trenchfoot Posted October 19, 2019 Share #1 Posted October 19, 2019 Hello guys. I have been stripping a repaint off of a ww2 m1 helmet that has 4 medic crosses underneath. While the red crosses have been very easy to uncover with Goof-Off, the white roundels are fragile and Goof-Off takes the white paint off too. Can anyone recommend an alternative product or method that may work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
917601 Posted October 19, 2019 Share #2 Posted October 19, 2019 Goof off uses Ethanols, alcohols, and glycol based ingredients. One of those are effecting the white. See the MSDS sheet. https://images.homedepot-static.com/catalog/pdfImages/f6/f687ff43-ffee-48f7-b637-b478576d5a22.pdf I have always used acetone to thin and remove vintage FS standard paints. Lead based paint was outlawed in the 1970's, tough but toxic. Acetone flashes off very, very quickly, one swipe at a time. Do not saturate the cloth at first, slightly DAMP only at first. Unfortunately it can easily remove ( instead of thin) without warning. Swipe, let it flash off, swipe, flash off. Resist using a saturated cloth. I had remarkable results with a WW2 blue training grenade ( lead based paint) that was repainted OD with a modern ingredient rattle can paint. Most modern quick dry paints use acetone or xylene bases. Get back with us with results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchfoot Posted October 19, 2019 Author Share #3 Posted October 19, 2019 Goof off uses Ethanols, alcohols, and glycol based ingredients. One of those are effecting the white. See the MSDS sheet. https://images.homedepot-static.com/catalog/pdfImages/f6/f687ff43-ffee-48f7-b637-b478576d5a22.pdf I have always used acetone to thin and remove vintage FS standard paints. Lead based paint was outlawed in the 1970's, tough but toxic. Acetone flashes off very, very quickly, one swipe at a time. Do not saturate the cloth at first, slightly DAMP only at first. Unfortunately it can easily remove ( instead of thin) without warning. Swipe, let it flash off, swipe, flash off. Resist using a saturated cloth. I had remarkable results with a WW2 blue training grenade ( lead based paint) that was repainted OD with a modern ingredient rattle can paint. Most modern quick dry paints use acetone or xylene bases. Get back with us with results. Thanks! Ill give that a shot on a small area and see if it works Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt. Kelly Posted October 19, 2019 Share #4 Posted October 19, 2019 If you really want to be gentle you should use cotton swabs instead of a rag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchfoot Posted October 19, 2019 Author Share #5 Posted October 19, 2019 If you really want to be gentle you should use cotton swabs instead of a rag Absolutely. I want to be as careful as possible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil b Posted October 20, 2019 Share #6 Posted October 20, 2019 would love to see pics of your progress Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchfoot Posted October 20, 2019 Author Share #7 Posted October 20, 2019 Here's my progress, and you guys may have seen this one eBay about a week ago. In hand it was extremely obvious there were medic crosses underneath the repaint, so I decided to make them visible but to leave the 3rd ID and captains insignia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchfoot Posted October 20, 2019 Author Share #8 Posted October 20, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchfoot Posted October 20, 2019 Author Share #9 Posted October 20, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt. Kelly Posted October 21, 2019 Share #10 Posted October 21, 2019 Incredible helmet! Making decisions on the restoration philosophy on this one is tough though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
everforward Posted October 21, 2019 Share #11 Posted October 21, 2019 Question: You’ve made great progress on this helmet, and with your efforts up to this point everyone can see how the helmet was configured under the repainting- it looks pretty cool even with just a little white showing. How much would it matter to try and complete the job, considering the proof we see already....? Either way this looks pretty cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchfoot Posted October 21, 2019 Author Share #12 Posted October 21, 2019 I understand what you mean. It’s more of a preference on my side, and with the new method, the white paint has been as easy to uncover as the red was. I told myself that if the stripping got too difficult where it would damage the helmet, I would stop, but that has not happened yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgtdorango Posted October 21, 2019 Share #13 Posted October 21, 2019 Great results so far, are you using goof off or acetone?....i know everyone will have different opinions on this but its a cool helmet either way....mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchfoot Posted October 21, 2019 Author Share #14 Posted October 21, 2019 I used goof off on the red crosses and acetone on the white. I figured this may spark a debate but I stand by my choice Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B24AT6 Posted October 21, 2019 Share #15 Posted October 21, 2019 I just missed out on this lid, and to be honest my heart sank when I opened this thread. I understand it was your choice to make, but now I wish I had a little bit more to throw at a bid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchfoot Posted October 21, 2019 Author Share #16 Posted October 21, 2019 I just missed out on this lid, and to be honest my heart sank when I opened this thread. I understand it was your choice to make, but now I wish I had a little bit more to throw at a bid. I understand, and I figured there would be a reaction like this. I have not done this to helmets of this level before, but something about this one spoke to me so I made the decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B24AT6 Posted October 21, 2019 Share #17 Posted October 21, 2019 I can understand why it would be an attractive option, and I appreciate that you gave thought to the reaction you may get for stripping the helmet. I personally would not have considered it because I am not a fan of removing paint when it is so obvious what is underneath, I think it is similar to the previous trend in German helmet collecting to reveal decals on camoed helmet and isn't necessary to tell the story the helmet can tell. I have a very similar 45th Division Captain's helmet and chose not to remove the over paint because it was put there by the same Captain that put the other markings on there, but it would definitely be a better "looking" helmet with visible insignia. Regardless of my personal beliefs, I do think you have done an objectively good job in removing the green without causing damage to the underlying medical insignia. I'm also not sure if you paid attention to the sellers other items but there was a musette bag with the name "McCarty" and a "C" on it that I think may point to an ID for the Captain. I searched the 3rd Division roster and found one Capt. Marion C. McCarty listed in the unit rolls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchfoot Posted October 21, 2019 Author Share #18 Posted October 21, 2019 I appreciate your response. I did see the bag and made sure to screenshot. The names inside the helmet are different but it’s definitely a lead I will follow. It also appears that the medical insignia was also the captains since there is captains bars under the repaint too, which I was not aware of. That could help with an ID. Also where did you find 3rd ID rosters? Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugme Posted October 21, 2019 Share #19 Posted October 21, 2019 Removing an overpaint has got to be a personal decision weighing the probabilities of an "Oh my God, what did I just do?" moment verses making it better verses leaving it alone. My personal feelings would have been to leave it alone but, that's just me. It is your helmet, your investment and your decision. I will say that your removal has been done well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B24AT6 Posted October 21, 2019 Share #20 Posted October 21, 2019 I appreciate your response. I did see the bag and made sure to screenshot. The names inside the helmet are different but its definitely a lead I will follow. It also appears that the medical insignia was also the captains since there is captains bars under the repaint too, which I was not aware of. That could help with an ID. Also where did you find 3rd ID rosters? Russ Here is the link to the roster: https://archive.org/details/HistoryOfTheThirdID/page/n467 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchfoot Posted October 21, 2019 Author Share #21 Posted October 21, 2019 Thank you Bugme for the input on this. And thank you B24AT6 for the link, I will use it to research. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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