MK1 British Helmet

[wizardman]

This MKI would have to be the best ive ever had in hand, im posting it as a reference for other collectors

[ruddersrangers44]

Outstanding example indeed........be extremely difficult to upgrade on this,well done.!

[Jerry B]

Certainly is a very good condition example, is that the post 1917 liner version.

[wizardman]

Im not sure Jerry, i know more about MKIIs

[ruddersrangers44]

I don't know either jerry,but did all liners from 1916 onwards recieve the home office red ink stamp?i see if the orange rubber donut is in it,if so then 1917 plus.

[HARRY THE MOLE]

There seems to be a swelling under the asbestos pad, which would indicate the donut is there. So a 1917 onwards, but a fantastic example!

[wizardman]

There is a doughnut embedded in the asbestos pad, but i cant get to it..on a fantastic note, i have been admiring this piece all night and on an angle i was able to see that it is named, to a Joe Burns, its very faint and i think its in pencil

[aef1917]

The pad is felt, not asbestos. The asbestos pad is the white one underneath the felt, and looks like heavy paper backed with muslin. The rubber ring is between the felt and asbestos.

[William1]

The pad is felt, not asbestos. The asbestos pad is the white one underneath the felt, and looks like heavy paper backed with muslin. The rubber ring is between the felt and asbestos.

Is the inner pad definitely asbestos, or is that a collector myth? I'm ready to stand corrected but I've never heard of a specification for these helmets mentioning asbestos, and there seems no logical reason to go to the expense of using it rather than compressed paper, as it serves no obvious purpose.

That said, I won't be scratch-and-sniffing any helmet liners just yet.

[HARRY THE MOLE]

Is the inner pad definitely asbestos, or is that a collector myth? I'm ready to stand corrected but I've never heard of a specification for these helmets mentioning asbestos, and there seems no logical reason to go to the expense of using it rather than compressed paper, as it serves no obvious purpose.

That said, I won't be scratch-and-sniffing any helmet liners just yet.

To quote the Imperial War Museum on the construction of the liner... 'The liner is of two part construction of an oval crown pad of lint, asbestos, and felt.'

If that's what the IWM says, then I think that you can take it as being correct. Don't mess with the asbestos.