"You're gonna need something to put your brains in!" My mother likes to remind me of this at a high level of decibels. Well, whatever it is, it might as well look cool, right? Right. This has been the decisive train of thought for centuries. Helmets have always done a little more than what they are supposed to do. Take a look at the ancient Greek and Roman warriors with their helmets adorned with giant Mohawks. What protective function did this have? None, but it sure looked tough. Even the Conquistadors' (no, not the GMC version of the El Camino) helmets were in vogue at the time they decimated the Aztec empire.
Following the natural course of history-and the introduction of metalflake to the general populous in 1960 by the Dobeckmun Corporation as the coolest thing ever-the metalflake helmet was born. Just about every helmet manufacturer began producing their own version, most with a gimmick or special feature to set them apart from the rest. These helmets (now vintage) have withstood the test of time, and despite interior deterioration, were readily available everywhere one looked. Readily available that is, until the advent of that dang interweb machine spoiled everything. Gone are the days of the swap meet helmet for a fistful of clams.
Do not fret, true believer, for the craftsmen at Biltwell Inc. saw this plague and decided to do something about it. Today is now the day of the Biltwell Open Faced Novelty Helmet. Resplendent in a plethora of metaflake hues (plus silver and black), these helmets are brand new, lighter, and much more comfortable than those overpriced antiquities. What's more is that these helmets just beg for a Kustom period paintjob. Yes, beg. Follow along as yours truly puts two of these helmets through the full treatment with very basic painting techniques for a far out finish.
Biltwell inc.
(951) 699-1500
www.biltwellinc.com
The Harpoon
harpoonkustompaint@hotmail.com
Your Local Crafts,Hobby or Paint Shop
Materials Needed For This Article
Helmet 1
-Masking Tape
-1 packet Varigated Gold Leaf
-Gold Leaf size
-2 Foam brushes
-Patch of velvet
-Pinstripe paint, brush,and reducer
-Outdoor Varnish
-A slow hand, easy touch
Helmet 2
-Masking tape
-Spray paint
-Lazy Susan
-Pinstripe paint, brush, and reducer
-Elephants
Beautiful right out of the box. Here we have a root beer and gold metalflake helmet as delivered. A striking color combo to be sure, and inspiration for my first kustom creation. | 
What you see is about everything I used to beautify this helmet. Vintage variegated gold leaf from West Germany. Real Cold War stuff here, kiddos. The variegated leaf is not really gold, but tarnished copper leaf available in a multitude of hues. Gold Leaf size, application brushes, 1/8-inch masking tape, and pinstriping utensils. | 
I start out with an asymmetrical scallop layout inspired by old drag race helmets of the 1960s. "Big Daddy" Don Garlits had a real sweet one in this style. |
After my layout is finished in a satisfactory manner, I apply the gold leaf size with one of my foam brushes-throw this away after, so as to not confuse this brush with the one you will be using later. There are many sizes out there, but I prefer to use a fast drying waterbased size. Note: If you plan for an engine turned effect, use a slower drying size and a non-variegated gold leaf. | 
I like to use the booklet that contains the leaf as an applicator-just spread it on. Be careful, as the leaf is very fragile. No, Fragile is not a city in Italy. | 
Use your second foam brush to gently remove the excess leaf that has not adhered to the size. |
A nice piece of velvet works great to smooth out the leaf and insure adhesion into the size. | 
Apply a pinstripe over the semi-rough edge to clean everything up, and you are almost done. | 
The leaf is delicate and will not hold up to the elements very well, or to regular wear and tear, so a clearcoat is needed. I brushed on an outdoor urethane. Make sure to apply several even coats to ensure adequate protection and glossiness. What's really neato is this varnish changed my white stripes to a sweet cream color. Delicious. |
The worlds largest Yo-Yo! No, not really. After a talk with our fearless leader and our affinity for Ed Roth's 1956 F-100, I decided this helmet would need some flames inspired by that Classic Truck. So here is the beginning of my layout. When my layouts are to be asymmetrical I don't plan, just flow. | 
Since the negative area was to be painted, the tips need to be carefully trimmed like this! | 
like this! |