Original SS stamped chinstrap

[david steele]

Hello,

Has any ever seen a original stamped SS chinstrap? A SS within a circle at the end of the longer section with the holes? It's design is the same as the lighting bolts decal.

[Dan P]

There's an SS-RZM stamped chinstrap (with SS in circles) on a mint condition M34 helmet in Hicks SS-Steel. The helmet is pictured on pages 82 and 83. I believe some have questioned the chinstrap's originality. I tend to think it's real, but I'm not a chinstrap guy.

[Paul G]

I think the one in SS Steel is widely regarded as a fake strap. I believe it marked also with a 5/40 . Do a search on this forum and you will see some discussion on it, as I asked the same question a couple years back. The answer I got, was that they do exsist however they are very rare. Post a picture the strap in question, and maybe it will generate some good discussion. I see them on E-bay from time to time, all fake. I recently saw one for sale on e-bay that looked pretty convincing. The strap was a real strap at least, and the stamping looked old, but I still feel it was a good fake job.

PG-

[Dan P]

Paul, the strap in SS-Steel is marked 20/3. I don't know about details on these straps so I was just going by the overall look and condition which seems to match the condition of the helmet. I thought it had some aging that appears genuine. But if it's fake, it's fake. I really don't have a strong opinion either way

[Paul G]

Correction: My mistake, the strap I was talking about is definately marked 5/40 and is not in SS Steel, its in Hicks' other book SS helmets. Sorry for the confusion. The one shown in SS Steel to my knowledgw has not been discussed here. I am away from my copy of SS Steel right now, but will take a closer look at that one when I get back.

PG-