Cairns 5A/N5A/N6A Maintenance Procedures Remember, your leather helmet is made from the hide of an American steer. While this hide is very tough, it has many of the same limitations as your own skin. Special care should be taken to avoid Alkali or strong acids; also strong solvents such as lacquer thinner or acetone should be avoided. Your leather helmet does not have any oils or preservatives in it. In fact, none are needed since the leather fibers have been impregnated with a hardening agent. Silicone, leather preservatives, and other such products should not be used on the helmet. Unlike human skin, the thick steer hide of your leather helmet can withstand a considerable amount of heat over short periods of time. Leather helmets have performed very well in atmospheres approximating 300 degrees Fahrenheit for upwards of 20-30 minutes. The conditions most detrimental to your leather helmet’s longevity are the exposure of the leather itself to drying and/or the continuous cycle of wetting and drying. All exposed leather should be covered with either a high grade primer and/or paint. It is not recommended to store your leather helmet in areas subject to high heat. Also, leather helmets equipped with ratchet headbands should be stored upside down in order to not deform the ratchet band. Cleaning After each use, the helmet should be rinsed with clean water to remove all dirt and debris. At this time, it could be washed with a mild detergent and luke warm water to more actively remove the grime of fire. To remove drippings of tar, the leather itself can be treated with a type of tar remover used in the automotive industry. Other spots can be cleaned with alcohol if an organic solvent is required. After cleaning your helmet it should be inspected for cracks or deformities to the shell and/or impact cap. For more information, contact Cairns/MSA Customer Service at: 1-877-MSA-FIRE
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