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Would rit dye change the integrity of a helmet?

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Jiberfish
Posts: 1041 - Karma: 310
I have 2 blue helmets and i want to dye one of them black. Ill take out the foam and then dye the helmet shell using rit dye but im afraid it will change the integrity of the helmet and make it weaker. Would it matter?

PLEASE HELP!
+k for help!!!!
Jul 12 2012 11:01PM
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james6345789
Posts: 4763 - Karma: 465
You want to boil the shell?...
Jul 12 2012 11:06PM
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cwphoto
Posts: 2332 - Karma: 780
i don't have any experience with dyeing, but since so many people use rit dye to dye their full tilts or other boot shells, i doubt it would
Jul 12 2012 11:07PM
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Jiberfish
Posts: 1041 - Karma: 310
idk man just however u do it using rit dye. ive heard it ruins the plastic and ive heard it doesnt matter. just wanting to ask the people of ns if it would matter.


Jul 12 2012 11:14PM
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james6345789
Posts: 4763 - Karma: 465
Well for rit dye, it requires you boil the plastic. Helmets are serious business, don't boil/dye/paint them. These can all do bad things to the plastic, making it unsafe. i don't know the exact reasons, but members like onenerdykid do.
Jul 13 2012 12:00AM
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hokkanee
Posts: 1800 - Karma: 435
I really wouldn't suggest doing that. I imagine that it would severely damage the foam under the shell
Jul 13 2012 12:20AM
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Jiberfish
Posts: 1041 - Karma: 310
reread the thread. i said i would TAKE OUT the foam first
Jul 13 2012 12:49AM
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NoSkillsCrew
Posts: 1197 - Karma: 2,058
spray paint son. Seriously. Spray paint. DO NOT BOIL YOUR HELMET. Another thing I'm not to up on dyes but I am pretty sure RIT dye is meant for fabrics not plastics. You would be way better off painting it black.
Jul 13 2012 2:45AM
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hokkanee
Posts: 1800 - Karma: 435
Oops... Definitely just read the title.
Jul 13 2012 8:25AM
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TimRiley
Posts: 1873 - Karma: 1,327

I don't think I would risk comprimising the safety of your helmet. Could you just put some stickers on it to make it look different from your other one?

Jul 13 2012 9:18AM
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NoSkillsCrew
Posts: 1197 - Karma: 2,058
explain exactly how that makes any sense?

if its a cold water dye then fine. but most RIT dyes need a heat process to stick to plastic.
Jul 13 2012 9:23AM
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Jiberfish
Posts: 1041 - Karma: 310
My friend recently painted his helmet black (he followed all instructions on how to do it) and it chipped right off when he was peeling a sticker off of it. he has also died his ft tongues purple and they turned out fine and the same flex and everything... I just still dont know about dyeing a helmet
Please help guys
Jul 13 2012 3:57PM
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Hubsta
Posts: 1279 - Karma: 156
The whole point of a helmet is to save your head, and potentially your life. So why compromise that with what some 14 year old kid 'thinks' on the internet.
Jul 13 2012 6:20PM
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Nati513
Posts: 679 - Karma: 25
It would forsure take away the strength of the helmet because you have to toss it in boiling water causing the plastic to get weaker. I used to work at a lacrosse store and once you die a head it loses warrenty because they break much easier after being died.
Jul 13 2012 7:34PM
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smokeyjack2000
Posts: 154 - Karma: 60
For every one that is saying that boiling in RIT would destroy the integrity of the helmet surely the same is true of boots and yet many seem to dye their boots. Whats the craic with this?
Jul 13 2012 8:18PM
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TNORTS
Posts: 2076 - Karma: 2,753
your boots don.t protect your brain...your helmet does
Jul 14 2012 12:11AM
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james6345789
Posts: 4763 - Karma: 465
Dude just please don't dye it. Boiling something that protects your head can't be a good idea.
Jul 14 2012 12:29AM
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NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,409
If it's a fiberglass hardshell helmet, its paintable, however it WILL NOT ACCEPT DYE.

If it's a very thin and light microshell helmet, it will likely accept dye however it will probably melt/warp. deform/ruin integrity at temperature.

I painted my hardshell biking helmet and it has held up fine. If it's a hardshell helmet with a styrofoam liner, you will need to mask off the liner or else it will disolve via the solvents in the paint.

I do not suggest dyeing or painting your helmet unless you're experience with these sorts of things.
Jul 14 2012 12:32AM
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NoSkillsCrew
Posts: 1197 - Karma: 2,058
bam with a hit of sanity. THIS SO MUCH.
Jul 14 2012 1:40AM
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bustinthejus
Posts: 2419 - Karma: 74
Good fucking lord, he's not debating whether or not the same process is used for goggles, he's alluding to the fact that you are boiling and dying plastic that it supposed to be protecting your noggin... Why risk fucking it up? Besides, I'm pretty sure helmets come with a warning not to paint them...
Jul 14 2012 2:18AM
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BrewskiJr
Posts: 5738 - Karma: 1,478
No matter what, boiling any plastic changes the integrity. I dye lacrosse heads professionally and it definitely makes them weaker. Sorry to say, it technically makes boots weaker as well. I wouldn't fuck with a helmet. Thats way to important.
Jul 14 2012 8:22AM
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7springsprod
Posts: 2661 - Karma: 3,181
/endthread
Jul 14 2012 10:33AM
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Jiberfish
Posts: 1041 - Karma: 310
Thanks for a legit answer man +k
Jul 14 2012 8:11PM
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