Opinion On repro M35 helmet

[Garry Redmon]

I have searched through this forum to see if this question has been posed before without success. Is anyone here familiar with the vendor Military Tour? I am looking at this particular helmet.

http://www.militarytour.com/Reproduc...rms/M35grn.htm

Can anyone here give me an opinion on this as far as quality of this helmet.

Thanks for your input.

Garry

[Shawn Hall]

The vendor seems to be ok. What did you want the helmet for? You can usually find an original shell for around the same price that needs restoration. It may be work checking the bazaar section on our estand. They usually come around. Another website that sells helmet shells is www.germanhelmetsinc.com and they are also original. Welcome to the forum, enjoy.

-Shawn

[PlaceOfBayonets]

I just put up an M40 refurbished shell on the bazaar that is a real German shell. Bit more then that fake but fake is a fake.

W.

[MauserKar98k]

This is a Shanghi Repo M35. I bought one exactly like this 2 years ago from Ebay seller "cuttonmare", except mine was Luftwaffe Blue. It is what started me into the hobby of WWII Militaria collecting.

They are resonably nice quality and mine has served me well (I was wearing it when I was shot in the head with a metal BB, which penetrated about 1/3-1/2 of the way through one side) though I should really get around to repainting it. The shell is realisticaly marked "ET68" in the correct spot. The liner band also marked "Metall-Ledervenanbeitung W.Z. 1940" (however, "Bln-Ch'burg 5" is comically misspelled "Bln. Ch'bung 5") and "68nA/60".

The only real downsides to this lid are that the rolled rim is really uneven, as can be seen in the picture, in contrast to the nice smooth roll on the real lids. Also, next to the "ET68" marking, there is a really farby Edelweiss stamp. However, don't let this put you off. I once saw one of these at a reenactment. It was repainted and weathered. I was almost positive was authentic until I picked it up and saw the Edelweiss proof on the inside.

With these Chinese repos, the ones to watch out for are the "short visor" examples, where the visor was reproduced much too short, as well as ones with the liner pins too low on the shell. This one has neither of these problems and is worth the $100, in my opinion.

[PlaceOfBayonets]

So are the repro shells also made with a steel nickel alloy as the originals?

W.

[CWP]

They are made from cheap Chinese pot metal skim coated with some kind of white Bondo-like substance to add weight.

[Paul G]

As for as the vendor, Hes a good seller. Sells alot on e-bay. A bit pricy if you ask me. These Chinese repos are ending all day long for $50, same helmets. But you wanted an opinion on authenticity as well. I would save my $$ and get an original shell and add a repo liner to it. Ther is no comparison with the real thing.

PG-

[MauserKar98k]

They are made from cheap Chinese pot metal skim coated with some kind of white Bondo-like substance to add weight.

Mine isn't. It may be cheap Chinese pot metal, but it was good enough quality to keep the BB from entering my skull. As for the white Bondo, mine doesn't have that either, but it does have red primer under the paint for some reason. You would think that they would have chosen a less vibrant color, but I guess it was the cheapest they could get.

These helmets do indeed end all-day-long on Ebay for $50, but the problem is that they charge as high as $45 for shipping, so you're going to end up paying $100 on one of these no matter where you go.

I agree that putting the $100 toward a real lid is better, but for someone like a reenactor that doesn't want to risk taking a real shell into the field where it can get dinged and dented; these are just fine.

[Garry Redmon]

It looked good to me, but I'm no expert and needed your observations. Thank you all for your input.

While I would love to own an authentic shell, the budget just doesn't make it possible, especially for the 68/60 I would need. The large helmets I have looked at run $500 - $1000 depending upon their condition. I will be using this helmet only during events at the Patton Museum and just need something that looks the part. I didn't, however, want to buy something that was apparently a fake even from 10 feet away.

[MauserKar98k]

It looked good to me, but I'm no expert and needed your observations. Thank you all for your input.

While I would love to own an authentic shell, the budget just doesn't make it possible, especially for the 68/60 I would need. The large helmets I have looked at run $500 - $1000 depending upon their condition. I will be using this helmet only during events at the Patton Museum and just need something that looks the part. I didn't, however, want to buy something that was apparently a fake even from 10 feet away.

I think that MilitaryTour's or the ones sold on Ebay by "cuttonmare" would work just fine for what you need it for. I'm happy with mine.

[paddywhack]

or just get a re-issued post war shell like the one from norway i got and refurb that!you can still pick up the shell you might just have to wait a couple of months and there not to pricey either!!!! theres nothing like having a real shell!!!

[pzrwest]

I have one of the repro m35 helmets the ones with the eidleweise stamped into the shell beside the size stamp. I have been told these are the better repro helmets being sold not like the short billed ones. The only problem I found with it was the position of the chinstrap bails on the liner whic I solved by drilling out the rivits that held the bails and repositioned the bails slight forward of their old position

[Abzeichen]

Original

I am a firm believer in original shells. The repos have trouble with the visor. If you don't have the right dies to stamp it out, it won't look right. A German helmet took 6 different dies for stamping. I don't know if our Asian friends are going to that trouble.

An original M-35 shell will cost you about $200 on ebay all day long. A M-40 will be slightly less, and the M-42 will be less than that. However, when you lay down prone you will appreciate the 35/40 over the 42. The rolled rim gives you a little more room on the neck. The guy in Czechoslavakia on ebay has some nice original lids, I bought 2 from him.

For paint I highly recommend 1944 Militaria. The have apple green and feldgrau helmet paint. The helmet decal guy has dry transfer decals, they are worth the $10. Don't fool with the wet transfer, they crack and chip.

I would buy an original before I would pay for a repo. For a $100 on a repo you are half way there to an original shell. Everyone sells the same repo liners and chin straps. At the end of the day you will have $300 in a nice original and you will feel proud.

You should never have to make excuses for your impression. If it is not right, its wrong.

Bruce

[Garry Redmon]

I may hold out for an original, but it has been difficult finding a decent one in my size and at my price. I only do a German tank crewman impression and wear a black or grey field cap depending on the vehicle, but I would like to have a helmet as an alternative if a vehicle is not available and I have to man the Pak 40 or something else.

Thanks,
Garry

[Abzeichen]

I may hold out for an original, but it has been difficult finding a decent one in my size and at my price. I only do a German tank crewman impression and wear a black or grey field cap depending on the vehicle, but I would like to have a helmet as an alternative if a vehicle is not available and I have to man the Pak 40 or something else.

Thanks,
Garry

Garry

What size do you wear in a Stahlhelm shell, 68 or bigger?

Bruce