Bugme Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 Scenario #1: Often times when buying a painted helmet on line, the photo's make it very hard to tell if it's legit. But, you bid on it because there is a 7 day money back inspection offered by the seller. Now it shows up and your still not sure...Scenario #2: Your at a militaria show, flea market, gun show, antique store etc and you find that one painted helmet that you just have to have but, is it legit? It looks like it is but...At home, I've got a table mounted 60X lighted magnifier that will clearly point out any fakers handy work, however, this is rather hard to carry in your pocket. For years, I've carried a 5X pocket magnifying glass with me for just this occasion but, even with this, I still can't see these little things called microscopic aging cracks. However, I've recently gone to what is called an "Illuminated Jewelers Loupe(20X Magnifier)", they also produce a non-lighted loupe but, it does not work as well. These things pick up the aging cracks that no faker can reproduce and the human eye cannot see.While not all painted helmets will have these aging cracks, about 90% of them will. This will also help you discern if the patina is faked or original to the helmet, also, other little intricacies will be picked up that will further help you to decide: real or fake. This illuminated loupe is just another tool in the helmet collectors bag and best of all, cost is under $15.00. Still, nothing beats experience + loupe + experienced friends + black light + lead test + research + books + more experience + well, you get the idea. "There is no such thing as an expert, only students with different levels of education." Link to post Share on other sites
Chunky Monkey Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 Wow ~ I can't believe something like that is only $15! Where can one of these be gotten? Link to post Share on other sites
Bugme Posted March 3, 2011 Author Share Posted March 3, 2011 Wow ~ I can't believe something like that is only $15! Where can one of these be gotten? Type "Illuminated Loupe" into an eBay search. The really cheap ones for $4.99 are really... cheap, so I would stay away from those. Most of the better ones seem to run between $9.99 and $15.00 "There is no such thing as an expert, only students with different levels of education." Link to post Share on other sites
jason4473 Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 I just bought a 30x the other day also they have the pocket microscope type I have one of those too they do help! Link to post Share on other sites
Bugme Posted March 4, 2011 Author Share Posted March 4, 2011 Here's an example of magnified age cracking. "There is no such thing as an expert, only students with different levels of education." Link to post Share on other sites
carbinephalen Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Wow, great topic Bugme! Thanks for the insight! Visit My 76th Division Collection Website! http://76thdivisioncollection.blogspot.com/ Always looking for 76th Infantry Division Items and Information!! 385th, 304th, and 417th Infantry Regiments : 355th, 364th, 901st, 302nd Field Artillery Battalions 301st Medical and 301st Engineer Battalions Link to post Share on other sites
Chunky Monkey Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Yes thanks for the info! I was looking at em on fleebay and will eventualy get one. Can I ask what brand yours is? These could come handy for all checking out all sorts of things. Link to post Share on other sites
Chief Bast Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 These are the kind of threads I like to see. Thanks for sharing such a handy tip! Jamie Link to post Share on other sites
sgtdorango Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 I gotta get me one of those!...thanks for the tip!....Mike Always looking for and buying 50's era 11th Airborne/ 187th ARCT/ 82nd Airborne tac mark painted jump helmets! Link to post Share on other sites
1944 Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Sounds like a great and useful tool to have Scottand thanks for the information on it as well http://www.Paratrooper1944.Com/ https://www.facebook.com/paratrooper1944 IN MEMORY OF IRISH/AMERICANS FROM MY COUNTY.Cpl: Patrick Gallagher, 3rd U.S.M.C Div K.I.A 30/03/1967 Navy CrossSgt: Patrick Nevin, B.Co. 1st Bn, 12th Cav, 1st CAVALRY Div K.I.A 23/02/1966 Link to post Share on other sites
Bugme Posted March 6, 2011 Author Share Posted March 6, 2011 I think that as a collector community there are little secrets that are available to us that we often don't share. This is just one of those little secrets revealed. "There is no such thing as an expert, only students with different levels of education." Link to post Share on other sites
gravecreek Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Great Tip ! Thanks. Semper Anticus Link to post Share on other sites
Brig Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 try Amazon...got a set of 3 (10x, 20x, 30x) for around 7 bucks. non-magnified, but I have 3 or 4 Surefires that assist thereas I deal with smaller insignia that can be hard to see, they're priceless. always carry one with me at shops and shows, keep 1 in the car. and a portable blacklight -BrigGySgt/USMC/0369RSU-Quantico"FOR OUR TOMORROWS, THEY GAVE THEIR TODAYS"RIPSgt Jesse 'Jeff Nasty' BalthaserSgt John P HulingCpl Carlos 'Gilo Monster' GilorozcoCpl Stephen C 'Socks' SockaloskyLCpl Joshua A 'Scottie' ScottLCpl Jason Lee 'Birdman' FryeLCpl Nicolas B MorrisonLCpl Jon T HicksLCpl Osbrany 'Oz' Montes De OcaPvt Lewis T D Calapini'The SOI 5' Link to post Share on other sites
