SS M43 Cap - grommets?

[Mike Bollow]

A friend of mine who has an extensive collection says no SS enlisted M43 caps ever had grommets. I recall reading here someplace that at least one person thinks they DID have grommets, but it is not the most common style you find.

Can anybody answer this for me?

Thanks - Mike

[Mike Bollow]

The cap Gods must be down at the pub.. wish I was!

I found this thread that seems to say the experts feel factory made M43's did not have grommets:

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...ghlight=ss+m43

Mike

[relicstashr]

You're friend is correct. This does not mean you can't find them with grommets but the standard wool SS M43 does not have them.

[Lenny W]

i am of the belief that grommets on m-43 caps are on m-42/43 conversions ONLY!! with a rare exception of private purchase caps ,

[besslein]

i am of the belief that grommets on m-43 caps are on m-42/43 conversions ONLY!! with a rare exception of private purchase caps ,

i own a m43 Waffen SS cap with gromments

[Lenny W]

i own a m43 Waffen SS cap with gromments

i will remain bias can we have a peek

[TonyS]

I agree with Lenny that only some private purchase caps had grommets. Otherwise we would have seen a lot of authentic caps with them by now.

It's always possible contract pieces had them added privately by the owners, but I have yet to see one. Never say never as they say.

[Mike Bollow]

So what about the manufacturer Georg Teufel?

[90th Light]

Interesting thread and has got me thinking, I have never seen an SS M42 cap.

I suppose they exist but I can not ever recall seeing one. That would have to make an SS M42/43 conversion evener rarer ? Would it not ?

May-be some one could post images of such M42 caps

Look forward with anticipation, Chris

[Lenny W]

Interesting thread and has got me thinking, I have never seen an SS M42 cap.

I suppose they exist but I can not ever recall seeing one. That would have to make an SS M42/43 conversion evener rarer ? Would it not ?

May-be some one could post images of such M42 caps

Look forward with anticipation, Chris

because there is no such animal we are talking about vent grommets on m-43 caps in general !

[90th Light]

because there is no such animal we are talking about vent grommets on m-43 caps in general !

Thanks for the reply Lenny,

but now you have me more confused because in post number 4, you yourself said that they are M42/43 conversions only so I assumed that because this is the SS Forum and the question was about SS M43's with grommets that you meant all M42/43' conversions including the SS. How can you have an M42/43 conversion if there are no M42's to convert ?

but now that I think about this even more, I have never seen an LW, KM, Political or any other sort of M42/43 conversion so the M42/43 conversion model cap is WH only ? do you not agree

which means that any original SS M43 with grommets is in fact a private purchase one or private modification according to what we believe at present and as such very rare in deed (well original pre-May 45 ones are)

Think I have got it now, Chris

[billbert]

What about hat maker devil??Billbert

[leibermuster]

Thanks for the reply Lenny,

but now you have me more confused because in post number 4, you yourself said that they are M42/43 conversions only so I assumed that because this is the SS Forum and the question was about SS M43's with grommets that you meant all M42/43' conversions including the SS. How can you have an M42/43 conversion if there are no M42's to convert ?

but now that I think about this even more, I have never seen an LW, KM, Political or any other sort of M42/43 conversion so the M42/43 conversion model cap is WH only ? do you not agree

which means that any original SS M43 with grommets is in fact a private purchase one or private modification according to what we believe at present and as such very rare in deed (well original pre-May 45 ones are)

Think I have got it now, Chris

I don't know if this is relevant, but I have a KM cap with grommets and it also seems to have had the bill added later. It is a different material and doesn't seem to fit very well.

[TonyS]

i own a m43 Waffen SS cap with gromments

Can we see your cap Besslein?

I have an officers M43 with two grommets each side that is a private purchase cap and was brought home by a US vet.

[90th Light]

I don't know if this is relevant, but I have a KM cap with grommets and it also seems to have had the bill added later. It is a different material and doesn't seem to fit very well.

Yes I think that is relevant. The thing this has brought to light for me is that I have only ever seen WH M42/43's so the question is can you get other versions of this ie LW, KM, Political or even an SS version of it.

What I mean, is that there appears to have never been an SS M42's but did they get some WH M42/43's changed over to SS versions as the M43 made its appearance. Possibly the first ones ever issued and that may explain some of the SS M43's with grommets. Not that I have ever seen such a cap but one should always keep an open mind.

Would be very interested to see your KM M42/43,

Chris