Widening a helmet bowl?

[Virilis]

Salvete Omnes!

I have squashed several helmet bowls (length- & sideways) to get a better fit. Now I have a question how to widen an old helmet (not the one in the picture). The cheek pieces are on the way so is there any tool / technique which I can use to draw (or push) the sides of the the helmet bowl more wide apart from each other? Squashing the helmet bowl lengthwise is not an option here. Thanks in advance! Here`s a pic which might make mey meaning a bit more clear:

[Cavok]

Saddlers quite often adjust saddle trees with a wooden form and a press.
In this case i would make myself a form about the shape you want tapered at the bottom and slowly tap it in. You should put some screws/hooks in first as well to make it easier to pull out.

Safest would also be to make an outside form so nothing can collapse. Alternatively make a sand bag form on the outside to stop any deformation.

Probably some much better ideas out there though

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Something I have puzzled over too.
A jack might work, but possibly cause damage too.

[Cavok]

A jack would just deform it sideways while drawing in the front and back.

Thats why you would need a form of roughly the right shape for at least the inside so that you stretch it out rather than deforming.

As said ideally you should support the outside but if carefull the inside form should do it.

[jvrjenivs]

I'm not sure if that is a good idea, especially as this is a helmet made of different (nicely aligned) parts. Better ask Robert to look at it, than demolish it yourself.

[Cavok]

Could allways squash the head a bit

[Virilis]

Thanks guys!

The helmet I am modifying is not the helmet in the picture. The band around the helmet which need to be broadened is easily bent, no risk of breaking the helmet. It is just very difficult to get inside the bowl to do that, due to the cheek pieces...

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Thats why I thought of a small scissor jack. if your careful, it could work.

[Virilis]

Thats why I thought of a small scissor jack. if your careful, it could work.

Scissor jack, that might be it! Thanks Byron!

[Dean Cunningham metalsmit]

Or two pieces of wood against the bowl and a wedge shaped piece of wood hammered between them. Or a jack as previously mentioned.

[Virilis]

Thanks Dean, this wood-thing sounds like a simple solution!

[richard robinson]

either remove the cheek pieces or tie them back??
Use a wooden mallet to not mark the metal?
Heat the metal (does the new helmet have leather on it -if so this is a bad idea)

good luck,

Richard

[Virilis]

Hi Richard!

In fact the attachment of the cheek guards are such a complicated structure that it is too difficult to remove then. The band which connects the bowl and the cheek pieces is quite thin and easily bent without much force, it is just difficult to "get in there" to make the operation. The problem is that the hinges scratch my vulcan ears :wink: ...