damaged Tschapka

pointystuff

Active member
Restoration potential:

http://cgi.ebay.com/PRUSSIAN-UHLAN-ULAN-HELMET-PICKELHAUBE-MARKED-REGT-11-/270731399615?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f08d951bf

Note the exposed piping from inside the liner.

Ulan Anders would probably be troubled at the condition of the Kaiser's property, if he had to pay for it.
 
klink said:
The lack of the front visor is a very big problem : where find an other one ?.

:(

Cut one from leather, thin down the top edge enough to fold it over and stitch it to the shell with a curved needle...with multiple coats of shellac tinted with lamp black/aniline dye. :)
 
A good restoration / parts project... I'll bet it goes for around $350 or more. I'd buy it for the $69 it's at now :P

:D Ron
 
Dont forget the missing M15 visor trim boys! If anyone buys this, check out my restitch of James' Tschapka visor. There are some good close ups of how the originals were made and look like. This brings up the subject of buying restoration project helmets in order to supposedly save some coin. I was a follower of this philosophy for many years. That is why I got into the whole restoration thing plus I am a half Scot. However, as the years go by and I see Bavarian scrapper parts helmets going for $428 etc.... and the Latvians selling dug parts. BTW as an aside, I bought one lot of them and it is very obvious that they are dug when cleaned up. The brass although solid for the most part is all pitted it is not going to fool anyone. I am being persuaded that this is not the best way to do things. Tony has always maintained that he will never buy anything that is not near perfect, I mean a cockade...some small thing that needs to be found then ok but never anything like this M15 Tschapka under discussion. He pays the extra and does not have the head aches of trying to track stuff down or compete with other desperate parts hunters on Ebay. I really think that this is the smart thing to do, buy it complete. My opinion anyway and oh, this from a guy who has.....probably 10 OR's and officer helmets plus an M95 OR's Tschapka that lie there in various states of disrepair and missing bits and pieces in the collection room. Plus both Tony and Chas can testify as to the wappen and parts that are in the basement. Think about it anyway, it is your choice as a collector.
 
Yep. It's a good thing to wait and get a complete helmet.

It's hard enough to get mundane tasks done, much less find enough time for repairing neglected helmets.

On the other hand, I do have a spare visor trim piece on hand...naaah....the grass needs mowing.
 
I think it's all about the challenge: How does it look after all those hours of work? Priceless !
We saw some wonderfull examples on this forum before ! Great job ! Thx for sharing.

What about people taking PH apart and selling the parts....

I would pay for a spike or ball top and a Wappen. But that's for display.

I'd rather wait for a good one !

Rgds,
Francis
 
Regarding the Latvian parts....I bought that broken spike base with domed brads last month sandwitched between the leather top remains.. My concept was, brass does not disintegrate over the years so possibly this could be a good source for parts. Received the item and broke up the old leather as it was absolutely of no value. What I really wanted was the set of 4 matching original brads. Of the 4, I was only able to salvage one. The brass domes on the others were rotted through and the brads themselves broke even after heating with a torch when I tried to put them back in a vertical position so I could use them. The brass base itself was rotten and basically broke apart when I got rid of the leather.
So the moral of my tale at least, is don't look to Latvia for parts. Even if they are solid for example a spike or spine, the surface of the brass is pitted and stained. Once you have seen one you know that it is a dug piece which has been buried for 100 yrs and suffered from its underground existance. Mix these with non dug parts on a helmet and they will stick out like a sore thumb.
Regarding restoration, again, I do like the challenge also and there are some pics of my challenges on this forum. There is a great deal of satisfaction in the "after look". I continue to restore helmets for others and am doing one right now. I have made visors and side renforcement pieces for customers. I guess it depends on how much?? Anyway, perhaps I am just pissed becasue I wanted those bolt on scales off that Bavarian scrapper last week??? I am going to post a pic of my "officer spike base" collection soon and I think the pic of my 20+ brass Prussian Or's wappen sub titled "You never know when you'll want a chicken" is still on the forum.
 
Hello,

I like that one...



And these...










These litlle reinforcements are typical on Tschapka's eagles.
 
I have one from U.R. 14 which seems to have had its orb claw broken off and then re-attached. I'll try to post a picture later. My first impression was that it was a collector's repair, but maybe not.
 
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