Custom Leather Fire Helmet Fronts
Traditional leather helmet fronts — hand-cut, hand-stamped, and hand-stitched by a working firefighter since 2013.
A fire helmet front — also called a shield, a front-piece, or just a "front" — is the leather nameplate mounted to the front of your fire helmet. It carries your department, your company, and your last name. In FDNY and most East Coast departments, it's almost always called a "front" — never a shield. On the West Coast and in most modern helmet manuals, it's called a shield. Either way, we make them.
Every front we ship is cut from two stacked layers of 9oz vegetable-tanned leather, lettered with hand-stamped steel punches, and saddle-stitched together with waxed thread. No printing, no vinyl, no decals. The lettering is punched into the leather — it will outlast the helmet.
Brian Williams — a 25-year captain at Kansas City, Kansas Fire Department — has been making leather helmet fronts since 2013. Every front that ships out of our shop goes out the door with the same scrutiny Brian applies to his own gear. If it's not good enough for his helmet, it's not shipping to yours.
The front is the one piece of a firefighter's gear that's allowed to carry personality. Your rank. Your company. Your department's style. The shape you grew up with in your firehouse. The shape in the gear-display case of the guy who retired before you showed up. It carries the story of the career.
FDNY & East Coast Styles
Traditional eagle-topped fronts, Kingpin shapes, Legacy Passport, and classic three-rocker layouts. Cut for Cairns N6A Leatherhead and other traditional leather helmets.
Midwest & West Coast Shields
Solo, Crew, Blackout, and modern clean-line shapes for composite helmets (Phenix TL-2, Bullard UST, MSA Cairns XF1, Morning Pride).
Hand-Stamped Lettering
Every letter is individually stamped into the leather with steel letter punches — the same technique used on leather fronts since the 1800s. No vinyl, no print, no decals.
Gold-Leaf & Antique Finishes
Traditional gold-leaf lettering, antique leather finishes, and hand-inked details available as upgrades. Ask before ordering.
Shop Helmet Fronts
Shields
The Classic
Made to Order ~ 21 Day Production
Shields
The Crew
Made to Order ~ 21 Day Production
Shields
The Kingpin
Made to Order ~ 21 Day Production
Shields
Blackout Edition
Made to Order ~ 21 Day Production
Shields
Legacy Passport
Made to Order ~ 21 Day Production
Shields
Thin Red Line
Made to Order ~ 21 Day Production
Shields
The Solo
Made to Order ~ 21 Day Production
Shields
The Titan
Made to Order ~ 21 Day Production
Shields
The Galt
Made to Order ~ 21 Day Production
Shields
El Capitan
Shields
Antique Shield
Made to Order ~ 21 Day Production
Shields
Replacement Passport
Build Your Own in the Shield Builder
Design your own helmet front in the builder — pick the shape, rocker layout, leather color, and lettering. See it before you buy.
Open Shield BuilderHelmet Front FAQ
What's the difference between a fire helmet front and a shield?
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Nothing — they're the same product with two different names. On the East Coast, especially in FDNY and most traditional departments, it's called a 'front' or 'helmet front.' On the West Coast, the Midwest, and in most modern helmet manuals, it's called a 'shield.' The leather piece mounted to the front of your helmet is the same whether you call it a front, a shield, a front-piece, or a badge.
Do you make true FDNY-style fronts?
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Yes. Our Kingpin, Classic, and Legacy Passport shapes are true FDNY-style leather fronts — hand-cut, hand-stitched, with traditional rocker layouts and eagle fronts where called for. Brian Williams has been making these for 12+ years and we ship to FDNY members regularly.
Can you do gold-leaf and antique lettering?
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Yes. Gold-leaf lettering is available as an upgrade on any traditional front. We also do antique-finish leather and hand-inked lettering for old-school vibes. Message us before ordering with the specific finish you want.
Will your fronts fit Cairns traditional leatherheads?
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Yes. Our 6.25" and 6.75" sizes are specifically cut to fit Cairns N6A Leatherhead, Cairns 1010/1044/1050, and other traditional leather fire helmets. If you're running a Phenix TL-2 or Bullard UST, the 6" size is what you want.
How long does a custom front take to make?
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Standard production is 5-7 business days. Promotion-day rush orders are available with a 5-day guarantee. Bulk department orders are 2-4 weeks.