A relic M35 Helmet with decal ?

**danhashman** · 07-01-2011, 07:52 AM

A short time ago i´ve got this relic M35 supposedly from the Narva area in estonia. It is pretty rusty, but still very solid. Althrough it has a strange pattern breakage on the right side whose possible origins i can not imagine.

Today i was looking at it with love, when a white-ish area on one undamaged (left) side of the helmet called to my attention. Could this be eventually be the very last leftovers of a decal?

A true War-relics case, worthy of the title of this forum...

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 07-01-2011 07:52 AM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**davejb** · 07-01-2011, 08:06 AM

It certainly would appear that its a remnant decal, im just wondering if this would be worth a soaking in oxalic acid, the entire helmet might be solid enough to take it and it should show the decal details a little better if your lucky, i would wait to see if the relic guys who use this method would advise it

**stuka f** · 07-01-2011, 08:11 AM

It also shows remains of paint.

**danhashman** · 07-01-2011, 08:21 AM

The nice thing about relics is, that their originality is never in question.. paid 50 USD for it, but gives me pleasure for a 1000...

**stuka f** · 07-01-2011, 09:30 AM

I do agree with your statement, my collection mainly holds ground dugs.

**Inf Div 121** · 07-01-2011, 12:35 PM

This helmet had really bad flaky rust, almost all paint is gone with rust, after oxalic acid You can get not more than 3-5% of paint, decal will become whiter, but if decal have flakes it can fly away, also never touch decal when it is wet from acid, it become really soft.
P.S. My first helmet in oxalic acid was Fallschirmjäger and bird flyed away because I touched it in acid.

**danhashman** · 07-01-2011, 03:10 PM

by Inf Div 121

This helmet had really bad flaky rust, almost all paint is gone with rust, after oxalic acid You can get not more than 3-5% of paint, decal will become whiter, but if decal have flakes it can fly away, also never touch decal when it is wet from acid, it become really soft.
P.S. My first helmet in oxalic acid was Fallschirmjäger and bird flyed away because I touched it in acid.

Yes, it has flaky rust, althrough the helmet still sounds like a bell... I dont know if i´d like to put acid on it, i don´t think there´s much paint left to rescue, apart of that, i do not even know where to get this acid in Mexico City.

Is there any recommended surface treatment to keep the helmet from continuing rusting ?
What might be the origin of the damage, could it be battle?
and last but not least.. did i pay a fair price for that lid?

**Inf Div 121** · 07-01-2011, 05:46 PM

The best surface treatement would be microcrystaline wax solution in White Spirit, don't use oil. I by wax in chemistry shop in Faculty of Chemistry, there also I by oxalic acid, but White Spirit in nearest hardware store.
Can't very good see damage, but crack looks like it could be from blast, I have found simmilar damaged helmets on battlefields in Kurland.
If You paid 50$ including shipping it is really good deal, if 50$ only for helmet, than it is faitr, because helmet has traces of paint and decal, and liner.