Bubba strikes again! CAN ww2 helmet(pics)

ViperQc

ViperQc

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Hi guys, lately I found that at my grandmother's place there was a probably Canadian issued mark2(?) helmet from ww2. It's dated 1942 and stamped C.L./C. and 58 under the date. another stamp is V M C and II under it and I guess the 7½ is the size?!!

But Heres the problem: Bubba painted it with orange flashing paint to fit his bubba'd Enfield and hunt with it!:(

My questions is:

1: Any possibility to restore it?
2: It is worth a restore?
3: It's value? I'm not interested into selling it but just the know the collector value.

Here's some pics:

photo003t.jpg

photo002m.jpg

photo001a.jpg


Thanks
 
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Makes me wonder why he'd wear a helmet while hunting.
But then maybe he's the philosophical type and wasn't sure he'd hear a tree if it was falling in the woods.
 
The collector value is greatly reduced because of the paint. Original condition WWII helmets sell anywhere from $25-100, depending on condition. Those with unit, regemental or corps markings will go for more. Judging from your photo, the tough parts to get (the liner and the strap) seem to be in great shape. Yours would probably sell on the low end of that spectrum and likely for someone to recover those parts or for a re-enactor to refinish.

That said, it would certainly be worth restoring. Once you have a proper 2-tone net and a shell dressing on, it'll be tougher to determine, at a glance, that it was restored. For the cost of some paint, I'd clean it up.
 
I would be more inclined to agree with the safety hard hat idea. 50+ years ago, when those helmets cost 50 cents, new in the bin and an approved safety hat cost $3, many fellows bought, painted (some times) and wore them.
During the early fifties, 25 cents/hr was a common wage in many places.
I don't want to wander off topic so here is my two cents worth. That helmet is easily restorable. You may even be able to find a recent commercial paint that duplicates the original. If not, any good paint store will be able to dye or blend the proper texture and colors necessary. You should even be able to make up stencils to approximate appropriate decals for your purposes.
It's nice to see the liner is still in decent shape.
 
ohhhh
that's an ugly color!
the first thing i would do would be some research to find the original color and paint it with something as close as possible
 
Bubba may have not done that, as stated a acceptable modification for helmets to be used post war as hard hats, as well as many areas used painted up helmets for firefighting and the like.

Dimitri
 
But... wait guys... why buy a hunting rifle when you can chop up a piece of history? Why buy a blaze orange cap when you can paint an old helm? After all, it's people's right to do whatever they please with whatever they like :rolleyes:



Bubba= Butcher. Want a hunting rifle? Go buy one. Want a precision rifle? Go buy one.

Please stop butchering pieces of history!


Sorry, had to get that in there :)
 
Fry said:
Bubba= Butcher. Want a hunting rifle? Go buy one.
Click to expand...

OK, Looking for all matching LongBranch Lee-Enfield with full wood, to be used as a hunting rifle.

Will have the fallowing modifications done:

Removed top wood, chopped up forend.

Refinished and polished to a high gloss.

Barrel cut to remove the Iron sights completly.

Drill and Tapped scope mount.

I'm buying a hunting rifle you see, just modifying it afterwords. :nest:

Dimitri
 
Fry said:
But... wait guys... why buy a hunting rifle when you can chop up a piece of history? Why buy a blaze orange cap when you can paint an old helm? After all, it's people's right to do whatever they please with whatever they like :rolleyes:



Bubba= Butcher. Want a hunting rifle? Go buy one. Want a precision rifle? Go buy one.

Please stop butchering pieces of history!


Sorry, had to get that in there :)
Click to expand...

While I absolutely have no tolerance for the modern day Bubba, I do understand why they would do it back in the 40's 50's and 60's. Military rifles were REALLY cheap,as in 15 bucks for one. While a proper sporting rifle was most likely 10 times the price. Take the Lee Enfield for example. I heard of stories that people would buy a Lee Enfield for dirt cheap, shoot a deer with it and leave it in the woods because it was too heavy and cheap to worry about. Again, I have no tolerances for the modern day Bubba.
 
I agree with this method, you may very well find the orange paint removeable with a bit of paint thinner, and the original paint may remain undamaged. Give it a try. The parts are worth the effort. Good luck!
303carbine said:
You might want to try a small section with paint stripper, perhaps the old paint is tougher and only the orange will come off.
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joe n said:
I agree with this method, you may very well find the orange paint removeable with a bit of paint thinner, and the original paint may remain undamaged. Give it a try. The parts are worth the effort. Good luck!
Click to expand...

I think i'll apply only a bit of stripper on the orange paint and a bit on the area that there is no orange to see if it damage the original one. If I have the stuff at home maybe I can post an update tommorow if not next weekend ;)
 
ViperQc said:
Thanks guys for the reply. Before applying paint on it I must remove the orange one but how? that was kinda my question about the restore part. Thanks again.
Click to expand...

Totem had some stuff called 1850 or something of that nature...it is paint stripper/gel. Works great!!! Just do a small section first then carry on.
There is OD paint available...Google it and you should be able to track in down.
Check with the Military vehicle restoration guys.
Cheers
 
I remember seeing the M1 steel helmets being re-conditioned in non-tech workshop at 26 COD by sandblasting the exterior then spray painting with the correct OD flat paint.The blasting gave the steel a textured look which helped to minimize shine and,I suppose,paint adherence.

Maybe that orange helmet used to belong to an old deer hunter from New Brunswick. The boys down there used to have the habit of expending all of their ammo at the end of closing day. The bush sounded like a battalion attack in places and a orange tin pot might have been a prudent precaution-lol.
 
Bring the helmet to a paint store (ideally one with knowledgeable staff... not that common) and ask what they have that would strip the orange off

Lou
 
The Czechoslovaks, postwar, utilized alot of existing war stock from their former occupiers. They painted black many German WW2 helmets and issued them to their own police and fire departments. This paint is easily removeable with some patience and paint thinner. More often than not the original paint is left undamaged.
 
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