that should be proof enough. I tried a two-part glue called Loctite, but that went right off after a couple of dome removals. That was supposed to be a plastic glue. Is that the brand you recommend?

Trooper421: Thanks! It photographs rather well, the things that bothers me are mostly visible when you hold the helmet up close.

SithLord: I try alcohol every night No, I haven't done it on the helmet. Will try to see if we have some I can use. I've uploaded a front and side view for you, you can clearly see the flaring on the front one. The dome isn't sitting on properly, so the alignment is a bit random:

 

[superrune]

Actually, I want to be sure what you mean with alcohol. I was thinking "white spirit", but that might be wrong. My girlfriend said that will try it out and leave a white powdery surface. You're not meaning Vodka, I assume!

 

[Qui-Gonzalez]

Isopropyl probably. I know when I first got mine, it had a weird, oiliness about it.

 

[dcarty]

I would suggest some sort of plastic polish would remove the oxidation. Either a paste wax like a car wax or something like Novus plastic polish.

 

[superrune]

Thanks, both of you. I'll take a round in the stores tomorrow and see what I can find. Cheers!

 

[Too Much Garlic]

For vinyl tap water is hot enough... or just a hair dryer. It really softens up quickly. Shame you don't have a mold of a more accurate helmet, otherwise you could jam the helmet in there while it's cooling off and that would assure a correct shape, rather than having to wing it. But as I said, if it was molded with the accurate shape, then heating the plastic should get it to regain it's natural shape and not the warped look it has now.

Household alcohol is something you should be able to buy at any store and it's usually placed next to acetone and turpentine and such more nasty agents. In DK I think it is in a blue bottle, where the others are green. Not sure how it is elsewhere. Just dab it on a piece of cloth and rub the helmet clean with it - should take the grease right off.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

Oh, regarding the value. It dropped because of the Rubies Supreme - even though that is a less accurate helmet, the price helps to pull everything else down. At least that's how it looks to me.

Cheers.

 

[Qui-Gonzalez]

Even though I am tweaking mine, to this day, I have no desire to get rid of it. I am more of a hoarder than a collector. LOL

 

[PHArchivist]

Another option - though its not a true representation of Vader - is the exploded Luke head version from ESB.

 

[Too Much Garlic]

That would be a sad waste of one of these. Better to use a Rubies Supreme for that.

 

[chris1748]

I have seen some people use Armor All on their C/A. it leaves it shiny with no scratches.

Chris