ausreenactor
Well-Known Member
I get it.. You point to the line... Impressive.
Pointie Talkie, Handy Talkie, Walkie Talkie. Mind blown.
Pointie Talkie, Handy Talkie, Walkie Talkie. Mind blown.
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my latest acquisitions
- Thread starter Edward
- Start date
Edward
Well-Known Member
except that most you would encounter were illiterate so the book was worthless. lol! hence version 5 had pictures.
Edward
Well-Known Member
I've been wanting an M3 Flak helmet for some time and it was the last "must have" item I needed for my collection. finally nabbed one. This bucket has no dents or dings and has all the original webbing and chin strap albeit the original flocking is pretty much gone. Its missing one ear pad (as they usually are) but... turns out same size felt pads are sold today as Furniture Felt Pad Floor Protectors
I was able to confirm the size and thickness of what is sold today to the original and they are identical except maybe a tad darker in shade.
3 1/2 inch diameter and 0.2 inches thick (about 5.08 mm thick) The one original I have is petrified and fell off so I'll just stick the new replacements in as they are peel and stick for a nice finished off restoration. It displays well just the same...
I was able to confirm the size and thickness of what is sold today to the original and they are identical except maybe a tad darker in shade.
3 1/2 inch diameter and 0.2 inches thick (about 5.08 mm thick) The one original I have is petrified and fell off so I'll just stick the new replacements in as they are peel and stick for a nice finished off restoration. It displays well just the same...
Edward
Well-Known Member
thats always me... late to the party.
by the time I get around to having an interest in something everyone else is over it and done... lol! just look at the Fedora Lounge. other than people posting their vintage hats or "what jacket are you wearing today?" every other vintage topic is dead in the water.. some dead for years! I single handedly revived, well, resurrected a few with my vintage items postings but it garnered a like or two and maybe a couple of replies. I think I got a couple of people to post their vintage items pertinent to a dead thread I posted to but otherwise I think no body really cares anymore and moved on.I read a post from 2011 about M3 Flak helmets and people were bitching they had to pay $50.00 for one and were blown away if they were able to turn it around for $150.00 loL! ever since I started watching them they rarely ever go for less than $250 but usually $300 to $350 if they are at least as decent shape as the one I have. The bigger problem with the ones that are missing chin straps or the internal webbing is that the items are specifically designed or, for lack of a better term; proprietary to the M3 helmet so finding replacements is impossible and nobody makes reproduction of the specific types of buckles and straps for it so reconditioning or restoring one isn't easy. one is much better off waiting for an M3 to come along that isn't missing any parts other than maybe the felt pads which can be substituted with modern felt pads. I wouldn't' want to have to try to fully restore one.
B-Man2
Well-Known Member
Ed
I don’t know if you’re familiar with Murray Helmets but they restore WWII US helmets and I’m sure that they could help you find anything for your M-3. You may want to check them out.
jmurrayinc1944.com
Cheers
I don’t know if you’re familiar with Murray Helmets but they restore WWII US helmets and I’m sure that they could help you find anything for your M-3. You may want to check them out.
J. Murray Inc. 1944
Providing M1 Helmets, Parts & Services since 2001 We are a small family owned and operated business. Offering quality restored and historically accurate M1 helmets. Serving collectors, reenactors and the film industry. We strive to sell our products at an affordable price in a timely fashion...
Edward
Well-Known Member
many of the M3 Flak helmets that don't sell or are hard to sell have missing or broken chin straps. its amazing that there are reproduction straps for every other helmet out there except the M3. it would go a long way to help restore these if someone would make reproductions of the slide grip tension buckle. I'm sure its not cost effective to put something like this into production for such a niche' collector's market though. if not missing altogether often times these are badly corroded. the web straps and snaps can still be had so the rest of the design could be done.
here are some pics of the slide/grip tension buckle I'm referring to;
here are some pics of the slide/grip tension buckle I'm referring to;
Edward
Well-Known Member
I've already checked them out and they don't make nor have any m3 specific items. I personally don't need anything but other collectors do and its mostly that specific slide and grip buckle I posted pictures of above that is needing to be reproduced. Murray Helmets only offers the M1chin straps which is entirely different in design Than the M3Ed
I don’t know if you’re familiar with Murray Helmets but they restore WWII US helmets and I’m sure that they could help you find anything for your M-3. You may want to check them out.
