Ground Dug in Latvia

[Craig Gottlieb]

Here's one for you. While mostly known for more well-preserved specimens, I found this in the terrain where it fell in 1945. Pretty cool, to know the history of the helmet all the way back to then!

[Craig Gottlieb]

I'll bring it home and decide what to do with it. If I decide to clean, I'll definitely get help from some new friends who know what the heck they're doing. But, I sort of like it as-is. What do you think?

[james m]

Let us know if there are any issues getting this thru Latvian customs when you leave the Country.
Jim

[Craig Gottlieb]

Nope. I flew back to Finland.

[kyles bullets]

Nice helmet! I hope one day I can go to a battle field and search for relics just like you did. I would never sell it just like you!

[Craig Gottlieb]

I found another one sticking 1/2 way out of the mud (on it's side). I was sure I had found a soldier, but there was NOTHING else in the mud - even the other half of the helmet was missing!

[KradSPam]

If you want to clean it up get yourself some oxalic acid crystals from eBay Craig. A bath in a 10% solution for 12 hours or so will do wonders. Lemon juice is surprisingly good also. Any hints of decals?

[Craig Gottlieb]

No hint so far, but there is paint left, so I'm hopeful. What about vinegar? I was told by my friend Stephen who is pretty experienced cleaning things up, that it will also work. I also brought back two Russian mortar tails, and will be turning them into a pair of candlesticks. I will probably go for the "ultra modern" look and have them cleaned and plated, so my wife doesn't complain about rusty bits on the dining room table. Also, I got a beautifully ripped-open shell fragment given to me by my friend Viktors, and I'll probably do the same thing ... modern art.

[Spanish Freiwillige]

No hint so far, but there is paint left, so I'm hopeful. What about vinegar? I was told by my friend Stephen who is pretty experienced cleaning things up, that it will also work. I also brought back two Russian mortar tails, and will be turning them into a pair of candlesticks. I will probably go for the "ultra modern" look and have them cleaned and plated, so my wife doesn't complain about rusty bits on the dining room table. Also, I got a beautifully ripped-open shell fragment given to me by my friend Viktors, and I'll probably do the same thing ... modern art.

Carig, I have collected relics for several years now and the best thing to do is to leave them alone and just keep them in a controled environment, but if yo do want to clean it, go for a toothbrush soap and water and after you are done blow dry it....that will do the trick....

[KradSPam]

I have heard of vinegar being used too with good results. There are a few threads around here showing the results of oxalic though, it is particularly effective as it attacks iron oxide specifically. A great deal of paint and decal can be saved. Take a look here;

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...=523633&page=3

Here are a couple of pics from that thread to show the results, it is the same helmet believe it or not

[Craig Gottlieb]

For the helmet, I'll probably leave it alone. Cleaned, it'll look like a junky helmet. Rusted out, it looks like what it is ... a helmet found in the Kurland Pocket!

[duv]

oxalic acid works great
take a look for those
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...ht=panzerfaust

[Daniel Griffin]

It looks pretty cool as-is.

[Totenhead]

Be careful with Oxalic, its deceiving and it’s very easy to leave in too long