Fixed officer helmet spikes

9

911car

Well-known member
It is commonly accepted that spikes on officer helmets can be unscrewed, to accommodate a Haarbusch or just for easier transport if no Haarbusch is worn in the regiment. Once in a while, though, you come across (at least I did) an officer Pickelhaube with a non-detachable spike. Does anyone know the reason for this? Not a crucial question but this has puzzled me...
Thanks if you have a clue...
 
Me too Bruno - I'd assumed it was just an economy measure on 'cheaper' helmets where the Rgt. did not wear the plume. I've had one - a Vulkanfiber Prussian infantry officer with a purple liner.
 
Thank you for your input Mickey. Look at this one: a good quality helmet, and yet the spike is empty...
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Another thought.... if I were an officer back than, I'd have three helmets. One for the field, one for duty and one for parade (maybe even four, one for formal occasions?? .... or rainy days?). I wouldn't have a detachable spike on my field helmet, if it were less expensive.

:D Ron
 
I agree with you but it would be very very very expensive. Martin had that but he was overprivileged. Very interesting thought.

Bruno,
I had the same thing once and the spike was actually fixed in place through soldering. So it was removable and then a drop of solderer was placed where the spike unscrewed. Is that the case in your example?
 
Joe, this spike is old, original and officer-type, but totally empty like an em's spike in a non-Haarbusch unit. And this is a helmet from a "fancy" regiment (GR4, "1626" banderole). I agree with Ron's suggestion; I received the same from another member in a private message. This was also my hypothesis: an ordinary helmet for daily duty... But why would suppliers even make non-detachable officer spikes? Would they be so much cheaper?...
 
I always bought my own helmets and dress uniforms as an NCO. I never had two helmets, but if they were affected by weather I would have had two or more.

As far as not adding the screw base for the spike, I'd imagine it would be cheaper. From a metalsmith /jeweler's point of view, you're saving the steps that include: Soldering the screw 'nut' for the plate on top of the spike 'pedistal' and the plate / nut to the spike 'pedistal'; the 'bolt' (Screw) in the detachable spike and its washer assembly. Four stages of the assembly process could be dropped. That would leave the pearl ring, ring to spike 'pedistal', 'pedistal' fixed to the base (round or kreutzblat) and spike to 'pedistal' and base assembly. So you've cut out almost half of your production time with a fixed spike.

So, a fixed spike may have been half the cost, but I think if anybody has that old CE Junker catalog reprint, they might be able to look something like that up.??

Just my two cents...

:D Ron
 
Here is my oddity. It went from a WWII vet to a museum, who gave it to me in exchange for carpentry work around 1986 or so. The spike should be removable, tis not. One piece. And I am the first "collector" to own it and it shows perfect indentations in the lacquer from always being there. I always 'assumed' it was his 'field helmet'.

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Just to add to the discussion I have a line infantry officer helmet with a one piece, non-removeable spike. The undersides of the visors are red and green leatherette.

Reservist1
 
The Vulkan' I mentioned had no colored undervisors and they were leather. The fittings were thin but superbly gilded and it did not really say "economy". The spike was produced 'fixed' - manufactured that way - there was no screw thread or soldering to 'fix' it in place. It was a fine piece. Should have kept it.
 
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