[Jake Blake]

If you will cut that cap at the factory crease, just above the base, smooth the cut a little with a grinder (very little) then glue it back together with silver silicon, no one will ever know it was taken apart.

I am doing one right now - usually this style of cap is newer than the radios I prefer to work on - anyway if you would like to see pictures - - -

Yes bud, one pic,... a 1000 words.  I would appreciate it.
...I'm a little confused at what you just said. The crease is at the TOP of these caps, not the bottom. . .  .but I thought you indicated cutting at the base. If I attempt this again, I'm leaning toward favoring cutting at the bottom, which looks like it would facilitate the working of the new caps, as well as enabling a crimping of the base , then fitting the top over the base, covering a lot of sins.   It's clear my drawback was not having a Dremmel-type tool.