Half an ss helmet?

[LAS VEGAS]

On blue gray relics site there is an interesting ss helmet which is literally chopped in half.I think the guy is saying this happened in battle,but i have a sneaking feeling it was done after the war ,and somone cut it in half maybe to use the crown for a cooking utensil,and left the lower half with the decal to maybe hang on a wall? .The halfing of the helmet seemd to cleanly cut to have been battledamaged.Interested to hear what others think?It was further interesting to see bible quotes on his site,im not sure what that has to do with militaria collecting?The site is excelent, and he has some ww2 era photos on it of german soldiers and many relics for sale.

[John Brandon]

Personally I think it's just a sorry wreck, whatever the story. Not worth anything as far as I'm concerned

I have uploaded the pictures from the site for others to see

[LAS VEGAS]

Hello John its not that one its the other one.The one that is cleanly!cut in half.Sorry i cant put photo on!

[GasMasksUK]

This is the helmet here, very unusual.......

Thanks

Danny

[Nebelwerfer]

I don't think it's battledamaged.. The cut looks too cleanly. Can't think of a way that this happens on a battlefield.

[John Brandon]

Hello John its not that one its the other one.The one that is cleanly!cut in half.Sorry i cant put photo on!

sorry wrong one, thanks Danny

[GasMasksUK]

oh, I think i know how this might have happened, look at where the "cut" actually is, its pretty much level with the metal liner band on the inside of the helmet. And parts of the helmet look like they have simply been broken off due to them being rusty and fragile but this damage hasnt went past the liner band as this kind of re-enforces that part of the helmet?!?! This is just an idea and a bit of a guess but I'll see what others think.

Thanks

danny

[Wesley's Dad]

If the dome of this helmet was removed wartime it was probably used to reinforce the dome of a helmet shell that was the next size larger. Pick up enough German helmets at a shows etc. and eventually you will find one that is curiously heavy. Look in side it. A rare modification, but it was done. I have seen about 2 or 3 in 20 years of collecting and they were all done the same way essentially.

The liner of the intact helmet would be removed, the cut down dome would be dropped inside. Replacing the liner would secure it inside the shell as it would rest on the liner band.

This one looks like it still may have rusted off as the post above explains.

[LAS VEGAS]

Thanks gasmasksuk for uploading the pic for the guys to see!wesleys dad that could indeed be the explanation.In fact i think it still remains a facinating helmet and the only question now is the decal genuine?

[LAS VEGAS]

I wonder did they reinforce the shell for snipers