Saving a Belgium mark 2 helmet

**Jb4046** · 02-10-2018, 06:04 PM

Ok so i was at my local antique shop and this appeared. It looked awful in the shop . I knew someone had done something to the helmet. Someome spray painted it black and put a dodgy ARP symbol on it . But just before I ditched the helmet I noticed a bump. I then checked an old thread for how to remove paint and found the Belgium flag . Right now i am just cleaning the rest of the helmet using nail polish remover and cotton wool

thats my progress so far

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 02-10-2018 06:04 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**BlackCat1982** · 02-10-2018, 08:16 PM

Is the liner still attached? I think it shows dedication to attempt to rescue this old mkii clone.

**Jb4046** · 02-10-2018, 08:28 PM

Yes with a manufacturer mark of ABL X•B 1952
Idk if its worth saving but since it still has a decal on it i think its nice

**BlackCat1982** · 02-10-2018, 10:30 PM

Don't know much about these, but I don't think they were used for long as they went over to the M1 pattern after 1952. So I think if you are a helmet nut then it is worth saving, they were very common a few years ago but that may have been because they could be repurposed as British wartime helmets.

**Jb4046** · 02-10-2018, 10:41 PM

Not much a helmet nut . Just a small side project for me to do over the long weekend. A shame an original helmet from one era to be done up as an original from another era

**Jb4046** · 02-14-2018, 10:42 PM

Here is the end result
After days of on and off cleaning I managed to remove the paint .
Dont worry the shell stand was only for the picture i will display it resting like a turtle not to damage the liner.
The only thing now is to get some Renaissance Wax to protect it

**Composite** · 02-14-2018, 11:29 PM

I'm intrigued....did the Nail Polish remover stop at the original coat or did you have to get it off before it started to strip that too? I'm thinking that taking paint which is probably 10 years old max off paint which 60+ years old must be easier than two layers applied a lot closer together in time.....

**Jb4046** · 02-14-2018, 11:41 PM

I had to be quite precise where i was cleaning. Yeah the original paint is tougher than the spray paint but what happened early on was i had rubbed to hard and caused a small area of bare metal . After that i was less abrasive. Yeah the original paint can also be removed but only happens when you still rub an area of original paint .