My first M38 FJ

[MAP]

Congrats! Love the Helmet. But can you explain to me what is meant by " corpse cut "?

Semper Fi
Phil

As Kradspam has noted above..... To add, I can't prove this is a corpse cut, but the tell tale signs are there (potential blood on liner, and cut back straps). Have been told that on the FJ's they would typically cut the back straps as with the Y harness it would be easier to slip off....

[MAP]

Thanks for the reply KradSpam. So nothing is actually cut on the helmet/liner/chinstrap?

SF
Phil

No, the chin strap was cut (instead of un-buckling it)

[AZPhil]

Thanks Gent's for the clarification on that term.

SF
Phil

[MAP]

I can't find fault with it either. Terry (M38) is one whose opinion would be sought after for FJ here, he has studied these in great detail, Jim who has replied already as well has a keen eye.

To me it looks like a quite late war with the rougher rolled rim, Terry am I correct on that?

Do you have photos of the lot number and maker/size stampings you can upload?

Don't pull on the leather. The stamps would be between the liner band and the rolled rim. Sometimes the stamps are under the liner band.

Have "dug" as much as I'm comfortable with and can see no maker/size stampings. As noted, the liner (all of it including the band) is fragile so don't want to damage it. With a lighted 40x loop, all bolts, fittings have a great patina, rust, oxidation, etc. The leather liner under the loop has legitimate age. And it has that "smell" as well. So I do not see this being messed with or being a repro.


Is there as specific area that has the stampings? Front, back, right side, left side?

Are there any known late war varients that don't have a stamping.

Hopefully, Terry will be around to provide some comments!

Michael

[DougB]

Hi Michael, yes please don't damage the helmet looking, as Jim said the stamps can be under the steel band in which case you won't see them.

With the helmet turned so the front is facing up and your looking into the interior, the size / maker will be at the 3 o clock position and the lot number at the 6 o clock position.

Don't worry about it if you can't find it.

[MAP]

Hi Michael, yes please don't damage the helmet looking, as Jim said the stamps can be under the steel band in which case you won't see them.

With the helmet turned so the front is facing up and your looking into the interior, the size / maker will be at the 3 o clock position and the lot number at the 6 o clock position.

Don't worry about it if you can't find it.

Whew.....thanks! I just want that piece of mind that the helmet is A-OK! If you say it's good. Thats more than enough verfication that I will ever need.

Will keep looking, gently of course. But it has to be deep because I don't see anything at the 3 or 6 postion (even slightly under the liner band.

I really like the look of this helmet and in my heart and in hand I know it screams "legit".

Thanks a million.

Michael

[harryamb2]

nice .

[M38]

Hello Michael

Sorry for the delay in responding. I was out of town all weekend.

Your helmet looks like an untouched original to me. It appears to be one of the late war flared rim models and is only the second one I've seen in a size 71 shell. Almost all of these are size 68 shells. It has had a rough life with some damage to the insides, and not stored well since the war, but it is all as it should be. Could be corpse cut - what looks like blood damage supports that - but I can't tell from the pics if there are still portions of the back straps on the rear bolts? Unusual to see it cut right where it joins the side straps but it does look like knife marks there. The little flaps at each end of the cross T on the end of the strap are gone too. Otherwise, it looks like it is all there. Are there 2 nuts on each bolt or just one? I especially like these late aluminum bots with both the slot and vent hole.

All in all, you have a nice well worn example. All of these flared rim models were marked ckl and the size in the rear, and all had a batch number 4054. But sometimes as mentioned the stampings are light or rusted or even up higher behind the steel liner band.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Terry

[MAP]

Hello Michael

Sorry for the delay in responding. I was out of town all weekend.

Your helmet looks like an untouched original to me. It appears to be one of the late war flared rim models and is only the second one I've seen in a size 71 shell. Almost all of these are size 68 shells. It has had a rough life with some damage to the insides, and not stored well since the war, but it is all as it should be. Could be corpse cut - what looks like blood damage supports that - but I can't tell from the pics if there are still portions of the back straps on the rear bolts? Unusual to see it cut right where it joins the side straps but it does look like knife marks there. The little flaps at each end of the cross T on the end of the strap are gone too. Otherwise, it looks like it is all there. Are there 2 nuts on each bolt or just one? I especially like these late aluminum bots with both the slot and vent hole.

All in all, you have a nice well worn example. All of these flared rim models were marked ckl and the size in the rear, and all had a batch number 4054. But sometimes as mentioned the stampings are light or rusted or even up higher behind the steel liner band.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Terry

Terry,

Thanks for the fantastic feedback. Yes it has had a hard life but it's got a great look that I really enjoy. Plus I like to have a mixture of salty and minty lids...

You are correct about the straps. My guess is that it was a corpse cut but then the person "cleaned it up" by cutting the extra bits of leather away. deep down in the back I can see some remains of the straps attached to the spanner bolts. The spots on the liner have all the hallmarks of blood in that these area's are quite brittle and dry compare to the surrounding area.

From what I saw there is just one nut on each of the spanner bolts. Heavy oxidation on some of them so they do not appear to have been removed (at least in many years). I too was interested in the bolts with slot and vent holes.

finally, thanks for the info on the maker and batch number. On the back of the helmet is exactly where there is some old oxidation which explains why I probably can't see it.

Once again, thanks you (and the others) for all the help. Will be happy to take more pictures if you wish...

Michael