How to Restore a Baseball Helmet
A baseball helmet is one of the most important pieces of equipment any player wears. The baseball helmet is required at all levels of the game and many youth leagues require a face mask to be attached to the helmet, as well. However, it's not enough to just slip on any helmet and then step up to the plate. You have to take care of the helmet and make sure it is in good working order or you won't get all the protection you expect from it.
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Instructions
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Keep your helmet clean and looking good. This is not just to make a good appearance when you go to the plate. Many players who use pine tar in order to get a good grip on the bat will wipe the excess tar on their helmet. This makes for an ugly and sticky combination. However, pine tar on your helmet can obscure a small crack, chip or dent. You will not be protected if you go to the plate with a chipped helmet.
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Make sure the strap under the chin is in good working order. In many youth leagues, you are required to snap on your helmet when you step to the plate. The chin strap can usually be adjusted for size, but it must be snapped to the side of your helmet for maximum protection. Make sure the snap is not damaged when you step up to the plate. If it is, you will need to replace it.
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Check the padding inside the helmet. You are not just wearing a hard plastic shell on your head. Your helmet has padding on the sides of the head as well as around the ear. If this padding is worn or frayed, it's time to replace it. You can buy padding at most sporting goods stores and you can apply it by peeling off the old padding, tearing the backing off the new padding and using your fingers to put it in place.
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Detail your helmet at the start of every season. Helmets, like catcher's masks and goalie's masks, have given the inner artist in many athletes a chance to express themselves. Take a stencil and spray paint to put a design on your helmet.
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Change the face mask as you get bigger and older. You may need more room in order to be comfortable when standing at the plate. As a player gets older, a bigger face mask may be necessary to make sure the player does not feel "jammed in" to his mask.
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