Japanese Helmet Cover for Review

[Airbornehunter]

My father acquired this cover with helmet from a good friend at least 17 years ago and he squirrelled it away until just recently.

Over the years I have been fortunate to get three Japanese helmets with covers direct from vets and to me this cover seems pretty close. The green background on the star and the yellow star match one I know is correct. The inner cotton fabric is identical in weight and weave as well. It does not glow. However the stamps are brown which is unlike any other I have seen. Additionally, the reinforcing cloth band around the edge is more orange color than usual and the draw string is white and of a different manufacturing style than normally seen.

I did find one identical to this in a topic on this forum - link below - note the draw string in picture #3 and the color of the reinforcing band. His stamps are not brown, but I realize some old inks contain iron and that may be the source of the difference?

So I suppose my question is this acceptable or too far out of the realm of acceptable?

Named Japanese helmet and 3rd pattern camouflage cover

[Nick Komiya]

Looks good, but the drawstring is clearly not original to the cover, but replaced. The 1942 specs required the string to be a woven style (not twisted style cord) in a length of 1036 mm for the small cover and 1060 mm for the large, so both ends hung 80 mm out the cover (yours is too short and wrong type cord).

Of course, whether it got replaced in wartime or postwar is anyone's guess.

[Airbornehunter]

Thank you for the reply it is much appreciated.

I think this drawstring may be factory and specific to these covers. I have taken these photos from the link above. Note the red arrow points to the exact same draw string with the exact same knot on the end, the exact weave and I presume same length. Note the orange arrow points to the more orange colored reinforcing band.

The only real difference between the covers is the star for obvious reasons.

[Nick Komiya]

No, specs strictly applied to all arsenals and no manufacturer's deviation would have gotten the acceptance stamp. The photos you attached also have replaced cords. When specs allowed more than one type of cord to be allowed for in the army depot's acceptance inspection, they clearly said so in the sheet and listed the accepted cord types. Manufacturer deviations could only occur in factors not spelled out, like how brownish the green the cord could be, etc.

[Razorback76]

Please post a clear image where the entire interior is visible.

[Airbornehunter]

Please post a clear image where the entire interior is visible.

There are two separate covers shown. I have attached another image of my cover. The other was simply found through a search on this forum and is not mine nor in my possession. The link to the topic is above, but I have placed it below again.

Named Japanese helmet and 3rd pattern camouflage cover

[RussM]

Does the stitching look like this heading towards the crown?

[Nick Komiya]

The stitching Russ is referring to runs parallel to the seams joining the 6 panels forming the dome of the white inside liner, running up only about 15cm from the bottom edge without reaching the crown.

These extra stitches hold the padding in place to prevent it from shifting and bunching up inside the cover.

The cover is assembled first by attaching 44 grams of staple fiber padding (in case of pure cotton, 38 grams) to the white inside lining dome. This is done by stitching the padding onto the lining along the 6 seams for a length of approx. 18cm from the bottom edge. As this bottom edge gets folded up when attaching the exterior cloth, this additional sewing line ends up running up about 15cm on the completed cover. All original covers will have this additional stitching.

I will also show a closeup of an original woven draw string. Note the weave and color.

[Airbornehunter]

Yes it does have stitching like that. Here are some more photos. The stitching described above is present. It follows the seam very well and stops part of the way up.

[Razorback76]

I think cover is ok but as stated above tie string is not the usual. The tie string looks like it could be the type supplied with some types of helmet nets.