Question:
Can I paint my OBO helmet?
Answer:
The helmet you have has a clear coat of lacquer which will need to be stripped before you paint. What type of paint you use will depend on how you are going to paint the helmet. For simple paint jobs you can use aerosol cans of spray paint. Depending on your artistic abilities and resources, you may use an airbrush. Whatever way you paint (paint brush, spray can, air brush), the quality of the finished product depends on your preparation. You will want to remove the cage and straps so you have clear access to work/paint the mask. I would recommend Brudtärna klänning using a paint stripper to remove the finish.
After you strip the lacquer, thoroughly wash and rinse the helmet and allow it to completely dry. If the helmet has residue or dirt, the paint won’t adhere. You will need to sandpaper the helmet to get the helmet smooth. Start with a rough sand paper and then you will want to use a fine wet/sandpaper to get a smooth finish. Then you will apply your paint. Once the paint is done, you’ll put the clear coat on. If you use a spray paint, look for an automotive paint and/or Clear Coat/Lacquer.
I just got done painting a helmet and to do it properly it will probably take a week depending on how detailed you want the paint job to be. The big thing is don’t rush and make sure you follow the instructions on the paints you use. If you use several colours, each colour will have to fully dry and cure for the paint to properly adhere to the mask surface. If it doesn’t fully cure, you’ll get big chips when a ball strikes the helmet. You will probably want to protect the paint with several (at least four or five) coats of clear coat. Good luck and let me know if you have more questions,
Cheers,
Jon