[M35] Questions regarding this reissue(?) DD M35 Helmet

[HannerTenry]

Hi all,

I am currently looking at a German M35 helmet to purchase. It is a Quist-made Size 62 helmet, with a lot number of 219.


I have questions about the following, and I would be very grateful if anyone could give their more-experienced thoughts on them:

- The split pins are missing much of their paint, and are somewhat loose. Is this necessarily a sign of tampering?

- The helmet may have been repainted, perhaps twice. It also seems the decal areas have more damaged paint, perhaps from someone trying to see them. Does this seem like tampering?

- The underside of the dome (and a little near the right decal) has a different paint color than most of the helmet. While this can be common with M35s that are re-issued, it almost seems as if that lighter paint was applied after the darker repaint. Is this also evidence of tampering?


Thank y'all in advance!

[MAP]

On my cell phone so can't see much. Loose pins on there own do not necessarily mean the liner has been replaced. Could be just due to long term wear. And from my small phone screen it looks like a single band aluminum liner band which would be ok for an M35.

That said, I do have concerns over the paint on the inside.

Please wait for others

[HannerTenry]

Thank you for the response, MAP.

I personally don't have many issues with the helmet, other than not knowing if the main darker paint is wartime or not. (For the price, I am not too concerned with the interior's lighter green paint)

I also am a little confused on the decals, because they look as if they were painted over, but also in the areas of where the paint is chipped they don't show much signs of the expected colors of the decals. Maybe that is actually the outline of where the sticker was.

[AndyM35]

Hi Hanner,

The photos tend to blur when enlarged but from what I can see paint looks like original factory applied smooth green on much of the exterior and rear skirt. Looking at where the decals were I am wondering if they were period painted over (just the decals) as there appears to be a slightly darker shade over those areas. The paint in the dome looks post war and perhaps added to cover the pitting or some rust. You do see some liner pins with considerable paint missing but all three would be a little odd. You should ask for some closeups of the liner pins located between the leather and band to see if they have any double bends. Liner looks good as does the single ply aluminium liner band.

Andy

[BlackCat1982]

Its a reissued M35 that has been used by the Norwegian army, you can see the traces of their national shield decal on the side. It will have been stripped paint and the liner treated. An original wartime helmet that has been repurposed after 1945.

[Adravor]

I disagree BlackCat, that is not a Norwegian reissue, because of follwing reasons:

- The shape of the Decals, is not the shape of the Norwegian ones, Norwegian ones have crowns and sharp bottoms, this one exhibits a smooth top and a round bottom, the decal outlines are German Decals.

- The Liner is darkened by age/oils, not by Norwegian redying, that would be a way more reddish dark brown.

- Norwegians didnt use the german Pins, but rather their own brass ones, which isnt the case here.

- The Paint looks wrong for a norwegian reissue, usually they are smooth in a different paint tone.


I think the helmet is difficult to evaluate, it looks like Heer and National shield are peaking trough a rather light, green overpaint. The inside seems suspicious, the green paint spot in the dome does not look wartime and i see some paint over pitting? Although i´m not sure which layer of paint is over the pitting, the green spot or the green paint that covers the whole helmet (which would make the whole helmet a post war repaint)

Generally i however tend to a original, slightly messed with, Reissue M35.

[PotatoDigger]

IMO a decent M35 which was not reissued, the decals were just scratched off either during the war to comply with regulations, or post war.
The angle the photos were taken at makes it hard to say if they were painted over prior to removal.
It certainly looks like it was a while ago those were removed.
The liner also looks good and fitting.
As already said by others, the pins not having much paint doesn't necessarily mean they have been messed with. Best way to check is always to look at the inside.
The paint in the dome (and near the right side decal) is certainly odd, though. Would be interesting to see if there is also bits of that paint on the liner which would reinforce the statement that the liner belongs to the helmet.
The scratches in the dome area would indicate to me that it was probably cleaned a bit roughly, which is unfortunate but happens quite a lot when inexperienced people find helmets.

So, if it isn't too expensive it is far from the worst helmet to start a collection with.
I would also be curious to see what date the liner band has, but that just out of curiosity.

Luis

[Adravor]

True, ur assement is correct, they where certainly scratched off. The paint however seems to have a bit more texture to it, then i would expect from an M35, atleast the ones i owned and own are completly smooth, while this example definitly shows some texture.