Opinions on Black Helmet with Possible Overpainted Markings

[Blacksmith]

Personally, I do not think this is some rare, AB, etc, helmet.

 

This helmet post also seems to have turned into an overkill level of CSI forensics.

 

Bases are covered, with super-dee-duper levels of magnification, blacklight, and so on.

 

I would flip it upside-down and put a begonia in it...

 

 

 

Any thoughts on this?

[Nickman983]

Personally, I do not think this is some rare, AB, etc, helmet.

 

This helmet post also seems to have turned into an overkill level of CSI forensics.

 

Bases are covered, with super-dee-duper levels of magnification, blacklight, and so on.

 

I would flip it upside-down and put a begonia in it...

 

 

 

 

I don't think so either. If the black tested negative for lead and the red tested positive I was going to go ahead and strip it under the assumption that the black was done much later than the red. I just found it odd that both tested negative. Just trying to gain some more knowledge on the type of paints used.

[Captain Woody]

Any thoughts on this?

I recently found myself going down the wwii era paint rabbit hole, and while I can't offer an expert opion, I can offer some bits of knowledge I've picked up thus far:

Lead "based" is a bit of a misnomer. They were all technically oil based, almost exclusively linseed oil. Lead was used as the main pigment in white (lead carbonate) paint and certain red (lead oxide) and yellows (lead chromate). The latter two were primarily used as primer and anti oxidation coats as cadmium was more common for yellow and red pigments in most other industrial applications. IE: "Lead red" and "chrome yellow" paints were most commonly found in/used for vehicle and ship painting applications, but could definitely have found their way into the hands of resourceful GIs. Now, the lead found in blue (main pigment being cobalt) or the OD factory paint on M1s was added for durability of the finish and opaqueness, as lead carbonate/oxide/chronate have superior lightfastness and anti oxidation properties. (To this day red lead paint is used to prime the bottom of boats and other water vessels).

My takeaway thus far is that the only paints from that period that should ALWAYS test positive for lead without exception were anything white (or grey) and any factory applied paints. Yellows, reds, and blues while LIKELY to contain lead given its prevalence in paint manufacturing at the time, didn't all necessarily contain lead based pigments. There's so much more to the chemistry of the compostitions, but I believe this to be a good base of knowledge to start with.

 

Edit: The without exception bit really only applies to white US paints as titanium and zinc were technically available alternative pigments for white paints in other parts of the world. They were just comparatively cost prohibitive, and almost unheard of in industrial applications.

[Nickman983]

I recently found myself going down the wwii era paint rabbit hole, and while I can't offer an expert opion, I can offer some bits of knowledge I've picked up thus far:

Lead "based" is a bit of a misnomer. They were all technically oil based, almost exclusively linseed oil. Lead was used as the main pigment in white (lead carbonate) paint and certain red (lead oxide) and yellows (lead chromate). The latter two were primarily used as primer and anti oxidation coats as cadmium was more common for yellow and red pigments in most other industrial applications. IE: "Lead red" and "chrome yellow" paints were most commonly found in/used for vehicle and ship painting applications, but could definitely have found their way into the hands of resourceful GIs. Now, the lead found in blue (main pigment being cobalt) or the OD factory paint on M1s was added for durability of the finish and opaqueness, as lead carbonate/oxide/chronate have superior lightfastness and anti oxidation properties. (To this day red lead paint is used to prime the bottom of boats and other water vessels).

My takeaway thus far is that the only paints from that period that should ALWAYS test positive for lead without exception were anything white (or grey) and any factory applied paints. Yellows, reds, and blues while LIKELY to contain lead given its prevalence in paint manufacturing at the time, didn't all necessarily contain lead based pigments. There's so much more to the chemistry of the compostitions, but I believe this to be a good base of knowledge to start with.

 

Edit: The without exception bit really only applies to white US paints as titanium and zinc were technically available alternative pigments for white paints in other parts of the world. They were just comparatively cost prohibitive, and almost unheard of in industrial applications.

 

Awesome information Woody, thank you for clarifying things for me!

[Cap Camouflage Pattern I]

Yes great stuff Woody!