Sorry to hear you are having so much trouble. Honestly, I have not seen so many cracks in armor before. It makes me wonder if the pull was a little brittle. Not the same kit, but I clam-shell my thighs and that means I am pulling them apart and squeezing them back together all the time with no cracks or pressure marks. Anyway, I think you are going about it the right way as far as fixing. Your armor, after approval, will still be a constant project, so hang in there.