268th C.A. Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Hello I never leave home with out my loupe 10x. There a must have tool for collecting! ( I have 3) one always in my car mine was $15.00 I picked it up at the local coin shop. David Pvt. James H. Honey 1st Md. Eastern shore Vol. Inf. Co. D (union) Gettysburg Pvt. George Eddie Lear 26th Inf. Co.H 1st Div .(WW1) P.H. WIA Cpl. Richard Elsea 268th C.A. Bn. Battery A. WW2 SSgt. Grant Elsea 314th Inf. Hq.Co. I.R.79thDiv. WW2 Cpl. Harry Lawrence Butler Jr 23rd Regt. WIA Korea Lt. George Olin Tilghman 111th MG. 29th Div. WW1 DIS France 1919 Link to post Share on other sites
BOLO Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 I could use one of these , sometimes I carry a pocket sized magnifying glass to see small details the type usd by coin collectors. Link to post Share on other sites
coldsteel61 Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 I bought a 30X off x-bay with the LED lighting and found a lot of things on my insignia that I had never noticed with a mag glass. IIRC ithink I payed 9.00 for it. Well worth it!! Tom "I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep: I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion". Alexander "Out of every one hundred men, ten shouldn't even be there, eighty are just targets, nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior, and he will bring the others back." Heraclitus Link to post Share on other sites
josegarcia8578 Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 A picture of a fake helmet or fake patina on a helmet could used to compare on here ASMIC Member #5540 Link to post Share on other sites
automatic Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 A picture of a fake helmet or fake patina on a helmet could used to compare on here I think that just wouldn't have the age cracks Also, I got a nice 60X illuminated loupe for my coin collection a couple weeks ago, didn't think to use this on my militaria! Link to post Share on other sites
coldsteel61 Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 They come in handy for everything!! Especially the dosage and side effects of your prescription drugs!!! "I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep: I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion". Alexander "Out of every one hundred men, ten shouldn't even be there, eighty are just targets, nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior, and he will bring the others back." Heraclitus Link to post Share on other sites
rhill13 Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 Thanks for the tip! http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/usmfribbons/donation2019.gif Link to post Share on other sites
ChuckG Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 Another place to buy a loupe is a decent coin shop that sells supplies. Some shops will have 5-10 different loupes for sale. Bring an item in with you to test out different loupes. The nickname for a loupe above 10x is "coin killer". Because it shows every flaw. Coin shops can be a wonderful source for militaria. Owners get approached with it frequently and most don't know what to do with it. Let them know you are interested. Link to post Share on other sites
Bugme Posted October 2, 2015 Author Share Posted October 2, 2015 Here's a few shots of a painted WWI M1917 helmet looked at recently while examined under a loupe. A self-proclaimed expert emailed me and stated that it was a fake since it lacked age cracks. I asked what he used to determine this, he cited his magnifying glass.(These average between 1X and 3X magnification). I then showed him these photo's taken of the same spots that he stated showed no micro-age cracking. This was done with a 20X loupe. When confronted with this evidence, I received NO reply.Close:Closer: "There is no such thing as an expert, only students with different levels of education." Link to post Share on other sites
Bugme Posted October 2, 2015 Author Share Posted October 2, 2015 A few other photo's, same helmet: "There is no such thing as an expert, only students with different levels of education." Link to post Share on other sites
Bugme Posted October 11, 2015 Author Share Posted October 11, 2015 While carrying a jewelers loupe with you is going to save you a ton of money when purchasing, for a little extra comfort you can check it out with an electronic magnifier when you get home with 500X magnification which couples with your computer! These guys go for less than $50. "There is no such thing as an expert, only students with different levels of education." Link to post Share on other sites
Kadet Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 Do you have a link to where these are sold..,great looking tool! I will pay top dollar for original WWII items pertaining to: OSS OSS Maritime Unit NCDU UDT Scouts and Raiders FSSF Link to post Share on other sites
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