CheersJ. Murray Inc. 1944
Providing M1 Helmets, Parts & Services since 2001 We are a small family owned and operated business. Offering quality restored and historically accurate M1 helmets. Serving collectors, reenactors and the film industry. We strive to sell our products at an affordable price in a timely fashion...
Micawber
Well-Known Member
Those slide grip buckles are not M3 specific, larger ones were used on WW2 US military canvas tops on Jeeps etc and ought to come in a range of sizes to fit different width straps. There are plenty of companies manufacturing excellent copies of WW2 vehicle canvas.....
Some food for thought...
Some food for thought...
Micawber
Well-Known Member
thats always me... late to the party.
I read a post from 2011 about M3 Flak helmets and people were bitching they had to pay $50.00 for one and were blown away if they were able to turn it around for $150.00 loL! ever since I started watching them they rarely ever go for less than $250 but usually $300 to $350 if they are at least as decent shape as the one I have. The bigger problem with the ones that are missing chin straps or the internal webbing is that the items are specifically designed or, for lack of a better term; proprietary to the M3 helmet so finding replacements is impossible and nobody makes reproduction of the specific types of buckles and straps for it so reconditioning or restoring one isn't easy. one is much better off waiting for an M3 to come along that isn't missing any parts other than maybe the felt pads which can be substituted with modern felt pads. I wouldn't' want to have to try to fully restore one.
Sod what others have done or are doing, your collection is a credit to you, enjoy the ride and thrill of the chase!!
Edward
Well-Known Member
cool can you point me in the direction of who makes them? larger ones of course won't do they would have to be the correct size.Those slide grip buckles are not M3 specific, larger ones were used on WW2 US military canvas tops on Jeeps etc and ought to come in a range of sizes to fit different width straps. There are plenty of companies manufacturing excellent copies of WW2 vehicle canvas.....
Some food for thought...
Edward
Well-Known Member
well, I'll look and research more but I exhausted my search last week checking out reproduction straps and nothing ever came up no matter where I looked on that specific design of buckle. I'll be surprised if any of these canvas tops makers make this particular buckle. others in military forums say the same.Those slide grip buckles are not M3 specific, larger ones were used on WW2 US military canvas tops on Jeeps etc and ought to come in a range of sizes to fit different width straps. There are plenty of companies manufacturing excellent copies of WW2 vehicle canvas.....
Some food for thought...
Edward
Well-Known Member
Those slide grip buckles are not M3 specific, larger ones were used on WW2 US military canvas tops on Jeeps etc and ought to come in a range of sizes to fit different width straps. There are plenty of companies manufacturing excellent copies of WW2 vehicle canvas.....
Some food for thought...
so far everything is either latch or hook style or a single piece and not the two part slider with teeth.
this one on the M3 helmet is only about an inch wide
ausreenactor
Well-Known Member
Just like 'Pop's' back in WWII. Dad said he had identical one in the garage for decades.
Traded a grenade for it!
Traded a grenade for it!
Edward
Well-Known Member
beautiful! that is too cool!
ausreenactor
Well-Known Member
Buckle is similar to the leggings buckle. Perhaps try At The Front?
Edward
Well-Known Member
well, I'm done looking lol! I checked out three of the companies that do canopies for WWII jeeps and tents etc and none of them utilize this style of buckle. I'm going with the consensus of previous posts and research in military forums in that this particular buckle was abandoned for simpler, cheaper and easier to produce buckles. this type was abandoned in my opinion. I think if anyone made a reproductions or knew of NOS of these type they would have been discovered or made known already for those that need them for their M3 flak helmet restorations. one could get away with using a chin strap and buckle from an M1 or a later m5 or M4-A2 flak helmet perhaps but it won't be authentic original design.so far everything is either latch or hook style or a single piece and not the two part slider with teeth.
this one on the M3 helmet is only about an inch wide
View attachment 35758
Edward
Well-Known Member
wow now thats very close! I think you hit on something there... looks like it could be the correct size too!
Edward
Well-Known Member
well close but not quite right. too big and its a flat metal buckle instead of rounded. but its the right idea. These on the leggings are a bit long... I'm sure whoever makes them could maybe be persuaded to reproduce the shorter M3 version.
