Carbon Dating German camo Helmets.

[MAP]

.....But as Frank points out in recent times the C14 dating has had a fairly wide margin of error, not such an issue if you want to confirm something is medieval, and a 50 year range is acceptable, but definitely an issue for pin pointing an era that lasted only 12 years. However technology is improving all the time and these issues may be resolved in the future.

Ignoring of the initial thread derail regarding miss use and COA's, sticking to the original point of the thread as to the validity of using C14, these were my thoughts as well.

I've been an avid armchair "archaeologist" since I was a kid. Reading anything I could get my hands on. There is a wide return of date "ranges" depending on the tested materials and age of the item. Despite advances I don't think it is there yet but would be great if it is.

[CBH]

I recently heard a Pod-cast about using C14 to accurately date human organ regeneration. Background radiation was effected by above ground nuclear tests and this gave a spike in C14. This spike can be used to date the regrowth of human organs. Hopefully this will make for more accurate carbon dating in the future.
I also agree this will be more useful in dating natural materials as compared to paint. But when a small piece of SS cloth can be worth thousands of dollars, maybe Proof of Originality would be worth it.

[MAP]

If it is accurate and cost effective then it would be great.

I do not see this in the same light as XRF. C14 dating is an established and verifiable scientifically proven testing methodology conducted by countless labs across the world.

[TWS]

An interesting idea, but I would wonder if it might not be more relevant in the future for high priced Third Reich era uniforms or visors (rather than helmets), where a thread from the fabric could be dated. But as Frank points out in recent times the C14 dating has had a fairly wide margin of error, not such an issue if you want to confirm something is medieval, and a 50 year range is acceptable, but definitely an issue for pin pointing an era that lasted only 12 years. However technology is improving all the time and these issues may be resolved in the future.

That basically sums up my thoughts and understanding about it.

[AndyM35]

CBH that’s really interesting about the organ re-growth as someone that underwent a kidney transplant in 2016.

Regarding the C14 spike, my understanding from what I have read is that due to the C14 spike in 1950”s then the subsequent drop after, you should be able to date paint prior to and after the peak. In theory this would mean that paint applied to camos painted after 1950 should be distinguishable from earlier applied paint.