M38 opinion

**Lizzo54** · 03-05-2016, 04:55 AM

Hi, here is a helmet that i aquired some years ago as part of a large lot of items. I had packed it aside assuming it was fake. I dont see many with flar screw heads and teh decals, to me arent set in the proper location and look junk. I had assumed the prior owner stuck them on there.

From what I can see i think the marking is CK 168, but i cant find anything by searching that.

As always, comments and feedback are much appreciated.

Thanks Len

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 03-05-2016 04:55 AM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**Adrian Stevenson** · 03-05-2016, 07:52 AM

The stamps read "Ckl" and "68". Which you will find are the maker and shell size.

The decals are fake and need be carefully removed. The helmet is original.

Cheers, Ade.

**Danmark** · 03-05-2016, 11:06 AM

They look to be normal water slide types.
Try wetting newspaper and putting on the decal to re-soften the backing glue... reversing the way they were applied.

Good luck.
Dan

**kradman** · 03-05-2016, 12:45 PM

As put nice original shell and whats left of the liner , remove the fake decals

**Lizzo54** · 03-05-2016, 04:39 PM

Wow great news. Thankyou for the unexpected surprise. I honestly thought it would come back as fake.
Now with a little more information Ive done some reading up on the makers marks and general info on helmets. I have a long way to go before feeling totally comfortable with pointing real from fake. I did see a commen about stitching in a different post and looking at my liner, whats left of it, i can see what was noted as original vs knock off.
So with my helmet, did they issue them without decals? Obviously someone placed these on it, but looking closely at the areas where decals would have been placed, i dont see any indication that there were prior decals that someone had previously removed.
And whats behind the dual vs single decals on helmets?

**Adrian Stevenson** · 03-06-2016, 12:46 PM

Double decal helmets were no longer made by 1940.

Single decal helmets ceased to be made in late 1943.

Given your helmet has the late war screw type liner bolts it would have never had double decals.

Who put those decals there had no knowledge, as they are not even in the right place either.

Cheers, Ade.