EM Chinstrap With Silver Hardware

[pickelhauben]

Hey guys,

I have a couple of EM Pioneers and both have original chinstraps .
One with silver buckles and hangers , the other with silver buckles and brass hangers .

Was a mix in the materials common practice or was this a war time ersatz situation ?

 

[SkipperJohn]

On one of my Pioneer helmets there is brass showing through the silver on one of the hangers. I believe that some of the "silver" components of Pioneer helmets were nickel plated brass instead of nickel silver alloy. Perhaps your hangers have just worn off the nickel plating. One of my spikes also appears to be nickel plated brass. I say this because it is worn and scratched in a couple of places where it has tarnished brown, like brass, not green, like nickel. Neither brass nor nickel silver is magnetic so it cannot be checked by using a magnet.
I am interested to see what others say about this.

John

 

[aicusv]

I only have one Pioneer helmet, the spike (and pins), Wappen, and chin strap fittings are "silver", all the other metal fittings are grey metal. Given how hard press they were too equip the troops I would think that mixed strap fittings are possible.

 

[pickelhauben]

I have 2 spikes in the parts box were the silver has worn through showing the brass underneath .

I have also sold a Wurt Off were the wappen's brass was starting to show through.

Apparently nickel plating of brass for helmet hardware was done quite often.