Lot numbers

[TheGoon]

Hi guys I have a question here, I tried to research a bit about this but I can’t find any concrete answers, I was on the German helmet vault lot number database looking up one of my helmets to see if it’s ever been recorded previously and noticed another helmet was listed with the same model, lot number and maker, M35 ET66 lot number 4094, mines a beaded M35 luftschutz and the other was a KM, is this a common thing to share? Any help is appreciated!

[TWS]

Lot number or "heat number" refers to the batch of helmets all made during one production run.

The quantity of helmets produced from one batch of steel (usually, to my knowledge) did not correspond to order quantities. Therefore, several orders could be filled from one lot number to different branches of the Wehrmacht or other organizations. It follows that collectors will encounter such different helmets within the same lot number.

Yours may not have passed quality control for a combat helmet, so it was beaded and issued to the Luftschutz.

[MAP]

There is no Decal to Lot number guarantee. So yes, it is common to have different branches of the military sharing lot numbers. The fact that yours is a beaded helmet mean that there must have been some identified defect, thereby having the bead added, regulating it to non-front line service.

Interesting in that I would have assumed that whole batch of helmets made from that Lot of Steel would have been beaded, but maybe it was just your helmet or a small batch that had flaws from the manufacturing process and not from the steel quality. Just some guesses on my part. Maybe others have a better explanation.

Edit: Todd beat me to the punch.

[TheGoon]

Thanks for the reply guys and clearing things up! It never clued into me that a batch of helmets would be under the same lot number, I get mixed up with thinking it’s a serial number!, I still wonder why mines been beaded as I see no defects, maybe the treatment of the steel?

[MAP]

Thanks for the reply guys and clearing things up! It never clued into me that a batch of helmets would be under the same lot number, I get mixed up with thinking it’s a serial number!, I still wonder why mines been beaded as I see no defects, maybe the treatment of the steel?

I don't think anyone knows how many helmets were produced from each lot of steel, but I'm assuming it to be a large number considering the millions of helmets made.

[Danmark]

Terry's ( M38 ) book on helmet ( Volume 2 ) page 13 says that he and the other authors opinion is that the bead was purposely done for recognition of the type, not to save a defected stamping.
This was back in 1983 so the confusion still reigns nearly 40 years on .....

[Schwerpunkt]

I am also not convinced the bead was made because of a defect in the steel. It would seem to production heavy if that was the purpose.

If you look at all green marked lines in my lot number list on the Vault these are all the helmets with matching lot numbers across makers. You will see different branches and sizes as well all with 1 lot number.

[TheGoon]

I just noticed that just now thank you! I don’t know how I didn’t pick up on that before

[MAP]

Terry's ( M38 ) book on helmet ( Volume 2 ) page 13 says that he and the other authors opinion is that the bead was purposely done for recognition of the type, not to save a defected stamping.
This was back in 1983 so the confusion still reigns nearly 40 years on .....

I am also not convinced the bead was made because of a defect in the steel. It would seem to production heavy if that was the purpose.

If you look at all green marked lines in my lot number list on the Vault these are all the helmets with matching lot numbers across makers. You will see different branches and sizes as well all with 1 lot number.

Well, I guess since there are combat helmets within the same lot number, this kind of makes more sense than the convention view of defective steel. That is why I thought maybe something got screwed up in the pressing/manufacturing process.

Very interesting!