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Rob Lihani's Reproduction Hawley Liner


young90th
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Yesterday I received my reproduction Hawley liner from Rob Lihani, and all I can say is its outstanding.

It is built around a WWII GI High Pressure liner. It is a work of art. unlike other repro's the fabric is not bunch up anywhere on the liner, the rim is sturdy, and is sure to last for my reenacting lifetime.

Pictures:

DSCN0265.jpg

 

DSCN0269.jpg

 

DSCN0268.jpg

 

The Hawley liner for me is a key that opens a door to a much wider range of impressions, this liner will allow me to do guadalcanal, North Africa, and early Stateside just to name a few.

Even in Normandy you still see some popping up.

 

In closing, I can not stress enough how beautiful and great these reproductions are, I have handled three and they all hold the same quality of craftsmanship.

Charlie

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Armed 2 tha Teeth

I have to second Rob's Hawley's as one of the greatest reproduction items for WWII reenactors. Early impressions were impossible without these liners, unless someone could pony up mountains of cash for an original. Not to mention original Hawley's are infamous for their fragility.

 

I have two of Rob's liners and I couldn't have been happier with them, a number of my friends also own them. Among all of us there is a sense of reverence for what Rob has been able to accomplish. I'd like to mention that of all the militaria dealers and those who cater to reenactors, Rob is by far the nicest and easiet to deal with.

 

I will get up some pictures of my liners later, but Charlie's really do them the best justice.

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Pretty cool.

 

We always just did the rim and interior of the high pressure liner to make our hawleys. The liner pretty much never comes out of our helmets anyways.

 

IMG_1263.jpg

 

IMG_1264.jpg

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I had seen a few pictures of these when they were messing around with coming up with this design. I like the fact that it's built around a high pressure liner also, no one will be able to pass it off as a real Hawley yet, for the reenactor... you get that great Hawley look!

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While I don’t have one of these liners, Rob showed one to me at the MVPA convention last year and I was very impressed. The only reason I didn’t buy one is that I just don’t have any early war impressions in mind. I have yet to see anything Rob has made that didn’t impress me and generally I’m a very harsh judge of reproduction items. His crates and ration items are as good as they come. I have three crates and numerous ration items of his. I know Rob has been on this site but maybe not very often.

:thumbsup:

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To spare my friends/customers any potential embarrassment, I figure I should chime in on the question on price.

 

I make these liners one at a time..a handful every few months. I start by accumulating some unbroken (but usually with thrashed HBT suspensions) high pressure liners, and once I've gathered a good sized pile, I start cleaning and modifying the worthy examples. I dye fabric, buy the rayon suspension kits and original sweat/head bands...and start filling my free weekends.

 

I fabricate the rounded rim, stretch and seal the fabric, rivet in the suspension, and finish it off with a custom stamp of the proper "Liner, Fibre, M1" nomenclature. I also discreetly stamp the interior with my first initial. Just in case. But I don't think a collector would confuse my faux-Hawleys with real ones since mine aren't made from cardboard. But I guess that could be considered an advantage. Since mine are built around a high pressure liner, my repros will survive situations that would crumble and destroy real Hawleys.

 

I've never really advertised the production of these liners since production is somewhat unpredictable. I don't like promising something and then not being able to deliver for a few months and having to delay because of unforeseen work circumstances etc.

 

And honestly, they are pretty time consuming to make...and so in between batches of liners, I'll take a few months to make crates, rations, or ordnance tubes. (I have a short attention span!) Then back to Hawleys until I run out of suitable parts or grow weary of the process.

 

I made my first batch last spring. Showed them to some interested friends, and then word of mouth has taken over. (My website www.thesignaldepot.com was set up for selling my C-ration repros...the only Hawley you'll see there is in the background of my C-rats. I also sell my ammo and grenade crates typically on the G503 website since MV guys are always looking for something authentic to fill those perfectly restored jeeps, trucks, trailers, and tanks)

 

I make two types of Hawleys - a "NOS" version - that looks like its just been issued. And I've started making what I call a "Willie and Joe" version. Since most Hawleys that I've seen (including the one I own) have frayed fabric and some exposed "fiber/cardboard", I add a bit of distressing and some random wear and tear for more realism to enhance those "battle weary" impressions.

 

Typically these days the liners go for about $215. I've also sold a few airborne variants (with A yokes) for $250.00.

 

The best way to reach me is at [email protected].

 

Thanks for asking. Rob.

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Armed 2 tha Teeth

Here are some pictures of the "Willie and Joe" or "Badass" model Rob has made for me.

