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For sale: One Helmet Wappen of the second German Empire ($100 + $15 S&H), and one pair flat chinscales ($100 + $15 S&H). Not sure about the Wappen, but the chinscales are definitely reproduction. I prefer originals, but in some cases, originals are not available, so reproduction parts help make...

Lars, I think so too. I put a little Renaissance Wax on it, and it's ready to mount and go on display as soon as I finish the helmet.

Update: I stripped the black paint off the spike and base. The base looks great, with about 85% original finish remaining. The spike is covered in a significant amount of rust, so I have more work ahead of me, but these pictures are where it currently stands.

Absolutely phenomenal museum-quality helmets! It's especially nice how you have the items grouped by regiment/unit. Did they come like this, or did you have to search for and gather the items to group them yourself?

Jäger, I'm no SME, but there are many in this forum, so I'd say this is the right place. If you post pictures and asking price here, you'll get feedback and may get some offers. I see many pieces being sold to forum members. Regards, Tim

I do have some auto body tools that I have used in the past, so I'll probably use them again for this project.

Steve, you are correct with the addition that they also painted the helmet shells black, gold, and silver, then covered the fittings in any of those three colors as well. And that's not counting the people that thought it would be cool to chrome or nickel plate a helmet and gold plate the...

None of my dogs would go anywhere near a contraption like this...

Wayne, I also use the Renaissance Wax polish on my helmets. I generally apply the wax to the surface, then gently buff it out with a soft cloth (usually an old sock). I put it on all parts; metal and leather alike, and you are correct; it works great.

In addition to being a scarce helmet, the spike looks different than others I have seen. There appears to be remnants of grey paint on the brass trim in some of these photos. It's also interesting to see the Saxon cockade and front wappen on a cuirassier-type lobstertail-style helmet.

This looks like an original model 1915 Kurassier metalhelm, though it has a coat of grey paint. The outer paint looks like it may be original, perhaps to reduce glare. It looks like a really nice original piece.

Pembroke, I was thinking the same. I'm going to get a nylon 2" hammer for the job. In the past, I've used auto body hammers, but I'm going to try the nylon hammer with a rounded end this time.

Current status after about four or five hours of work with the rotary wire brush and Black & Decker cordless drill. The drill is reversible so one can go with or against the wire direction. This enhances its ability to cut through paint and rust.

John, I'll give that a try on the spike and base. Thanks for the tip!

Here's the spike, base, bolts, and tag. Manufacturer is CIE Cannstatt. I'm going to take care, as there may be original paint under the black paint.

Here are the latest photos of this helmet. I've been using a Black & Decker cordless power drill with a wire brush attachment, and some decent pressure applied in order to get through the rust. Current progress represents about 2-3 hours of work. After this round, I applied some Autosol metal...

Thanks John Josef. I'll take more photos and do some more work on it tonight.

Attached are some current photos of my current active project: a Kurassier that has been painted black. I started with a dremel, and transitioned to a power drill with a wire brush attachment, as the paint was persistent, and beneath it is a pretty thick coat of rust. I'm in the process of...

Tony, what an amazing find! I will message you directly, as I notice some of the brass coloring on the rivets appears to be coming off. I only mention this because I have a helmet similar to this, that I previously thought was something someone had created post-conflict or time period.

I concur on the oil, though I think everyone has their personal preferences when it comes to protecting metal pieces. My preferences are: Howard's Feed & Wax, and Renaissance Wax. I've been putting Renaissance Wax on my Metalhelm, as it is what the British Museum uses for their metal artifacts...