Displaying helmets

stahlhelm88 · Joined: 15 Aug 2007 Posts: 7

I'm a new collector and have bought some helmets. Anybody know where I can get some good stands to display the helmets. I don't like just setting them on a shelf. Thank you in advance. Stahlhelm88

wyatt265 · Joined: 23 Dec 2007 Posts: 6

Hey, I'm new to this forum and just saw this post that nobody replied to.
I saw a neat thing that a guy in the Bay area ( THat's SF Bay) did a few years back. He got some 2x6 and some 2x4 and some lengths of closet pole and using the 2x6 as a base cut a square, drilled the center to accept the closet pole, then attached a 2x4 cut sq block, also drilled in the center to accept the closet pole. Ok this from the side looks something like a Capital I. The closet pole can be made any length to fit your head gear. It looks shall I say " Uniform" when you have several displayed that way.
I tried it with some cut offs from the local home center. Then glued the base and top and used a bit of felt to cover the top and protect the liner of the helmet. looks ok. Cost about $2 for 6 of them. Plus my time...........priceless.

Combat Relics · Joined: 14 Jul 2007 Posts: 161

One thing is certain. The soft and weak parts of a helmet are the most easily damaged. That means the chinstrap first because it is flopping around and generally ignored while collectors are hypnotized by the amazing helmet talisman!

When you have your helmets on shelves, the Chinstrap is at great risk of damage from the rim of the helmet and the surface of the shelf.

If your strap is a nice example and servicable (and you wish to keep it that way), you can avoid searching in the future for a $200 replacement for one damaged by neglect and carelessness now.
Carefully run the long strap end through half the buckle (not putting the claw through a hole), then extend the tip of the long strap across to the far side of the liner, and tuck/insert the long end up in the gap between the liner inner band and outer band, leaving the short buckle strap to hang on the long strap.

Now, the long strap and short strap are up inside the helmet and out of the way. They are easily accessed to examine and the tip of the long strap is up in the dome not flopping around.

If the strap is far too stiff, this will not solve these problems.

If you are tempted to buckle the strap tight across the visor of the helmet, I would not advise doing that. First, how many Germans wore them like that in original photos? Second it tends to damage and distort the strap over time.

Please sit a minute,... and think about your relic. Consider the issue you are dealing with.
A few thoughts and actions can have a profound effect in the long run, on how that relic survives.

It is of critical importance, that the weight if the steel is not 'hanging' on the leather while it is on any helmet stand or 'Head'. I concur that in general a wood knob will be fairly benign to the interior of the dome.

If you must dress up a mannequin, Untie the knot in the string, to allow the steel to rest on the 'head'. It is less of a risk/cost, to a much less costly string, than believing the weight of the steel will not damage your liner leather.

I cannot say what the PH factor of a styrofoam head will do in contact with the old German tanned leathers.

The part of the stand that is in contact , should be up against the inside of the steel dome.
Otherwise, the leather will eventually fatigue from the never ending stress of the weight and begin to stretch or even rip at the weakest point.
The top resting point needs to be small enough to go to the top without untying the string. a broken string can be a nightmare to replace (color, age, correct knot)

So now look at the fully dressed mannequin with his loaded belt holding up the weight of a spade, grenades, holster, bayonet, breadbag, ammo pouches, canteen or whatever. Unless it is a webbing belt, the weight of all of it is hanging from 2 claws going through 2 holes in a thin tongue on the belt.
Ready to gamble? Come back in 1-10 years and look. Is all the gear on your collection room floor? Is that little tongue ripped across? Is there other damage from the fall? Dented canteen or stick grenade head?

Did that K-98 sling finally rip and your high turret sniper crashed onto your basement concrete slab?
It is something to seriously think about. Your thought processes are your best defense from issues which may impact the condition or value of your relics.

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