m40 helmet, not impressed

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dardra
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m40 helmet, not impressed

#1

Post by dardra » 01 May 2010, 07:17

Well after anxiously waiting for my first helmet to arrive today i was not entirely satisfied with it ( i was greeted with a $36 tariff fee at arrival ) . The helmet overall seems "Cheap" i ordered from this site

http://www.hessenantique.com/category_s/46.htm

mainly for the fact it said this in the description as i stated in an earlier thread i wanted a helmet that was repro "not original" and was just like they would have used.

These authentic helmets include reproduction leather liner and chin strap. The steel shell compares very nicely with an original size 68 helmet with the same weight, shape and thickness as an original.

This is my first German helmet ( I've seen my friends i believe it was an m35 and its very nice feels much better then this but have no idea where he got it ) so i may just be unenlightened on this subject, but the metal is thin, not sure if that's what they used back then. But it my repro American helmet which i got for a measly $90 is much better then this helmet, feeling more comfortable and fitting properly and covering my head evenly unlike this helmet, again its hard to tell but this helmet just does not have the feel to it, and it seems to be too short from top to bottom, making the helmet too short not protecting all my face, this actual leather strap is extremely long and is paper thin and not wide enough, and the liners string i had to replace with a bit thicker one because it was being a pain in the arse to tie and work so my head wouldn't hit the top layer of the helmet.

Futhermore im not sure if its just because this is the M40 helmet, and not the M35 "the site was out of M35's" but tell me what you guys think, i only have 2 days to decide if i want a refund.

I may end up buying from Militarytour.com

But please reply with anything or any tips, experiences with these helmets, im still learning. Thanks. :lol:

*sidenote, i added the decal to the helmet, although after letting it dry for about 10 hours its peeling off :/ and wont stay on*
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Schnert
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Re: m40 helmet, not impressed

#2

Post by Schnert » 02 May 2010, 02:58

Original M40 shells are readily available and not that expensive. Perhaps you should buy an original on eBay and build it using At The Front's hardware, 1944Militaria's paint and a good rub-on decal.

Do a search for "decal" on this board and you will discover many differnt techniques to properly "fix" a water transfer decal on your helmet. Hint... it always involves heat and many coats of lovingly applied lacquer.


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c_hoff82
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Re: m40 helmet, not impressed

#3

Post by c_hoff82 » 02 May 2010, 10:02

...i only have 2 days to decide if i want a refund.
*sidenote, i added the decal to the helmet, although after letting it dry for about 10 hours its peeling off :/ and wont stay on*
I dont think you will be abel to get a refund since you have added a decal. They only take it back if it is in the same condition as they sent it.

C. Hoff

dardra
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Re: m40 helmet, not impressed

#4

Post by dardra » 02 May 2010, 21:22

c_hoff82 wrote:
...i only have 2 days to decide if i want a refund.
*sidenote, i added the decal to the helmet, although after letting it dry for about 10 hours its peeling off :/ and wont stay on*
I dont think you will be abel to get a refund since you have added a decal. They only take it back if it is in the same condition as they sent it.

C. Hoff
Good point, but i decided to keep the helmet, i don't want to have to pay another 10$ for shipping there and another $35 in tariffs to go across the Canadian - American border, and after all risking buying the same exact same helmet from a different site.

Also for the decals, i could have still gotten a refund, the decal itself was barley holding on, i could literally touch it and it would tear and fall off, im quiet angry about that, militarytour.com , the site i ordered the decals from for $5 said that all your supposed to do is dunk it in water and apply to helmet, but i found out later on from lots of research that your supposed to actually flip the thing around and scrap on glue on the other side T.T which they did not specify.

Lastly, do you think my helmet looks fine? I'm looking at other helmets and they look larger, and longer from top of bottom, making mine not feel right, it feels short. for example look at these screens of other helmets i found on this site and compare to mine. :cry:
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Fern
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Re: m40 helmet, not impressed

#5

Post by Fern » 02 May 2010, 21:52

The ugly vent on your helmet makes me think it is a Sturm one that I strongly dislike. I have seen better repros.
As we say in Spain, cheaps items are expensive ("lo barato es caro"). It would be wiser if you got an original shell as Schnert says. In doing so you would save money because the value of the shell will increase over time while that of a copy will decrease.

dardra
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Re: m40 helmet, not impressed

#6

Post by dardra » 02 May 2010, 22:27

Whats a Sturm helmet?

