Edited by ccmax, 02 July 2009 - 01:49 PM.

M1 helmet paint stripping, will collectors regret it in the future?
#1
Posted 02 July 2009 - 01:48 PM
#2
Posted 02 July 2009 - 02:42 PM
Edited by M1A1-1944, 02 July 2009 - 02:54 PM.
#3
Posted 02 July 2009 - 05:31 PM
Well I would have driven to the moon and back in that Jeep, or certainly anywhere on this earth, however a number of friends gave me loads of verbal ribbing, that my jeep was dirty and muddy and didn't look as factory fresh as theirs, but this was only all down to fresh paint on most of their Jeeps, not mechanical perfection.
So I took eighteen months to strip, rebuild and replace anything needed to be and what did I get, I got a Jeep that neither looked like mine, never drove like mine, cornered like mine or performed in any way like mine, I hated the damn Jeep every day there after.
I never again enjoyed all the previous experiences which I had done in that very same Jeep, and never drove it since. Relate this to how many times have you messed with any item and got so far and then thought ooh just that little tweek more and then snap, damn didn't mean to do that, too late I did it and now it's broken.
Well for the best part of things the old adage applies, ' If it ain' broke don't fix it ', so be careful out there just how far you take something.
Cheers ( Lewis )
#4
Posted 02 July 2009 - 08:00 PM

Interesting topic actually! Eager to hear other opinions
Edited by Blake_E, 02 July 2009 - 08:02 PM.
#5
Posted 03 July 2009 - 04:11 AM
Stripping the helmet to uncover desireable insignia (or even just the original paintjob) is just restoring the helmet to it's original configuration, as that is how the M1 fixed bails were, and is how one should sit on a WWII collectors' shelf, in it's original, as was, FIRST wwii configuration. I have a million thoughts in my head, but finding it hard to put into words, so hope it makes sense
But i guess it's kind of like a rifle, for eg. Do you take an early WWII m1 garand, that is all original, but has been post war arsenal rebuilt, and leave it, because it's original untouched, OR, do you remove the post war parts, and restore it to it's proper early configuration, making it not only, it's FIRST original configuration, but it's wwii service time configuration?
I'd better get busy stripping off all those postwar painted insignias on my WWI helmets then.
#6
Posted 03 July 2009 - 06:21 AM
Edited by Cobrahistorian, 03 July 2009 - 06:24 AM.
#7
Posted 03 July 2009 - 06:33 AM
I'll be stripping the 29th helmet completely back that i just bought of Bugme soon, so i have no problem with it either. As said, it's more of a 'rejuvenation, or restoration' to the proper original article. Seeing as how, say, an M1 fixed bail, with painted insignia, that has been korea repainted for eg. The fixed bail being THE original WWII configuration helmet, that's what they were made for - WWII. The korean repaint has wrecked the helmet, in a collector sense, but also wrecked the helmet in an originality sense. Stripping the helmet to uncover desireable insignia (or even just the original paintjob) is just restoring the helmet to it's original configuration, as that is how the M1 fixed bails were, and is how one should sit on a WWII collectors' shelf, in it's original, as was, FIRST wwii configuration. I have a million thoughts in my head, but finding it hard to put into words, so hope it makes sense
But i guess it's kind of like a rifle, for eg. Do you take an early WWII m1 garand, that is all original, but has been post war arsenal rebuilt, and leave it, because it's original untouched, OR, do you remove the post war parts, and restore it to it's proper early configuration, making it not only, it's FIRST original configuration, but it's wwii service time configuration?
Interesting topic actually! Eager to hear other opinions
In all respect to your comment, I prefer to leave those Korea lids as they are. Unless of course, there's some cool insignia under the repaint. But, say you find a fixed bail helmet with that dark OD finish for Korea and no evidence of insignia beneath. You've got a nice helmet that was used by at least two combatants, in WWII and Korea. I think that has much more character than an example that you can say was only used in WWII...or that you stripped and say was used in only WWII.
Stripping a Korea helmet just proves that it is the Forgotten War. There are thousands of solid WWII lids out there...no need to strip a Korea helmet to further enhance a WWII collection. I'm sure you could find someone to trade with if you came across one of those reused lids. (cough cough)
Rob
#8
Posted 03 July 2009 - 08:49 AM
This is a horrible, horrible joke. also: :w00t:I'd better get busy stripping off all those postwar painted insignias on my WWI helmets then.
#9
Posted 03 July 2009 - 10:07 AM

Edited by Blake_E, 03 July 2009 - 10:07 AM.
#10
Posted 03 July 2009 - 10:39 AM
Bill
#11
Posted 03 July 2009 - 01:50 PM

#12
Posted 03 July 2009 - 05:13 PM
aef1917, Rob, i think you guys may have misunderstood me a tad, i was trying to speak in a more broader sense, rather than a personal opinion, and was having trouble putting it into words, which is why i pointed that out. I was leaning rather to the stripping of helmets with painted insignias, not just wwii paint. Remember, i was exampling about a fixed bail with insignia. Obviously, one would have to be a few marbles short to strip an original used korea war lid, just for a different shade and time of plain OD paint, that IS crazy and wrecking a helmet
I suppose I'm just touchy then

Rob
#13
Posted 03 July 2009 - 09:05 PM
Back to Cobra's question - how do you go about removing post war paint without removing original WWII paint as well? Also, can the "sand" texture be romoved? If so, how is that done? I have a sand textured fixed bail helmet in otherwise beautiful condition - how can that be removed?
#14
Posted 03 July 2009 - 10:26 PM
If it has postwar markings on the outside i'd leave it alone,and i never buy such things in the first place.
Yes korea paint is original, but if i find a faint marking underneath it, it has to go down.
I think its just a personal choice everytime.
#15
Posted 04 July 2009 - 08:45 AM
Edited by Bugme, 04 July 2009 - 08:46 AM.
#16
Posted 04 July 2009 - 09:03 AM
I'll see about getting some pics up a little later.
I've been using Goof-off and it has been pretty effective. Spray on, rub in small circles with a paper towel and voila!
Pretty cool!
Jon
#17
Posted 03 December 2009 - 02:08 PM
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