M-36 Russian Helmet

[Wesley's Dad]

Try to find a helmet marked 1936 with this liner ?

You are correct in that... in fact, I will go one further. Try finding a helmet with this liner system that has any ink stamp at all. No ink stamp is a characteristic of every example with this liner that I have ever seen. So the seeming non-existence of a 1936 dated example is not proof of anything in itself other than helmets with this liner have no ink stamp. The reason for this remains unresolved.

Sure, it could certainly mean the helmets of this type were export and not intended for Soviet use... Or, that another country put the liner in... Or even that in the first early months of production possibly only one factory was making helmets at the time and no control stamp was instituted yet.

Yes... I made up the last one myself, but it is no less plausible than the other two given that we have no hard facts.


Here is another for reference, again no stamp. This helmet is currently for sale at www.collectrussia.com and the photo is theirs, posted for discussion only.

[Howard Kelley]

Interesting information on both sides concerning this helmet.

I'm more likely to believe a reference book than conjecture.

If these liners have a Spanish connection, were they sent to Spain during the Civil War???

Thanks to all for your comments.

Best,
Howard

[Wesley's Dad]

Ssh-36

It looks like there is a camp leaning to Spanish use. Ssh-36 helmets were used in the Spanish Civil War, but there is yet another liner style that has been attributed to those helmets as well, so who knows???

Yes this is a good discussion. I hope it yield fruit one way or the other. I don't own one of these yet, so I have no personal skin in the game. If the non-Soviet assertion proves out, I can end my hunt for a quality specimen of this exact helmet configuration.

[Howard Kelley]

It's been a learning experience for me! I've always seen the later pattern liners on this helmet. I look forward to learning more.

Would it help to add more photos of my helmet? Maybe outside direct light pics?

Thanks for your comments,
Howard

It looks like there is a camp leaning to Spanish use. Ssh-36 helmets were used in the Spanish Civil War, but there is yet another liner style that has been attributed to those helmets as well, so who knows???

Yes this is a good discussion. I hope it yield fruit one way or the other. I don't own one of these yet, so I have no personal skin in the game. If the non-Soviet assertion proves out, I can end my hunt for a quality specimen of this exact helmet configuration.

[Wesley's Dad]

Ssh-36

Howard,

I think the liner construction is fairly well understood, with the question or doubt being about who installed it. More photos are always great if you long to get outdoors. What I would be curious about is if any of the tongues are marked on the reverse side, but I discourage you from trying to get at them too much. These liners can barely hold up to even a strong stare. I'd rather have no more photos than have you wreck the liner.

[Soviet]

This kind of liner doesn't off course looks like it's original to the helmet. My theory : Could they have installed those kind of liners for parade purpose let's say in the '70s or in the 80's?

[GREIF]

Could they have installed those kind of liners for parade purpose let's say in the '70s or in the 80's?

Why not ?

I think a large batch went out of Leningrad in the early 90's, much of which was sold to Usa .

[Wesley's Dad]

Liners

Certainly possible as well... However, the degree of age, rot, and distress typically found with surviving helmets with this style liner suggest they are much older than the 70's or 80's in my opinion. I admit that improper storage can accelerate things sometimes, so I could be wrong.

Another detail that might indicate an earlier "birthday" is that the construction of the leather tongues. The tongue side of these liners are Adrian influenced in construction and proportion. Similar even to those in the Soviet M28 if you disregard the exposed felt in these Ssh-36.

A problem I have always had with these Ssh-36 liners is that if you assume they are legitimate, it escapes me how anyone involved could have thought it would have ever worked. Even the M28 has no exposed felt. The type of Ssh-36 liner that started this discussion relies on the strength of the felt layer to hold it all together. Felt has a lot of qualities, but strength is not one of them. I have also found the use of brass a peculiar detail as well.

[Robert Y.]

Russian M36/SSh36 with leather liner

Hello, is anyone still watching this thread ? I acquired one of these helmets a few days ago and have a few questions/comments.
Liner and chinstraps are 100% intact and appear barely used. Only exception is that the stitching around the outer edge only has completely vaporized ... not a trace. But the leather and felt "sandwich" has not separated at all in the absence of stitching. All other stitching is in great shape and leather is soft but VERY dry.
Paint is very dark ... appears black but in certain light shows as extremely dark green. If it's a repaint it must have been done on bare metal; the characters stamped into the metal at the rear are not filled or covered.
Also would have had to be done many decades ago. If the liner had been removed for repainting it would have surely disintegrated.
Sorry I have no capability to post decent pictures at this time.