IJA helmet cover opinion..

[kaigunair]

For the Jpn helmet guru's, I was wondering if I could solicit your opinions on this helmet cover. Sorry for the blurry kanji, but its the only photo available.
It doesn't have a band around the bottom, like those of the other posting with three helmet covers. If its is a repro, could you point out the features that give it away?

Thanks in advance! Much appreciated.
-Junichi

[Dean Brock]

Junichi
RUN as fast as you can from this

These are known fakes from the 70's. No inner liner or padding. Not a variation- not even close!

[kaigunair]

mistake

[kaigunair]

thanks dean. so a real one should be padded (have a better helmet shapped form to them), and have cloth liner (cheese cloth type material) liner. What about a band around the bottom of the cover? Did they every make ones with out this band?

Re-reading the other post with 3 helmets, this is starting to seem as bad as collecting german items!

Thanks again!

[kaigunair]

sorry, frustrating. I got 3 posts of my last reply, and while trying to fix it, almost deleted it. sorry for the over posts all.

[Dean Brock]

Junichi,
Yes they came without banding. There were several ways they were made
1. cover with yellow wool star sewn directly to cover
2. cover with yellow wool star sewn on round wool backing and then onto
cover
3. cover with yellow wool star sewn on round wool backing with banding at
the bottom
4. cover with banding at bottom with late war bevo star sewn on, (like late
pattern field caps ( cover #2) in helmehunters thread

the banding at bottom is to protect the cover from the raw edge of the helmet wearing through. I guess it came as result of trial and error mid-late war. See photo below to see what I mean.

[kaigunair]

thanks a bunch. Your info would be great in a stickies for these "how to tell real from fake". I think the pocket patches thread would go well in such a category to.

then maybe novices like me wouldn't be bother all you experts with these recurring questions....

[Banzi64]

For the Jpn helmet guru's, I was wondering if I could solicit your opinions on this helmet cover. Sorry for the blurry kanji, but its the only photo available.
It doesn't have a band around the bottom, like those of the other posting with three helmet covers. If its is a repro, could you point out the features that give it away?

Thanks in advance! Much appreciated.
-Junichi

70's repro called "the football"

[Dean Brock]

70's repro called "the football"

Good One -never heard that

[guntojim]

On the second pattern [ with reinforcement band] are the bevo stars sewn on only 5-sided backing or did they also come on round wool backing? Thanks, Jim

[Banzi64]

On the second pattern [ with reinforcement band] are the bevo stars sewn on only 5-sided backing or did they also come on round wool backing? Thanks, Jim

The covers with the the banding at the bottom usually have a wool backed star. I believe there are very few examples with an unbacked star and also a few with the bevo style star like found on the pith helmets.