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How to remove paint off a ww1 raw edge helmet?


mick851851

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Anybody know how to gently remove matt green paint off a raw edge helmet, ive discovered it still has its original paintwork under it.

Thanks

Mick

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Do you know when and why it was repainted? Many MKI's including some raw edges were reissued for WWII service, though I assume you already know that.

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The paint thats on looks like the paint you get from model shops,it dosnt look like old paint, ive gently scrubbed a small area and the original paint has started to show ( only done this on the inside of the helmet )

mick

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Later pattern bales.

TT

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It is not a WD 'raw edge ' rimless helmet, but a helmet missing its edge, the paint lines are a dead giveaway, the more solid grey line you see in your picture is where the over paint bled under the rim edge. It got beaten up etc, the body lost paint, then the rim was detached and you have the fresher paint exposed.

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The bales are those found on WW1 helmets but the first models had narrower / slimmer bales and thinner "wire" where the strap fed through. Yours are typical of the later patterns with the rims and second pattrn liners. However these bales can be seen on refurbed examples of raw edge helmets.

Regards TT

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There are a lot of raw edge helmets in existence with those wider bales, some in near-mint condition and not apparently refurbed. It's my opinion that they can't all be refits and that the wider bales must therefore have been adopted before introduction of the rimmed edge. The narrow bales are typically found on earlier production raw edge helmets with the first pattern liner and chinstrap. I think these must have been replaced by the wider bales about the same time as the improved liner was introduced.

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Just removed some of that matt green paint from the inside of the helmet and ive found a name, the surname is Drake cant make out first name, i'll put a picture on here in a bit.

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This is turning out to be an intriguing helmet! Nice find and keep us posted. Thanks.

TT

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Out of interest did they add rims to raw edge helmets?

TT

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Thanks Trenchtrotter for the info, the helmet is stamped JR&S A5, would that be John Round & Sons Sheffield?

I feel sure the JR&S will be John Round and Sons (Silversmiths) of Sheffield. You can read a bit more on the company and it's trademark here: http://www.silvercollection.it/ENGLAJOHNROUND.html

I would not be concerned about size of bales/raw edge etc., as you clearly have a nice Brodie with original paint under the more modern coat. I don't particularly think the grey 'tide mark' indicates clearly one way or the other if it was a raw edge. It may well have been on day 1, but within a month or so it will almost certainly have had an edge applied. As has been discussed (and as I have been fortunate enough to see in some photos which I think are to be posted on the forum), all helmets will have undergone some sort of refurbishment either in the field of operation or back home in Blighty. During this time, if necessary they were refitted with liners, repainted, and undoubtedly had edges applied if need be.

I think if it were mine, I would very discreetly try some paint stripper, and as soon as the modern paint lifted, help it on it's way and then wipe/wash the stripper off. Due to the nature of the original pint, I think it will be reluctant to lift even using stripper, but this is a decision the current owner has to make for himself.

David

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Thanks Granville,

I'll try some paint stripper on it later after work, the grey tide mark is actually the modern matt paint which i think who ever painted it allowed the paint to run under the rim of the helmet, ive removed some of this thick paint to find the original paint under, and no signs showing it had a rim fitted. I'll put some pic's on later once ive removed as much of the modern paint as i can without damaging the original paint.

Cheers

Mick

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Here it is, ive stripped off as much of the top layer as possible, just needs a liner now

Great job !

Regards,

LF

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