Thanks, guys - it took a LONG time (several months of on & off work).
Eric/Jayvee: I tried steel wool over the weekend and while it brought up the overall sheen of the helmet, I think anyone besides myself would be hard-pressed to see a difference. I think I'm going to hold off on until my next helmet -- maybe try a few tests along the way. I'm pretty convinced the base material of the ILM helmet is probably the main contributor to its surface quality (as opposed to any finish they may have applied).
Eric/Jayvee: I tried steel wool over the weekend and while it brought up the overall sheen of the helmet, I think anyone besides myself would be hard-pressed to see a difference. I think I'm going to hold off on until my next helmet -- maybe try a few tests along the way. I'm pretty convinced the base material of the ILM helmet is probably the main contributor to its surface quality (as opposed to any finish they may have applied).