Luxview Posted June 22, 2020 Share #1 Posted June 22, 2020 I would like to get your views on this helmet: Reissued to Austrian army and equipped with an Austrian liner but I bought it because it was a fixed bail without any dents. It has the Austrian grayish finish but where the original paint comes through there are yellow / ocher spots visible. Now I ask myself, did I win the lottery and there is a WW2 camouflage pattern hidden under the surface (like the one I saw in the other current thread here: https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/343203-are-people-really-buying-into-this-camo-helmet/) or am I fooling myself? Happy to provide any more pictures in case I am missing something out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huntssurplus Posted June 22, 2020 Share #2 Posted June 22, 2020 Interesting! I guess the best way to know is to take off the paint and see for yourself. It does sort of look like camo? You could probably simply chip the paint off with your finger. Hunt Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted June 22, 2020 Share #3 Posted June 22, 2020 That looks promising. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MT247 Posted June 22, 2020 Share #4 Posted June 22, 2020 I don’t think it would hurt this helmet to remove the outer paint and see what you have. Plus....I’m curious now!Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmar836 Posted June 22, 2020 Share #5 Posted June 22, 2020 Me too. I don't think you can ruin it. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArchangelDM Posted June 22, 2020 Share #6 Posted June 22, 2020 One crazy helmet remove that horrible paint and let’s see it’s beauty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burning Hazard Posted June 23, 2020 Share #7 Posted June 23, 2020 Paint looks really chippy; looks like you should be able to lift it with a toothpick or use duct tape to remove it without harsh chemicals. Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Costa Posted June 23, 2020 Share #8 Posted June 23, 2020 oh yeah-------------- you may have a honey sitting under that grey. could be a winner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgtdorango Posted June 23, 2020 Share #9 Posted June 23, 2020 Yeah that looks like a winner under there👍🏻.....mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArchangelDM Posted June 23, 2020 Share #10 Posted June 23, 2020 48 minutes ago, sgtdorango said: Yeah that looks like a winner under there👍🏻.....mike totally agree Mike that yellow looks good from these pics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugme Posted June 24, 2020 Share #11 Posted June 24, 2020 Not trying to be a wet blanket here but this could be an old USN Repair helmet also. The only way to find out, is to remove the gray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huntssurplus Posted June 24, 2020 Share #12 Posted June 24, 2020 On 6/22/2020 at 11:12 AM, Luxview said: 18 minutes ago, Bugme said: Not trying to be a wet blanket here but this could be an old USN Repair helmet also. The only way to find out, is to remove the gray. It definitely could be, but looking at this picture you can see how the cracks lower down only have OD and are missing the yellowish paint. Not sure if there is another type of repair helmet that didn't have yellow on the whole surface though. It could be the paint there has come off, but it looks like it was never there. Like you said have to wait for the paint to come off, but who knows, will have to wait and see. Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArchangelDM Posted June 24, 2020 Share #13 Posted June 24, 2020 2 hours ago, Bugme said: Not trying to be a wet blanket here but this could be an old USN Repair helmet also. The only way to find out, is to remove the gray. Could very well Be Scott - great photo looking forward to seeing what’s under there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luxview Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share #14 Posted June 24, 2020 Thank you very much for the feedback and encouragement to find out what's hidden - Normally I leave my helmets as they are but this one is too much of a temptation for me!! I'll try to get the re-paint off over the weekend with a toothpick or I'll use duct tape, as Pat suggests. Too scared - and too inexperienced - to try any hard measures, last thing I want is to ruin this piece. Fortunately the current surface color looks quite dry and crumbly, so hopefully it will go off smoothly. I'l keep you posted... Karsten Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArchangelDM Posted June 24, 2020 Share #15 Posted June 24, 2020 6 hours ago, Luxview said: Thank you very much for the feedback and encouragement to find out what's hidden - Normally I leave my helmets as they are but this one is too much of a temptation for me!! I'll try to get the re-paint off over the weekend with a toothpick or I'll use duct tape, as Pat suggests. Too scared - and too inexperienced - to try any hard measures, last thing I want is to ruin this piece. Fortunately the current surface color looks quite dry and crumbly, so hopefully it will go off smoothly. I'l keep you posted... Karsten good luck and keep us updated - Dean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anelles Posted June 25, 2020 Share #16 Posted June 25, 2020 Really interesting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken88 Posted June 26, 2020 Share #17 Posted June 26, 2020 Should be able to remove a big chunk of the top layer with the tip of a blade. The yellow may be vesicant detector paint, from what I've heard it could go pink in the presence of chemicals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luxview Posted June 27, 2020 Author Share #18 Posted June 27, 2020 Finally I can share some work in progress - And also some new questions. This is what I've learned so far: 1. The paint doesn't go off as easily as I thought 2. When using duct tape, some of the under paint comes off too (see picture), that's why I stopped again. Is this normal and has to be accepted or is it me not being careful enough? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luxview Posted June 27, 2020 Author Share #19 Posted June 27, 2020 3. The helmet is not completely yellow, there are also areas in olive green Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huntssurplus Posted June 27, 2020 Share #20 Posted June 27, 2020 I would say use a chisel or something that is long and flat that you should physically use to get under the paint. Don’t use a hammer or any real force but just take it slow and try to loosen that top layer of paint.Gotta be careful not to scratch anything though, so it’d be best to be very methodical and take things slow. Show take a couple hours at least.HuntSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luxview Posted June 27, 2020 Author Share #21 Posted June 27, 2020 5. It looks like there is more yellow than olive green but my assumption is that the over paint just gets easier off the yellow ground 6. The yellow doesn't seem to be vesicant detector paint (thank you Ken for suggesting, I checked the forum for details), at least testing with nail varnish remover didn't change the color Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luxview Posted June 27, 2020 Author Share #22 Posted June 27, 2020 7. Only at the rim area, and this is the strangest finding, it looks like that over the yellow but under the Austrian gray there is a rest of another layer of olive green (it is difficult to see, pictures taken with my mobile but the olive is clearly on the yellow). Maybe there was an re-paint in olive who got mostly removed before applying the gray? But this is 100% speculation. Do you have any suggestion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luxview Posted June 27, 2020 Author Share #23 Posted June 27, 2020 What do you suggest? Anything I could do differently or should I better not going any further, considering the loss of yellow when getting the over paint off? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luxview Posted June 27, 2020 Author Share #24 Posted June 27, 2020 9 minutes ago, huntssurplus said: I would say use a chisel or something that is long and flat that you should physically use to get under the paint. Don’t use a hammer or any real force but just take it slow and try to loosen that top layer of paint. Gotta be careful not to scratch anything though, so it’d be best to be very methodical and take things slow. Show take a couple hours at least. Hunt Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Yes Hunt, that's my fear, I won't use force or any damaging tools and definitely take my time. The helmet has kept the secret for so long, I guess it can wait another few weeks before getting uncovered 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArchangelDM Posted June 27, 2020 Share #25 Posted June 27, 2020 Get a tooth pick and gently lift the areas that can be lifted easily. You should be able to work and area and see whether you can see the camouflage pattern Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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