Pickelhaube Cleaning

P

Perry

New member
I just purchased my first pickelhaube at the SOS and since that time I have done a little online searching. From what I'm able to determine pickelhaube collectors like their helmets cleaned and polished. In other words I get the impression a good cleaning is acceptable or incouraged. Being a WWII German combat helmet collector the opposite is the norm. A good cleaning could, or can effect value and resale.
Does a cleaned/polished pickelhaube fair better in the collectors market or do collectors like to find them "untouched"?
BTW, nice forum guys.

Perry
 
Hi Perry, welcom to the forum,
There are two factions on the cleaning of helmets, I tend to like the original finish, but most collectors feel that the helmet should be maintained as it would have been when it was in use, and the polishing of the leather does help protect it. The metal should never be polished, many helmets have been polished to the point that the finish is completely gone. It is good to have you come over from the dark side.
Gus
 
Thanks for the reply..
I'm wondering why you see several online references detailing disassembly and cleaning/polishing tips. So its frowned upon in pickelhaube circles to polish any of the brass or clean any of the gilt? It hurts the resale/value? What do you do about the brass turning dark? Just handle it as little as possible? Wear gloves?
 
Perry, It is a matter of taste.

I prefer to clean brass. I do not want to polish and buff brass if at all possible. But if it black and looks like crap, then yes I will clean brass once when I receive the helmet, then it is good for a long time. I have helmets that I cleaned 20 years ago and the brass has dulled which is just perfect as far as I am concerned. I will not have to clean them again.

German silver goes black over time and I will always clean German silver fittings once.

I would argue that cleaning an issued Pickelhaube does not affect value one cent if it is done correctlly.

Private purchase and officer helmets that are gilded in gilt of silver should never be polished. But they can be cleaned with soap and water safely with excellent results. After all, its just dirt.

Polishing fittings on a private purchase and officer helmet, however, will remove the gilt and can reduce value considerably.

What-ever you do, think it through.
 
Let me ask this, should brass(such as a spike base plate) never be polished/cleaned while still attached to the helmet? Or any brass hardware for that matter?
 
What about cleaning the front plate on enlisted helmets? I have a couple (my Saxon OYV for example) that have some kind of gilt finish on them. I can't tell if it's a deliberate gilt finish, or maybe some kind of clear finish that has taken on a golden patina with age .Does anyone know? Obviously I don't polish them. I'm with Tony as far as cleaning goes. Polish them once , brass and leather, then let them be. I do occasionally apply some clear wax to the leather exterior. I last polished the brass my Saxon OYV (except the front plate) when I first acquired it 20 years ago. Steve
 
Hi Perry,
You might want to try "Marseilles" soap. It's extremely gently but efficient in the soap 'n water process. It has a definate edge over normal soap and is completely organic, or so I'm told! I personally would not clean brass furniture with it attached to the helmet.

Do you Guys 'treat' the interiors of EM helmets with leather sprays etc.? I dont, and I try to find helmets that dont need this anyway. I'm put off buying helmets that have been treated inside but maybe I'm being too fussy on this aspect?
 
Hello all: I think there are two groups of thought on cleaning helmets. I prefer to dissasemble (very carefully) all the brass and removeable hardware and only lightly polish the spike and front plate. I polished my helmets with shoe polish and then 'spit shine' with a cotton rag the leather. This is really time consuming and I learned how to do it in the Brit Army. Use only a light brass cleaner (not Tarn-X!), I did and now have an expensive, shiny paperweight on my desk. After a short time the brass will dull and will have the look of an antique. I bought a helmet once that I could have grown potatoes on.. Anyway removing dirt - okay. Removing a layer of brass - bad. I use leather softner and preservative and let it stay on overnight to preserve the leather. Be very careful removing split prongs etc and good luck.
Bill (Maryland)
 
With very few exceptions most f my officrs helmets only appear to have gilding left on the Wappen. That from the spike, chinscales, visor trim and rear spine looking as if they are just brass. I had assumed that these were all ok to clean on initial acquisition, but now you have me worried.

I had assumed that the original gilt had long-gone as a consequence of prior cleaning by the first owners preparing their helmets or parades etc Have I made a mistake in what I am looking at ? Those where spike etc clearly still retain their initial gilt are left as is; untouched; but these appear to be few and far between.

As a subsidiary question, would the officrs concerned all have had the German equivalent of "batmen" i.e. personal (but enlisted) servants to prepare their kit such as in the British army at that time ?
 
would the officrs concerned all have had the German equivalent of "batmen"
Click to expand...

Yes. Some of them even kept them or had ones apointed when the officers were POWs! A batman in "Gerrison Town" was abused so bad that he deserted.

Findng gilt is tough. Easy to spot well gilted wappen but when the gilt starts to go it is tough to spot. Same with Frosting. I don't polish any of it. The private purchase ones don't seem to tarnish at all so maybe a little gilt goes a long way?!?!?!?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top