Hacking a SHZ-84 Soviet aviation helmet

Recently I bought a SHZ-84 helmet, only to find that its headphones didn't work... so I changed them.

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Step 1: Removing ear muffs

Materials:
1)SHZ-84
2)knife
3)old headphones
4)glue
5)soldering iron
6)music player (my phone)
7)black tape
First you have to cut off the yellowish ear muff things. Do this very carefully by simply cutting the yellow muffs from the fur and rubber. Now you should see the speakers inside their rubber casing, just pop them out. Unscrew the red and green wire from the speaker-tablets and pull the wires from the helmet.

discovery says: Mar 22, 2012. 7:16 AM

Can you tell me what brand is a nice knife on second picture?

Robc155 says: Apr 1, 2009. 7:51 AM

wow perfect dude, looking to do something to a helmet like this, or to a motorcycle helmet since in florida you can't ride with in ear or over ear headphones just ones that are connected to the helmet. THANKS MAN AWESOME

mr_sulcus says: Nov 30, 2008. 8:17 AM

Brilliant! Just picked the exact same thing up in Berlin for this purpose. So far, taken the old speakers out (after not being able to hook them up). Just got to get a pair of new headphones to stick in. Did you have any trouble finding a pair that fitted? I'm planning on using a shorter wire and folding it upside the rear flap of the helmet where my ipod shuffle will fit. Can also make a long extension cord for when its in my pocket.

cubester808 says: Mar 30, 2008. 7:13 PM

nice instructable, but who on earth owns a helmet like that

bustedit in reply to cubester808Nov 10, 2008. 11:20 AM

i do, sort of. mine is all fabric with padded ribs, more like a tanker helmet, but it was sold as a pilots, which is probably incorrect. (i'm partial to german militaria, but i won this one for $1 plus $7 shipping on ebay!) It took me 4 days to get the musty mildew odor out of it, now i'm going to fiddle with the innards. It also has 2 throat mics, and I'm hoping the brutal cleaning I gave it didnt destroy them.

Full Frontal Graphic in reply to cubester808Apr 1, 2008. 1:45 AM

densad does.

densad (author) in reply to Full Frontal GraphicApr 1, 2008. 10:56 AM

Thats right, i do :)

dooseyboy says: Nov 9, 2008. 3:20 AM

this would have been really cool if you kept the mic on it. also it would have been awesome as an xbox360 headset if everything was right. imagine playing halo 3 with that thing on!! :D

densad (author) in reply to dooseyboyNov 10, 2008. 2:36 AM

there originally was no mic. thats what the white nub on the end of the second wire is for. I'm going to add a mic eventually, I'm just kind of low on cash at the moment. playing halo 3 in this thing would be awesome if it weren't for 2 things: 1) your head would get hot. 2) I don't have xbox live:(

casey321b says: May 21, 2008. 9:57 AM

the head thats under the hat is creepy

ego waffle says: Apr 22, 2008. 8:15 PM

Sick hat!!

spiderham says: Apr 3, 2008. 2:23 PM

He's not kidding about the Moscow thing. They're a dime a dozen in Arbat. I got one with the face mask for about $40 US along with a bunch of other old Soviet military goodies on my last trip to see the "Non mail-order" in-laws. Leebryuk, I got a tank helmet too, similar, but made of green fabric.

Sandisk1duo says: Mar 30, 2008. 4:53 PM

spetzclay? nice, striaght from the motherland! so do you live in the motherland?

densad (author) in reply to Sandisk1duoMar 31, 2008. 11:03 AM

yes i do... in moscow

Sandisk1duo in reply to densadMar 31, 2008. 7:04 PM

Nice, i used to live in Belarus, your neighbor to the west, but then "lukashenka" became a dictator, and my grandpa was in the government, so we moved.

densad (author) in reply to Sandisk1duoApr 1, 2008. 10:57 AM

dude, thats awsome! my grandma's from Belarus

Sandisk1duo in reply to densadApr 2, 2008. 7:15 AM

we're practically brothers!

leebryuk says: Mar 31, 2008. 4:57 AM

Are you sure that this isn't a tank helmet? In high school I wanted to buy a full American Helmet with the slidable visors and a comm/oyygen mask. Just to drive around in. Couldn't afford and this was well before the eBay days. It would of rocked. Sitting in a beater with a full combat helmet and comm/oxgen mask on. Now I just sit in a beater and drive around. But the youth of the world give me hope that one day the too will fullfill my fantasy of grounded aviators in their cars. Blue Sky!

densad (author) in reply to leebryukMar 31, 2008. 11:06 AM

i am sure. i checked with my grandfather (he work at a tank factory while he was in the army) & his freind who was a paratrooper. ( 60's-70's). and yes that would really rock.

shaunak says: Mar 31, 2008. 1:30 AM

How cool is that!! I wish I could get my hands on one...

darkmuskrat says: Mar 30, 2008. 6:45 PM

In Soviet Russia, Helmet mods You!!!

jaysbob says: Mar 30, 2008. 1:26 PM

wow neato. probably much more comfortable than wearing a winter hat AND earphones at the same time.

duck-lemon says: Mar 30, 2008. 11:43 AM

nice this is a most excellent instructable!

GorillazMiko says: Mar 30, 2008. 11:07 AM

Awesome job! This somehow reminds me of CameronSS.

joejoerowley says: Mar 29, 2008. 2:24 PM

Cool! Thats so awesome. I want one! Nice instructable!

densad (author) in reply to joejoerowleyMar 30, 2008. 6:46 AM

If you're ever in Russia (Moscow), go to the old Arbat. they go for about $75

thearchitect says: Mar 29, 2008. 4:58 PM

OMG! Years ago (15?), I bought a pair of headphones from a marketplace which sold odd stuff from old Soviet block. Exactly the same speakers with three little holes on them. Your pics took me back to my childhood memories... :-) Cool helmet. K.

thearchitect in reply to thearchitectMar 29, 2008. 4:59 PM

Oh, by the way the sound quality was crappy. So I kept on using my Sony ones (just like the ones you installed in the helmet). :-) K.

densad (author) in reply to thearchitectMar 30, 2008. 6:44 AM

That is the main reason I changed the speakers (besides the lack of a proper jack)