New to M1s anyone have some tips

**Steven M** · 12-08-2009, 02:24 AM

My suggestion to everyone who is new to helmet collecting is that before you buy anymore helmets, pickup some reference books on the subject, educate yourself, look at other known legitimate helmets before you invest your hard earned money on these. In the long run, the money spent will save you thousands of dollars.

Truer words were never spoken. I have noticed a substantial decline in the "research department" in all militaria collecting areas over the past few years. We must stop this "gotta have it now" or "I'll never find another" mentality. We should all arm ourselves with knowledge prior to letting go of our hard-earned dollars (or Euros etc...) The satisfaction of making an educated purchase ensures that this hobby remains just that, a hobby, and not a source of heartache when we find out that the latest great find, well...isn't so great.

partisan42 · 12-08-2009, 03:50 AM

I was incorrect, I will have to defer to bugme's judgment. I guess I have never seen an unissued WWII era M1 before. Sorry for misleading you Michel.

3rdky · 12-08-2009, 05:27 AM

True words about knowledge. I have an extensive libarary just nothing about M1 helmets. This helmet was cheep compaired to a German one so I knew I wasnt getting hurt too bad if it was fake and me and a fellow collector had an idea these werent being reproduced but wasnt sure. I have been burned on a bayonet before but now I wont since I have a few bayonet books.
No problem Matt I never seen one either till I ran into 3 at a show. I bought the cheeper one. All three were alike except this one had a net on it. Guy was honest and said the net was fake. Two people were selling them. Sometimes ya take a gamble too. 99% of my gambles pay off but I research in books and spend alot of time on the net. Thanks to people like ya'll I know what it is.
Michael

**Steven M** · 12-08-2009, 06:00 AM

by 3rdky

True words about knowledge. I have an extensive libarary just nothing about M1 helmets. This helmet was cheep compaired to a German one so I knew I wasnt getting hurt too bad if it was fake and me and a fellow collector had an idea these werent being reproduced but wasnt sure. I have been burned on a bayonet before but now I wont since I have a few bayonet books.
No problem Matt I never seen one either till I ran into 3 at a show. I bought the cheeper one. All three were alike except this one had a net on it. Guy was honest and said the net was fake. Two people were selling them. Sometimes ya take a gamble too. 99% of my gambles pay off but I research in books and spend alot of time on the net. Thanks to people like ya'll I know what it is.
Michael

Very good Michael, and this hobby of ours is an endless quest for knowledge. It is refreshing to see others devoting time to doing the homework. However, sometimes we ALL need help to get through the studying.

A lot of collectors miss out on the truly rewarding part of the hobby - research. Understanding the history, construction and particulars of the people that wore these items adds endless dimensions of satisfaction when holding these items. In my 25 years of collecting, I have found that without knowledge of the items and the people who wore them, they are merely pieces of cloth and steel...nothing more.

**Nige H** · 12-13-2009, 06:01 PM

I'm with Bugme on this one guy's, as to what is Olive drab I could crash the forums sever with the amount of data required to explain that one away, I've been collecting and now trading in U.S. web gear for some years, and I can tell that there no one definitive colour or shade that you can call Olive Drab, there are only guidelines to the shade such as O.D. # 9, O.D.#3 and O.D.#7 this applies to both dyed fabrics and paint as both vary in shade and colour from batch to batch and year to year, for example what is classed as Olive drab paint in 1941 is not the same shade of Green that is classed as Olive drab in 1944 just think of it as army terminology for a shade of yellow or green for military use for the purpose of camouflage, the same applies with the British army Khaki this can be any colour from Yellow through to burnt orange through to dark tan brown.

Nige.