Japanese B-3 Tail Fuzes (restore?)

[Wblastoff]

Japanese B-3 Tail Fuzes

This hero was from a demolition squad (see citation)
He brought these home had them chromed and made them into book ends.
Should I restore or keep as is?

Thanks for your thoughts!

Bill

[Nick Komiya]

I guess it depends on how reversible the chroming process is, but what you get at best is a paint-stripped fuse, which you will have to repaint, achieving something like a repainted helmet shell, which is not much exciting to anyone. I don't collect ordnance items, but I can relate to a hypothetical case of a chromed Type 90 helmet.

If the outcome is crisp and neat as what you got, I would rather respect the vet's craftsmanship and taste and keep it as a chromed helmet, rather than reduce it to a pedestrian repainted shell. I think war art has a right to be preserved as is. In this case, you'd be messing up war art rather than restoring a mutilated artifact; only my opinion.

[Long Shot]

I'd leave them as is and enjoy them as bookends to boot - especially if you got them for a good price

[MAP]

It's trench art. Collectible in its own right. Leave them as is IMHO

[AZPhil]

Those are eye catchers that way.Leave them be.

Semper Fi
Phil