Also could you point me in the right direction to get a good original shell "note i will be wearing this helmet and possibly go in reenactments with it "

What angers me is i spent all this time and such trying to find a authentic reproduction and its not :(

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Drew Maynard
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Re: m40 helmet, not impressed

#7

Post by Drew Maynard » 02 May 2010, 22:40

for your helmet, two things- either it's the wrong sized liner, or your liner drawstring is too tight and should be loosened.

the decals out there, the fake 'pocher' decals, don't need glue, just a little bit of warm water to activate the glue that is on the reverse of the decal.

the trick is, to leave it alone for a day or two after it's set. don't reposition it or muck about with it, and let it sit and dry. then a cheap clear coat to cover it, as they did with a lacquer cover with originals.

sure, you can use a model decal set before you've put the decal on, but, you don't always have to.

no offense, the vent holes look very wrong for the m40 helmet.

sometimes, as others here have mentioned, just as cheap, for hassle and shipping and happiness, to get an original shell and you'll be set, right out 'of the gate'.

d
Member of Kampfgruppe Haase, reenacting WW2 History for over 30 years: http://www.soldaten.ca

dardra
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Re: m40 helmet, not impressed

#8

Post by dardra » 02 May 2010, 23:02

Yeah, i wasted $100 on this thing, $145 actually for the damn tariffs and shipping. This whole time i should have got a dang original shell, but i didnt know, this was my first helmet, hopefully hessen antiques will respond to my email, allowing me a refund, even though its been past 3 days now, and im going to have to pay another what 10$ to ship it there, possibly another $35 in tarrifs and plus they charge a 15% restocking fee, so i get like what $40 in refunds for that helm? This really sucks.

Checking their "original" section on their site, they have the m35, m40 and m42 originals for sale, of course i'd need the biggest size for helmet and the prices are:

M42 68 Shell/60 Liner: $250.00
M40 68 Shell/60 Liner: $310.00
M35 68 Shell/60 Liner: $345.00

http://www.hessenantique.com/Original_R ... s_s/45.htm

And thats not including tax, shipping and tariffs.

Brendan Hunt
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Re: m40 helmet, not impressed

#9

Post by Brendan Hunt » 02 May 2010, 23:57

Sometimes its cheaper to purchase an original shell on eBay and then to buy all of the components for it and have it painted. A lot of those shells were painted black and used by some sort of Czech group postwar.
Brendan

dardra
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Re: m40 helmet, not impressed

#10

Post by dardra » 03 May 2010, 00:17

Yeah, but the only problem is finding the size 68 helmet. The only size 68 original i could find was this ( in reasonable pricing ) for $210.


http://cgi.ebay.com/GERMAN-ARMY-WWII-WW ... 439e20e11b

What do you guys think, got any other sites or any other alternatives you could find?

BTW i dont got any money for it ATM.

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Drew Maynard
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Re: m40 helmet, not impressed

#11

Post by Drew Maynard » 03 May 2010, 00:25

The 'czech blacks' are normally m42s, painted glossy black, used by their fire services, post war. Look around on eBay, make sure you have the right measurement for your melon.

Try Ken here: http://germanhelmetsinc.com/

Good guy to deal with, once you save up your money. Size 68 is 'big'' as far as sizes go, sometimes they're worth more. IF it didn't fit you and you need a 68 shell for a size 60 liner, there's nothing bigger...
Member of Kampfgruppe Haase, reenacting WW2 History for over 30 years: http://www.soldaten.ca

dardra
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Re: m40 helmet, not impressed

#12

Post by dardra » 03 May 2010, 00:27

Found this site too

M42 helmet Shell $200

http://www.germanhelmet.com/1504.htm

dardra
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Re: m40 helmet, not impressed

#13

Post by dardra » 03 May 2010, 01:08

Oh sweet, that site is very nice, thank you for sharing, i sent him an email.

dardra
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Re: m40 helmet, not impressed

#14

Post by dardra » 03 May 2010, 01:40

Also one quick question, which helmet out of the M35, M40, M42 is the most effective? I know some of the differences are the rivet holes and the rolled edges, but are there any drastic differences between then, one offering the most protection to the others? thanks :)

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DetnnoSound [3.PGD]
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Re: m40 helmet, not impressed

#15

Post by DetnnoSound [3.PGD] » 03 May 2010, 04:29

@Fern - "lo barato es caro" I like that. Very appropriate for German reenacting gear, that's for sure.

@dardra - The different models of helmet were the results of further simplifications in the manufacturing process. Performance-wise, they were all more-or-less identical.

I would like to strongly second http://www.germanhelmetsinc.com The quality is top notch, and Ken's service was exemplary.

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