Easily Spotting Fake SS Camo

[n160]

There's one simple tool that looks like it can quickly spot most fake SS camo. The tape measure.

Original SS roller printed patterns all appear to have been printed with 50cm diameter rollers. Today, US printers use 18", 24" or 36" (46, 62, or 91cm). In Europe and Asia the rollers are usually 42cm, 64cm or 82cm.

The stuff that causes the most trouble, SMW, usually uses 24" (61cm). (It's no simple matter to get custom sized rollers made. We asked about it and got laughed at.)

Shrinkage: Everything mint is coming out 50 or 51cm. On well used (and thus shrunken) items the shortest I found was 48cm.

Heer patterns use multiple roller sizes (45, 50 and 55) but so far I have not found this to be the case with anything SS. Everything I checked in dot, BE, Oak, and Palm has been 50cm.


Of about 50 items (zelts, smocks, parkas, and dot) this has held up 100%.

If you have time, please check your real SS camo and see if I'm correct. Just measure the repeat in the pattern. It will be visible vertically on sleeves, backs and trouser legs.
Enjoy.

[galizien41]

Good point! Makes sense.

[Disco Partisan]

circumference, not diameter

[PrinzEugenGJ]

Good to know, interresting stuff. A bookmark for this thread

[n160]

Crap- yes, circumference.

[Robert H]

Umfang

[Scott A. Hess]

I remember reading this point years ago, I dont think it was true then, and dont think its true now. There are IMO ranges..which dont deviate plus or minus a a cm..but looking at all my SS camo..50cm does not hold. So..either I have bad SS Camo...or the theory is not accurate. I would say the range 49-51 is acceptable, however, I think 50, or 100 samples when millions of camo items..SS.. were made, is unrealistic...some of my SS camo is 50, some 49, some 51. Lots more to be considered in a piece than this. Now..SS dot better have 5 colors..thats for sure, it should be constructed in a production manner..finished inside with accepted materials, are the colors consistent with accepted pieces, quality of the weave, quality of the base material, what type of base material, buttons, hardware, tailors markings..scrap fabric, does the pattern fit with accepted item..etc etc..the circumfrance of the roller is one item in a myriad of items to evaluate, I will certainly agree that I would NOT accept repeat patterns of 46, 62, or 91cm. I would also not accept 61 (SM). Now if your throw 49-51, Im on the same page with you, and then your theory does hold water..and this is coming out strictly on MINT items...I dont own anything used or shrunk.... but I would ALWAYS consider the entire piece as a whole. Their is a theory that ALL good LUftwaffe tropical pants, long, must have steel waist buckles, this also does not hold true.

[viva_giulio]

I think is valid, is one of the exames and Ido not care <>1-2 cm. All of us have little secrets to value an hand a sspecific items. I've also noted a 50 cm repeat but did not managed fakes so this is very nice for me and saved 250 EUR to buy two fakes. Thank you

[ZAM]

I am more in Wehrmachtsequipment, but... the most Splitterzelts i have are between 48 and 51 cm! But, also from 40 to 62! And these are original zelts, no Repros!

Best regards
Dirk

[Panzerknacker12]

Yawn.

There's one simple tool that looks like it can quickly spot most fake SS camo. The tape measure.

Original SS roller printed patterns all appear to have been printed with 50cm diameter rollers. Today, US printers use 18", 24" or 36" (46, 62, or 91cm). In Europe and Asia the rollers are usually 42cm, 64cm or 82cm.

The stuff that causes the most trouble, SMW, usually uses 24" (61cm). (It's no simple matter to get custom sized rollers made. We asked about it and got laughed at.)

Shrinkage: Everything mint is coming out 50 or 51cm. On well used (and thus shrunken) items the shortest I found was 48cm.

Heer patterns use multiple roller sizes (45, 50 and 55) but so far I have not found this to be the case with anything SS. Everything I checked in dot, BE, Oak, and Palm has been 50cm.


Of about 50 items (zelts, smocks, parkas, and dot) this has held up 100%.

If you have time, please check your real SS camo and see if I'm correct. Just measure the repeat in the pattern. It will be visible vertically on sleeves, backs and trouser legs.
Enjoy.