to liberate or not

**Wagriff** · 10-17-2012, 05:12 AM

"Liberated" decals Never look right afterwards. This helmet is in the condition it was put into by the German Army in WWII and should not be altered.

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 10-17-2012 05:12 AM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**BOB COLEMAN** · 10-17-2012, 05:18 AM

by cgp1066

Anybody who digs up a decal deserves to be taken out into the middle of heavily forested area and disemboweled with a wooden spoon.

Just as the practice of stripping insignia from a uniform was common in the early days of collecting, digging out decals was also an accepted practice. As time went by, collecting and preservation of items has evolved to historical conservation of the item as is. I myself did it a couple of times in the mid 60's but ceased doing it as I was never satisfied with the result. Leaving it as is conserves the manner in which the helmet was worn at the end of the war.

**AZPhil** · 10-17-2012, 05:19 AM

Leave it Be!!

**relicz** · 10-17-2012, 05:21 AM

I have a very recent woodwork find combat veteran that I've been pouring over to determine if the field repaint with decal cleaned immediately afterwards or a liberated decal. It makes a very big difference, so please leave it be!!!

**Danmark** · 10-17-2012, 06:00 AM

by cgp1066

Anybody who digs up a decal deserves to be taken out into the middle of heavily forested area and disemboweled with a wooden spoon.

Settle on, at least use a stainless spoon ( although I'm sure Ted Bundy and Jeffery Darhmer would have agreed )

**Pablo** · 10-17-2012, 11:14 AM

Seems to be overwhelmingly against. I didn't really intend on liberating the decal but wanted to see what the consensus of the forum members were. After some of the comments, I may have to change my username and go into hiding.

**MD Helmets** · 10-17-2012, 11:55 AM

So it was rhetorical? Thank god. I was about to have you committed.

**maximus71** · 10-17-2012, 01:13 PM

Seems to be overwhelmingly against. I didn't really intend on liberating the decal but wanted to see what the consensus of the forum members were. After some of the comments, I may have to change my username and go into hiding.

Too late, we are already gathered outside your house!

**Pablo** · 10-17-2012, 04:22 PM

Wondered why all the folks with pitchforks and torches were doing outside the home.....thought it was Halloween a little early. This helmet is actually one of my more beloved ones and would never hurt it. It was sold to an antiques dealer for $50 (but that's not what I paid). It is an honest helmet with chinstrap, distinct dome stamp, and a signed (in old style German) liner. A few mice had made a home in the liner and chewed it up a bit. I assume the helmet to have been around a while and would have a few stories to tell, but certainly not the one about the insane man liberating the decal.