SS Relic helmet preservation

**Totenhead** · 05-29-2012, 08:30 PM

Where's the man with the shovel on his head when we need him !!!!!

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 05-29-2012 08:30 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**DougB** · 05-29-2012, 09:37 PM

I conversed with Robbie via PM on this one, graphically it seems accurate enough but with these pics and any relic I would only go with an in hand. So many SS relic fakes that I am very very cautious when it comes to them on forums with typically less than adequate photos from which to judge. Sorry for not being able to more detailed in my observation that this but I don't want to condemn it nor give it a thumbs up with what I see thus far.
Cheers
Doug

**Totenhead** · 05-29-2012, 09:42 PM

No worries Doug, totally understandable, I feel we all rely far too much on your opinions, it’s a big responsibility, rather than having an opinion and sticking to it

**Totenhead** · 05-29-2012, 10:26 PM

I have just put the pictures through a filter, not sure if they are any better?Attachment 353278 Attachment 353279

**Totenhead** · 05-31-2012, 05:47 PM

Some better decal pictures which have had more favourable thoughts on another forumAttachment 353607 Attachment 353606

**Dimas** · 05-31-2012, 06:29 PM

This is original helmet, but as I can see, the problem: after it was found aproximately one year or more it's lied in open air- as all of dug up helmets became corrosion very quickly- all the rusting process born underneath of the paint. As in this helmet- very soon the decal will fall from the helmet

**Totenhead** · 05-31-2012, 06:33 PM

It will need some preservation, but if its done properly i think it would be fine

**DougB** · 05-31-2012, 10:34 PM

I give it a fighting chance. My personal rule is an in hand on decals in this condition.

**Danmark** · 05-31-2012, 10:35 PM

It amazes me how the corrosion managed to stay away from the decal ....super resilient printing film must have been used. However the creeping crud will have migrated under the decal through the grain of the metal and it may come off in a whole piece one day soon as the oxygen does it's thing as it delaminates the strata of the steel.
( based on my experience with metal NOT decals )
Cheers, DAn

**DougB** · 05-31-2012, 10:51 PM

Hi Dan, nothing to do with printing film, real SS decals have a metallic pulver that has a certain percentage of vanadium in it, this is an anti rusting agent. Otherwise all these decals would have turned a rust colour when out if the field in very short order. This is why the decals stand up so well in certain soil conditions.