 

It is really incredible, and the whole process began with this picture.

1stMarDivAustraliaServiceShirtF.jpg

 

I had heard Rob was experimenting with kraft paper and I asked him if he could even make something like that. He said he would give it a shot and only weeks later I have it in my hands.

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Note this stamp was done as a joke, Rob does not stamp all of his Hawley's like this.

IMG_0149.jpg

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  • 4 months later...
Guest goofyfool

I just received my "Willie & Joe" Airborne liner from Rob. I must say that I was absolutely amazed!! I had heard great things about them, but I never imagined that they would look this good!! While I havent worn it yet at an event, I am sure that it will hold up. They are sturdy and unlike some other repros that I have seen people try and make, the fabric is not bunched up (as someone else already mentioned), the washers are correct as is the color. I like mine so much, I am going to place another order next month for an infantry liner so that I can make a static display. I would HIGHLY recommend them to ANYONE who likes the look of the thicker rim peeking out from the shell and the rayon webbing to spend the money and get one. They are well worth the money, you get the look with out destroying an orginal (and not many can afford the originals). Rob is great guy to deal with and delivered mine fast.

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I got one of Robs liners last year for a 1942 guy I was working on and a funny thing happened .

I VERY advanced collector was viewing my war room for the evening .

I left him with my collection as I had to go upstairs for something ....Beer ???....

When I came down we began talking about things ...the evening went on .

Finally he said ..."That helmet is fantastic ".

I had a mint USMC camouflage cover on a nice M1 pot with one of Robs liners .

I was like "Thanks "

I have a large collection by the way .

Then came "That is the best condition liner I have ever seen ".

I was like its amazing isnt it .

He had been FFing it while I was upstairs .

So I took it of my maniquine and we began looking at it .

I had left it out in the garden in the rain for a week or so and had worn it at an event so the newness was slightly gone and the sweat band worn in .

Well I was bursting to tell him so I let him sweat oooohhhaaaa yummy ect .

When I told him it was a repo he did not believe me at first , simply put he was blown away .

These liners are that good !!!!!

Robs marks his liners which is just as well , they are the best repos out there .

He has a great eye and has filled the void with this artfull rendition of an obscure and crumbling piece of US headgear .

owen

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  • 1 month later...

Mine is in the mail right now... can't wait to get my fixed bail helmet restored and pair it up with the Repro Hawley for a early war USMC impression!

 

Sam

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The Hawley repro looks awesome. Anyone got a link that works? I'd like to get one

 

 

You gotta email him.... its somewhere up there in the posts...

 

Sam

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  • 2 years later...

Hi

 

Its been a while since I've made my repro Hawleys. But I had a growing "waiting list", so I took the last three post war high-pressure liners that I had on hand and turned them into Hawleys. (I've been focusing efforts on fiber ordnance tubes, and crates)

 

I've already contacted the some patient folks on the waiting list and offered these to them. But if they're not interested, I'll pass the word.

 

I used to offer my repros with original Hawley sweatbands, but when that supply dried up a year or so ago, I now include a repro sweatband with the "NOS" repro version.

 

The distressed "Willie and Joe" version has some of the fabric torn/cut away and the kraft paper revealed underneath. I still use a plastic tube under that layer of kraft paper for rigidity and strength. But the kraft paper shows through like a battle weary original. These distressed versions would require the new owner to supply their own sweatband. (Standard HBT "clip in" versions work fine).

 

Also, I still modify the original liner in a way that the newly added round rim of the repro Hawley does not protrude too far below the chin strap bales of the steel shell. The side edges of my repro liners still fit beneath the fixed bales of the pot like original Hawleys...creating a more convincing look.

 

I've included a couple images here of my latest repros. And if they don't sell to the folks who've I already contacted from the waiting list, I'll pass the word to new interested parties.

 

Thanks. Rob L.

 

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd89/Th...12/DSCN5835.jpg

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd89/Th...12/DSCN5837.jpg

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd89/Th...12/DSCN5838.jpg

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd89/Th...12/DSCN5839.jpg

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd89/Th...12/DSCN5842.jpg

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd89/Th...12/DSCN5851.jpg

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd89/Th...12/DSCN5855.jpg

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd89/Th...12/DSCN5856.jpg

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd89/Th...12/DSCN5858.jpg

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd89/Th...12/DSCN5862.jpg

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd89/Th...12/DSCN5866.jpg

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi.

 

I had some folks ask if any of these liners were still available, but they all sold to the people who had originally requested them.

 

Thanks.

 

Rob L.

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