A steal

G

Grimmkel

New member
Nabbed this today…

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ORIGINAL-WWI-GERMAN-SPIKE-PICKELHAUBE-HELMET-Neck-Protection-/321600409298?ssPageName=ADME%3AL%3AOC%3AUS%3A1120&nma=true&si=Hj4rCnFD5pAU2Xeej1zm9i3uiRU%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

opinions?
 
Saw that. The issue is getting the silver paint off that was put on for the 7th grade King Arthur play back in 1953......
 
I would recommend a product called evaporust to deal with the rust. Available on line. For the paint, a "water based" paint stripper in order to minimize any effect on the finish. Strip it over a sink so you can easily control the chemical with water.
 
Used a rust remover product for the insides and the surface rust on the outer shell with a soft toothbrush, got much rust off. Spike was very stuck (due to rusted interior and wrong spire int he first place.) Began dealing with the silver paint on it, which got some patina on its own over time with as suggested, a water based paint stripper. It was difficult to not strip the actual finish on it but I think I'm doing okay...

Took off the top mounting area to get a more even area to remove the paint. Is it at all possible this helmet was shiney, as in officers...? it's stamped 1916 and Demaschke on the underbelly, which means late-war and it was always covered? The wappen is probably not original, there is no ghosting from any patina I can tell on the shell. size marked 59.

Going to go again with a water diluted mix with paint stripper and a brush next free time I get. Any advice?
 
Ron, not sure, really. It feels like it was shiny before rust and neglect set in. I have taken off the mount for the spike on top and the shell was shiny underneath, yet again i don't know the process of how it was made.

ANYWAYS, used a mixture about 40/60 stripper and water with a scrubber pad for the paint, rinsed with plain water and dried thoroughly. did this to the inside front, rear and center and outside entire shell, after having taken off the spike mount and wappen.

Took it inside (Fingers still frozen) and gave it a second round of spraying with a commercial ready-strip rust remover (with a new scrub pad) then rinsed and dried thoroughly again. After this with a cotton lintfree cloth applied a gum-free gun oil to all metal parts and reassembled the spike mount (screwed-bolt, washer and nut in original order of course) and then fixed the wappen to the outer face of the shell with real leather cord (same way my other pickelhaube is)

I may go on another wash, maybe 10/90 stripper/water to 'finish' the paint around the rear bolts. (If I could remove those bolts it would be easier to not affect more area than needed with the stripper ((which really takes a toll on the finish)))

All things considered it was a learning experience, thankfully the shell wasn't one of those 1000+ dollar experiments (those are awful, especially waking up the next day "what did i do?!")

So if you see a painted-by-gradeschool-teacher helm, don't be too afraid, it can turn out okay if you spend the time and have patience.

I think maybe my next project will be this KD89 enlisted original sword that I got a while back...

Thank you ebeeby and Brian for the tips and foresight. Also 911car, maybe you have some leads where I can find sales for ONLY a spike, gods know I'll spend the next 3 years looking for 'only' a spike appropriate ](*,)


EDIT1/ I'm not a messy hoarder, just a messy collector whose wife will only allow him 1 room for all 'crafts/collections/everything else'
 
Also 911car, maybe you have some leads where I can find sales for ONLY a spike, gods know I'll spend the next 3 years looking for 'only' a spike appropriate ](*,)

As already discussed on the forum, the M15 JzP detachable spike is slightly different, notably a little higher, from its homolog for infantry, and therefore much more rare. A regular infantry M15 spike should be an acceptable compromise though, in my opinion, before you find the real thing (and they are plentiful). You can also sell the Kurassier spike currently affixed on your helmet. Many a collector is looking for one, but I would suggest that you keep it if you plan to acquire a Kurassier helmet.
Good luck!
 
Would this be accurate...?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/391033384678?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I think it's right...
 
One last little secret....when stripping any rounded, turned (as in chair leg), grooved item buy some hamster bedding! Why buy hamster bedding when I know most of you killed off your little friends years ago? The bedding is made of wood chips...coat the helmet with your stripper, put on rubber gloves, grab a handful of chips and start scrubbing. Be sure to do this over a cardboard box as it gets messy. The chips are small so they get into and clean out all crevices. The wood is soft (cedar) so it does not hurt any surface. I have used this method many times on antique furniture and even an M15 kurassier helmet that had been painted black both inside and out. Using chips saves hours of work when dealing with these kind of surfaces. It will clean all that remaining paint from around those rivets and edging on that helmet.
The kurassier helme by the way had been painted in order to hide the fact that someone had chromed the entire piece...it had no value as a result. The other fittings...scales and wappen were repros, the whole thing, even the liner had been faked.
 
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