Restoration of german hlemet, need help

[gabrich]

My friend gave me a german helmet (m40 maybe, on inside it is written ET62 ) for my birthday. He painted a helmet in 1967, but not in original paint. I sent a helmet for blasting and i want to restore it to a original looks. I have one question. Are those air vents filld with iron rivet original? I was looking for many helmets on internet but all of them had air vents clear . Please look awaz from holes for leather interior, i will clear them. A guy who blasted the helmet thought he is doing me a favour. I want to clear those air vents if those are not original and for start paint helmet with base colour for protection. I will be thenkful for any advice. Regards from slovenia!

Original state


Sand blasted

[BlackCat1982]

The air vents appear to have been filled with two domed threaded bolts. With those fitted I’m guessing that this was an M35 helm before those additions. These are not original. The liner suspension holes are also plugged with brass? Not original either.

[gabrich]

Ty for answering. The liner suspension holes are filled with brass. The guy who sandblasted my helmet thought the sand made holes and he filled them. (I will clear those holes because i will fit leather inside later, after painting). The air vents are filled with iron rivets maybe. I want to clear them before painting, if they are not original. My friend, who gave me the helmet said, that he did not filled the air vents. I don t know, what happend before 1967, when he found helmet.
I don t know if it is m40 or m35. The guy on national forum said it must have been m40...

closer look outside


closer look inside

[MAP]

Odd. very odd. The new photos really don't clear up the mystery.

If this was an M35 originally, the original rivets are long gone and can not be replaced (maybe a machinist could fabricate something but is it worth the effort and cost?

If it is an M40, maybe the inserted bolts (if that what they are) in the rivet holes can be removed and with luck, the original press dome rivets where not crushed in the process.

[Adravor]

To me it looks like an M35 where the Rivets where replaced with something else, as M40 holes look different from the inside.

An example of the M40 Vent-hole seen from the inside.

[gabrich]

I could buy air vents in e bay. German Helmet M35 air vents 2 pcs | eBay But can I install them? For example: i can drill those knots out and install air vents - but how? There are also different air vents for M40 and M35. It is odd, who would stick some iron after the war.. The most logical explanation must be that this is original series?

[Adravor]

An explanation for the locked down air vents could be that it was used for something else. For example as a bucket. I´ve heard that that occured quite commonly.
The germans even made regular pots etc. out of the non issued helmets.


(Although this would be the "advanced" version with an handle.)

[MAP]

.....The most logical explanation must be that this is original series?

Actually this is unlikely. The hypothesis proposed by Adravor is quite possible. Post war use for something else.

[gabrich]

It is very likely, that the helmet was post war repaired... So how can I know if it is m40 or m35? I want to order right air vents. I will order air vents form e bay, kick out rivets and ask my friend, who work with metal to install them before I will paint the helmet with base colour..

[gabrich]

An explanation for the locked down air vents could be that it was used for something else. For example as a bucket. I´ve heard that that occured quite commonly.
The germans even made regular pots etc. out of the non issued helmets.


(Although this would be the "advanced" version with an handle.)

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