"New" Wappen for the old Prussian lady

Jaap Verduijn

Jaap Verduijn

New member
This morning the "new" original Wappen for my old Prussian lady arrived. It was cheap, on account of one of the loops on the backside having disappeared during the years: 30 euros which equals about 35 US dollars. For that money I'm quite prepared to accept the need for eventually soldering on a new loop myself! In the meantime I did a bit of inspired improvisation, which seems to keep the Wappen nicely and firmly in its place. I'm happy!

uitsnede.png
 
Great news, and really cheap also.

You could always solder a new loop on it, if you like that.
But if it sits right why should you..

Greetings, Coert :thumb up:
 
Thanks guys! Yes, I'm happy with this Wappen \:D/! Nobody else seems to have wanted it, so it finished up with me as the only bidder for 30 euros only. I think the missing loop on the reverse made others hesitate (yes, that is a bit of a bother), plus the fact that in the pics on eBay it looked rather tired.

Eventually I may solder a new loop on, although considering my lack of DIY qualities I guess the result could very well be a molten Wappen plus the fire brigade trying to save the charred remains of my house, while I am busy speaking soothing words to my upset poor homeless cats. So I might better leave it in its present improvised state, at least for the time being.

The improvisation consists of something that will send shivers of horror up and down everybody's spine: glue. Yes... glue :eek:! I don't know what the stuff is called in English - we call it "montagekit" over here, which is something like "mounting glue". It is the very, very thick paste that can be used for mounting just about everything to just about everything.

Here comes the (more or less) non-destructive trick. Non-destructive... although I wouldn't advise to use it on your pristine Württemberg general's helmet. Cut a cirkel of about 3 cm diameter from one of those flimsy plastic shopping bags. Make a hole in the center that is slightly smaller than the mounting hole in the helmet. Put this over the hole on the inside of the helmet. Hold the Wappen in position and squeeze a blob of the montagekit into the little hole in the plastic. Wet a finger and compress the blob a bit, flattening it slightly over the plastic. Then let dry and solidify. The result is some sort of a "glue rivet": one end fixed against the backside of the Wappen (every trace of which can be removed later on with thinner or something similar), and the other end being a small blob that is isolated from the leather body of the helmet by the circle of plastic. From the inside it looks like shit, but from the outside it's a perfect, invisible fix.

Yes, I know. Y'all will now get out the garlic, the crucifixes and the sharpened wooden stakes :x, but it works. I got this idea years ago when I had to fix something else to something else through a little hole, and it happened to work... which it now also does on the Wappen and the old Prussian lady! Alright... bring out the rotten eggs and the mushy tomatoes :D!

The Wappen was, as the pics on eBay show, dirty. That was easily dealt with, using a bit of vinegar and a soft tooth brush. Underneath happened to be a light patina. I think I've got myself a good deal for 30 euros!

W1.jpg


https://www.ebay.com/itm/222729469570" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
Congratulations Jaap, it looks good at the Helmet :bravo:
But if I may make a suggestion to you, please think again about glueing something on your wonderful Helmet :?
In respect to the history of these beauties, I would use original work-methods only. I don‘t gonna judge you if you glue it anyway, but it is my opinion. I‘m also not a master in these work and I would give it to a professional to do it right.
 
Sandmann said:
Congratulations Jaap, it looks good at the Helmet :bravo:
But if I may make a suggestion to you, please think again about glueing something on your wonderful Helmet :?
In respect to the history of these beauties, I would use original work-methods only. I don‘t gonna judge you if you glue it anyway, but it is my opinion. I‘m also not a master in these work and I would give it to a professional to do it right.
Click to expand...

Hi Sandy! I fully, totally and completely agree with you! I made a temporary exception this time though, because I have the sad feeling that I won't soon get around to soldering on a new loop. Due to a quite exotic range of physical/neurological ailments I can't be trusted with anything hotter than a lukewarm cup of coffee, and anytime I get sufficiently reckless to smoke a hookah or a cigar there's a fire extinguisher within hands reach (this is literally true), and the neighbours have the engines of their cars running with their survival kits already in the boots (this is just a colourful exaggeration) :D!

It's not a good idea for me to try doing anything useful with my hands although, to be fair, there are some exceptions, but at my age these are rare and far between :D. Generally speaking though, I am kind of "limited" to say the least which, every now and then, turns out to be hilarious :lol:! My ex, my children and my regular guests are fully used to me being kinda "clumsy", but new visitors sometimes get rather upset when I try to carefully aim myself through a wide open door but nevertheless, with a resounding "bang!", walk straight into the doorpost (amused grin)! When my children were still living here they just shrugged their shoulders and explained to their boyfriends: "Don't pay any attention to him. He never really hurts himself, and even when he keels over he knows how to break his fall. Just don't give him anything fragile to carry" :p!

So eventually I may (have somebody) solder a new loop on, but in the meantime I stayed on the safe side (need to raise my fire insurance first) and fixed it in place in a way that causes no irreversible damage. I tried to make a drawing, but it turned out less than a master piece - yet it may give y'all some impression.

So yes, I know... it's far from the best way of doing things, and if didn't have to feed three cats as well as muggins 'ere I would have invested a bit more and bought a Wappen with both loops. But me bloody oath: those cost about three times as much! Actually I highly praise myself for my ingenious resourcefulness (wide grin), and if y'all promise to never tell anybody what I did, it will remain our own little secret :wink: :D!

kitrivet.png
 
I understand what you mean about the glue rivet and that it can come right off. As long as it doesn't come in contact with the helmet, you're good to go. Removal from the plate would be simple. If you could make the mounting loops out of brass wire and the solder matches up with the helmet holes (that's the only truly difficult part), any good local plumber should be able to attach the loops with the remnants of the original solder without damaging the plate.

:D Ron
 
Indeed, the lining up with the holes is the difficult part. That's why a "glue rivet" is so simple: it's created from the inside out! :D
 
And so will I, what happens in the bush, stay's in the bush.. :D

See you tomorrow friend!

Greetings, Coert. :thumb up:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top