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How to clean and repair your M-1 helmet


vintageproductions
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vintageproductions

This was in the Japanese militaria magazine Combat last month.

 

Look how much you can do in just a few easy steps......

 

hlm1.jpg

 

hlm2.jpg

 

hlm3.jpg

 

hlm4.jpg

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ArchangelDM

It gets worse, folks!

 

This has always been my worst nightmare.... Not a helmet, but, had to post it.

 

Aktuelles_062.jpg

 

I think Ive just been sick -

 

Now thats just plain wrong

 

Dean

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I don't see anything wrong with restoring the shell itself, but seeing he used an angle grinder on it and what he did to the liner just kills me.Honestly it looks great, but it just makes me cringe when I see that he sanded all the original paint.Should have just left it alone.

 

Sent from my SM-J727VPP using Tapatalk

 

 

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ArchangelDM

I don't see anything wrong with restoring the shell itself, but seeing he used an angle grinder on it and what he did to the liner just kills me.Honestly it looks great, but it just makes me cringe when I see that he sanded all the original paint.Should have just left it alone.

 

Sent from my SM-J727VPP using Tapatalk

Would have to disagree

 

Best to leave a helmet as found, no need for restoration on any helmet, why erase the history ? Plenty of euroclones out there or Other helmets that have met the same fate.

 

Best to leave history alone if you ask me

 

Dean

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huntssurplus

Would have to disagree

 

Best to leave a helmet as found, no need for restoration on any helmet, why erase the history ? Plenty of euroclones out there or Other helmets that have met the same fate.

 

Best to leave history alone if you ask me

 

Dean

 

Couldn't agree more. Leaving it as is, is the best thing you can do.

 

Hunt

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Some collectors will scrub off every trace of rust and wash every speck of dirt out of the webbing because otherwise "it will continue to deteriorate". This is just the logical extension of that philosophy.

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huntssurplus

Some collectors will scrub off every trace of rust and wash every speck of dirt out of the webbing because otherwise "it will continue to deteriorate". This is just the logical extension of that philosophy.

 

Who cares if the dirt is from the sands of Iwo Jima or the rust is from the water of the Rhine?

 

Now another argument is that the rust is from bad storage, but I would think that it is impossible to restore a helmet to its original condition by taking off the rust and then repainting it.

 

Hunt

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This reminds me of a meeting I had with a veteran who had answered an ad I was running many years ago. He was an 11th AB vet, Philippines and post war occupation. I was able to buy some beautiful Japanese made 11th items. He took me to the garage to show me his helmet that he had recently sandblasted and re-painted. He had told me it had old faded painting and markings from when he was in Japan and wanted to spruce it up and show me. I said nothing as he was so happy with how it turned out

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looks like a para no less,strip,buff,prime and paint.................oh man

1980s nylon chin strap with the webb chin strap

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This reminds me of a meeting I had with a veteran who had answered an ad I was running many years ago. He was an 11th AB vet, Philippines and post war occupation. I was able to buy some beautiful Japanese made 11th items. He took me to the garage to show me his helmet that he had recently sandblasted and re-painted. He had told me it had old faded painting and markings from when he was in Japan and wanted to spruce it up and show me. I said nothing as he was so happy with how it turned out

In that case, I think he was entitled to do whatever he wanted to it...

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Patchcollector

What brand of dishwasher do you have? Mine doesn't have a "helmet" setting.

Mikie

 

 

 

I use the "Heavy Duty" setting,and for really soiled helmets I throw in some bleach and a cup full of sand to help scour the grunge out.Then I finish with a nice sandpaper drying session.Works wonders ;)

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ludwigh1980

Looks like a late vietnam shell and liner with the 1980 chinstrap as mentioned earlier. Looks like they were restoring the red brown paint primer found on Vietnam era shells. Helmets of this period in the condition that was originally shown, are almost impossible to give away. It looks like to me they were restoring it back to a Vietnam Wartime configuration possibly for reenacting. I have seen a lot worse to vietnam era lids when in the hands of sculptural artists. If some-one can get some enjoyment out of a late production M1 helmet, great. Better than rusting away in a pile as I have seen.

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GeneralCheese

This is amateur hour.

 

The steps to refurb your M1 properly are as follows:

 

1. Chop those ratty old chinstraps off

 

2. Pluck the bales and rim off using needle-nose pliers

 

3. Put it in a sandblast chamber and get rid of all that gross lead paint

 

4. Heat forge up 2,275°F, or 1,246°C for our non-American friends

 

5. Throw helmet in, wait till it's entirely melted

 

6. Pour the steel out and let it cool

 

7. Restamp your helmet (using original helmet molds only, otherwise it won't be original)

 

8. Reattach the bales and rim

 

9. Repaint using your favorite outdoor spray paint

 

Donezo, now you have a completely original, restored M1 helmet!

 

post-30085-0-65732400-1531675785_thumb.jpg

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