Screws and Bolts , german Para helmet. Original ???

[Untergang]

Just a quick one , are these screws and bolts original ??

[Sergey K.]

No

[Willi Z.]

I agree. Not original.

[Untergang]

What a shame , but thanks anyway

[Willi Z.]

Just to help: the nuts are too thick (and as I can't see the flange areas, they might be incorrect as well), the paint is fake, bolt heads are too perfect, and not sure if the nuts are 14mm. Nearly impossible today to find original spanner bolts and nuts. Was tough 30 years ago...

[Sergey K.]

Hi Willi, right observations, as some more which not told yet.
But I must notice about special thickness , I was sure about this for many years until recently found on some of my helmets almost twice thicker than standard. And that nut 10000% original factory made and never been messed with. Who knows what is this , perhaps production error but it exists and I'm very surprised.

[John Hodgin]

Agree regarding the nut thickness Sergey, there are indeed variations, especially later in the war. Perhaps period replacement bolts and nuts for ones which came loose and were lost.

However, what about the threads on the bolts considered here, are not the threads too coarse?

[Willi Z.]

I agree there are thickness variations. The ones in question are still too thick and crudely made. Poor machine work.

John, yes the threads are too coarse. I wonder if they are metric threads.

Making the correct nuts, especially the outer nut, is pretty labor intensive. I was using a lathe yesterday with a friend making a new firing pin for a Schützen rifle, and it takes skill and time.

Here are some bolts and nuts from some of the few spares I have left.