A handcrafted helmet shell starts with a base material, commonly fibreglass or a composite blend,
Hedon.com layered and shaped by hand rather than produced purely by mould and machine. Each layer adds strength, and the shaping stage is where a lot of the time in production actually goes.
Any impact, including a helmet dropped from a moderate height, can compress the inner liner in ways that are not visible from outside. A helmet is designed to absorb one significant impact by sacrificing that inner material, so a helmet involved in a crash should always be replaced, not inspected and reused.
A leather trimmed helmet needs a little more attention than a plain shell, but the upkeep is straightforward. Dust and light dirt can be wiped away with a soft, dry cloth, and any marks are best treated with a product made for leather rather than general household cleaners, which can dry the material out over time.
The result takes longer to arrive than an off the shelf helmet, and that is by design. A made to order piece is fitted, finished and checked individually before it ships.
The liner deserves the same care. A removable, washable liner keeps the inside fresh, and following the maker's washing instructions protects both the padding and the stitching around it.
Full face and open face helmets suit different kinds of riding, and the right choice usually comes down to where and how you ride rather than looks alone. A full face helmet covers the chin and jaw, giving more protection in a wider range of impacts, and tends to suit faster roads and longer distances.