Is this a KM decal? German wwii m-35 with zimmerit paste?

**Sir Payne** · 10-29-2012, 07:40 PM

by mclenrd

I couldn't disagree more with Cory. The over-paint is far from being "camo" anything. The thickness of the paint is commonly seen on 'reissues' and the paint looks very brittle. $800-$1000 ($1200 on a real good day) is a more of a fair appraisal. The exposed apple green paint is what I find attractive about this helmet. It's an excellent example of a post 1940 spec field reissue and I wouldn't be surprised if there is a tri-color decal on the other side under all that. Good luck with it.

I disagree with the forum consensus. I think this is an original Zimmerit camo helmet. I have posted below a similar example of a Zimmerit from the Ruptured Duck. The price is $2100. If this helmet being discussed is priced at $800...then I hope the owner will put it on hold for me!

Is this a KM decal? German wwii m-35 with zimmerit paste?

Regards,
Cory, I mean Corey

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 10-29-2012 07:40 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**mclenrd** · 10-29-2012, 09:42 PM

Corey (sorry i misspelled your name),
I've known Bill Shea for 25+ years... He is a great guy but his stuff has always been "a little" over priced. Zimmerit is a word that seems to be thrown around a little too much.

**Sir Payne** · 10-29-2012, 11:00 PM

As much as I hate being the outcast on the helmet forum, I still stand by my opinion that all of the above comments are incorrect in regards to the zimmerit camo as well as value of this helmet. We can sit here and dance around each other's comments all night, but I'm not changing my opinion until I see concrete evidence of the contrary. People come to this forum in order to find answers and explanations. Everybody has given him an answer, but they offer no explanation. Other than the lone pictures I have posted, nobody has offered any evidence to support their claim.

@Mclenrd. You can say what they want about Bill Shea, and the helmet on his site, but I trust his opinion more so than the opinion of the majority of members of this forum. I agree his prices are high, as are those of every other major helmet dealer, but that only is an opinion that supports what I said before, which is...that a dealer's value of this helmet (if it is Zimmerit, which I think it is) would be around $2000 or more.

Regards,
Corey

**FJ5 chally** · 10-29-2012, 11:50 PM

Heer decal

KM decal

I think it has a chance to be zimmerit too..
Look hows its flaking off too.. I have not seen
sane camo flake off like that.. The zimmerit is a
paste, and will hence flake off like a paste..
It is very fragile, and with the decal on the zimmerit
will be destroyed, if not gone if not careful..

**4md** · 10-30-2012, 12:09 AM

by Lidman

Agreed.

Brad.

I agree with these fella's, heer and not zimmerit

regards Paul

**relicz** · 10-30-2012, 12:12 AM

Looks to be a heavy sand mix repaint with a Heer decal.

There has been much discussion over the years about zimmerit helmet camo being a myth.

http://www.walhalla.se/topic/2751-zi...****entry25941

http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...=448754&page=5

Do a search, there is a lot more.

**relicz** · 10-30-2012, 12:22 AM

by cgp1066

As much as I hate being the outcast on the helmet forum, I still stand by my opinion that all of the above comments are incorrect in regards to the zimmerit camo as well as value of this helmet. We can sit here and dance around each other's comments all night, but I'm not changing my opinion until I see concrete evidence of the contrary. People come to this forum in order to find answers and explanations. Everybody has given him an answer, but they offer no explanation. Other than the lone pictures I have posted, nobody has offered any evidence to support their claim.

@Mclenrd. You can say what they want about Bill Shea, and the helmet on his site, but I trust his opinion more so than the opinion of the majority of members of this forum. I agree his prices are high, as are those of every other major helmet dealer, but that only is an opinion that supports what I said before, which is...that a dealer's value of this helmet (if it is Zimmerit, which I think it is) would be around $2000 or more.

Regards,
Corey

Corey,
I would caution weighting anyone's opinion above all others. Those that make a living at selling militaria have been known to be wrong at least occasionally in the past, and the duck is no exception. Each item should be judged on its individual merits and must be able to stand on its own.

**Sir Payne** · 10-30-2012, 12:55 AM

by relicz

Corey,
I would caution weighting anyone's opinion above all others. Those that make a living at selling militaria have been known to be wrong at least occasionally in the past, and the duck is no exception. Each item should be judged on its individual merits and must be able to stand on its own.

Just like those who make a living by selling militaria are wrong on occasion, the general consensus is as well. I have seen the general consensus wrong many many times before, especially on the helmet forum.

It seems to me that you are implying that the helmet on the ruptured duck, that I have pictured, is not what the dealer says it is. If you, or whoever else, believes this, then please say so...with evidence supporting your claim.

Corey

**relicz** · 10-30-2012, 01:17 AM

Corey, it appears you are being argumentative for arguments sake. To be honest I did not even look closely at the duck photos, the point is that the use of "zimmerit" on helmets likely never happened, If it did,....it was probably someone in a factory screwing around.

That is not to say that it was not imitated to some degree with paint and aggregate/additives in the field, it may well have been.

**Sir Payne** · 10-30-2012, 01:35 AM

I am only arguing to defend my argument. That is one of the great things about this forum. Collectors can come together and discuss and debate each other's opinions on certain things. There is nothing wrong with that.

Not all reissue helmets were refitted, repainted, and refurbished in a factory. Many of them were done in the field. I am of the opinion that this particular helmet was field repainted. My evidence of this is that the interior of the helmet is not heavily textured painted, only the outer shell is. If the helmet was repainted in a factory....they would have repainted the entire shell, inside and out. Look at the photo I have added below (from GHW forum).

You should closely examine the ruptured duck photo I posted and compare it to the helmet originating this thread. They are covered in the exact same textured paint.

This is the interior of the helmet that started this thread. Note that there is no textured paint, this helmet was probably field repainted in order to provide the soldier camouflage. (the ruptured duck helmet has this same characteristic)