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To restore or not to restore - THAT is the question!

Article about: Its a funny thing you know, we are horrified if someone attemts to restore a piece of clothing, hat, helmet, equipment etc... but in other areas of military collecting, restoration is comple

  1. #1

    Default To restore or not to restore - THAT is the question!

    Its a funny thing you know, we are horrified if someone attemts to restore a piece of clothing, hat, helmet, equipment etc... but in other areas of military collecting, restoration is completely acceptable.

    Aircraft are reskinned, repainted and old and new repro pieces mixed without concern. likewise with soft and hard skinned vehicles, motorcycles get new tyres, guns are reblued, field pieces repaired etc... all are restored lovingly with nary a wimper as to someone having ruined them - but heavens protect from vitriolic blasts the poor soul who tampers with a salty piece of kit!!!!!

    Maybe it is the fact that these things can still be found in reasonable condition?
    Will there be a time when a restored piece becomes accepted? ...... maybe when the collections are full andd the memories of what it WAS like have faded?

    Love to hear your thoughts .....
    Cheers, Dan

  2. #2
    ?

    Default Re: To restore or not to restore - THAT is the question!

    A good post Dan, raising a fine question. My opinion is that some things, i.e. awards with patina for example, shouldn't be fiddled with. Some like their items salty, whilst others use all means possible to spruce them up. We are all different, it is what makes us...

    Regards,

    Carl

    p.s. The decision to cut up and "restore" U-534 shall forever go down as a monumental (insert expletive), regardless of my above comments...some things really are best left as they are...

  3. #3

    Default Re: To restore or not to restore - THAT is the question!

    My opinion is known by most of the forum members...I think!
    As long a the restoration can be undone at any time with out causing more dammages, it should be ok.
    It is not because you have a kitchen with the finest materials that you are a "chef" !
    cheers
    |<ris
    Always looking for Belgian Congo stuff!
    http://out-of-congo.eklablog.com/

    cheers
    |<ris

  4. #4
    ?

    Default Re: To restore or not to restore - THAT is the question!

    An item can be restored as many times as you want, but it is only original once...

  5. #5

    Default Re: To restore or not to restore - THAT is the question!

    Preservation would be my first choice!
    I will not allow something that has been neglected to waste away either.
    Ralph.
    Searching for anything relating to, Anton Boos, 934 Stamm. Kp. Pz. Erz. Abt. 7, 3 Kompanie, Panzer-Regiment 2, 16th Panzer-Division (My father)

  6. #6

    Default Re: To restore or not to restore - THAT is the question!

    Wisely said M422A1, Exactly my opinion on most items that are set to be restored.

  7. #7

    Default Re: To restore or not to restore - THAT is the question!

    Thanks for the input guys, keep it up. Our basic aim should be to preserve - and depending on the item that may mean anything from leaving it untouched with only dusting & light cleaning through doing a sympathetic restoration all the way up to a full blown repaint & refit. .....ALL ARE VALID with the right subject matter.

    I would say " Can it be preserved in it's current state?" If not ( and it MUST be preserved one way or another ) then it is a candidate for restoration.
    Cheers, Dan

  8. #8

    Default Re: To restore or not to restore - THAT is the question!

    For me, I would not like to restore, if it meant materially altering the item from it's original configuration. I am with Kris on this one. I do Not see allowing steel to rust and corrode deeper and deeper year by year until it's gone entirely and I do Not see such things as adding Significant material to cloth goods, etc. I do think that sometimes the "never touch it" mentality is carried to absurd lengths-allowing irreparable loss and damage in an effort to leave in an untouched state. What always comes to my mind would be an image of the original owner looking at it and asking "Why are you letting it rust and rot? Why don't you stop it? Clean that off! " Having said That, I also do not see totally replacing and restoring something to the point where almost nothing original is even left. To me, that is fairly pointless. At That point, you basically are left with a replica that has seen nothing or been anywhere, but "looks good".
    William

    "Much that once was, is lost. For none now live who remember it."

  9. #9
    ?

    Default Re: To restore or not to restore - THAT is the question!

    I think restoration of vehicles and armour has its benefits....without peopl restoring these things,new wound have a running tiger or panthers, I have even seen one Sherman restored to running condition that they left the hull as it was found on a firing range! If aircraft weren't restored we wouldn't have spitfires and messerschmitts still flying...however these need to be done carefully, and if possible flown in the markings it carried...I have seen a lot of aircraft repsinted in spurious schemes over the years!!! The Sustralian war memorial has the only BF-109 still in it original war time paint in he world...it's amazing to study, you can see where it had a wing replaced from another aircraft, this one is never going to be repsinted...

  10. #10

    Default Re: To restore or not to restore - THAT is the question!

    I know that aircraft are a special case because of their size but many “restored” planes are made of lots of donor parts – possibly starting off with a genuine fuselage from a documented wreck but with replacement wings from here, landing gear from there and other parts from dusty crates found in a warehouse etc… all combining to restore it to its “former glory”

    I think it is because these sort of things were MEANT to function – who wants a large piece of non-operable junk in their possession taking up space when it’s restoration means that both the owner and others can enjoy some history.

    This is my 1944 Willys jeep, restored by me back in 2002 ( sadly sold now ) but it had a bonnet off another jeep, NOS guards & headlights, repro canvas seat covers, a rebuilt engine & gearbox, new glass etc ….. oh, and freewheeling hubs..

    But it WAS deemed a restoration – not a replica …… 
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