British Pre WW2 helmet help/advice needed

**Flying10uk** · 12-26-2022 07:29 PM

Originally Posted by mnmkeller

That's my feeling...I really would like to see if it is a wardens helmet as that would explain the bits of white.

It is very hard not to take off the paint that you don't want to take off but remove the paint that you do want to remove. That is my experience with a number of helmets using a number of different paint removal methods. It sounds easy until you actually try doing it but you may have more luck than me.

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**jond41403** · 12-27-2022 11:53 AM

I tend to agree, it seems impossible to take one layer of paint off without at least altering the color underneath it.

**mnmkeller** · 12-27-2022 12:01 PM

Part of my original reason for posting was to see if anyone had been successful trying to do this other than professionals.

I'm seeing not a lot to build hope on here.

**browningautorifle** · 12-27-2022 12:17 PM

Originally Posted by jond41403

it seems impossible to take one layer of paint off without at least altering the color underneath it.

I have a Mk3 helmet I picked up from overseas and brought home 45 years back, had a national flag on the side that was painted over. I wanted to confirm what flag and carefully used some acetone and a rag. I dabbed just at the one spot to eventually expose the flag, that was all I removed. The rest would have been pointless, it would have been UK icon

olive covered by Greek truck paint.

**mnmkeller** · 12-27-2022 09:20 PM

I used some citristrip with q tips and have uncovered a bit of the white but no def pattern yet. I may switch to acetone to try that but I mainly need to work in a good light source.

**browningautorifle** · 12-27-2022 09:22 PM

Originally Posted by mnmkeller

I may switch to acetone

That's real fast and unforgiving...but you knew that.

**mnmkeller** · 12-27-2022 10:38 PM

The citrustrip is slow as it softens the paint and works ok when done in small areas and is cleaned off after a few minutes. Pics to come.

**mnmkeller** · 12-28-2022 09:07 AM

So I wasn't overly pleased at first...until I took a pic and stopped focusing on the small details and saw the bigger picture..so to speak.

I will be switching to smaller tools and a magnifying glass soon to help pinpoint the remaining green covering white as I can see an inverted pentagon as well as a hexagon near the top. So would these be on what should be the back or front of the helmet?

Those are the largest swatches of white but I will try to work on some of the smaller and more linear areas in the future. Sadly it looks like the two forms I uncovered have a good bit of brown showing through so they were likely roughed up even before the green paint was applied.

Any ideas on what these shapes could indicate?

**Aragorn243** · 12-28-2022 05:34 PM

I did an acetone wipe down of a German icon

helmet that had silver paint on it. It's here somewhere. I was scrubbing away and rather vigorously at this one spot that didn't seem to want to come clean and then about lost it when I realized I was scrubbing a Luftwaffe eagle decal. Fortunately, I did no damage. Turned out to be a three color camo paint job with single decal helmet. My $20 investment jumped a couple hundred dollars real fast.

**mnmkeller** · 01-09-2023 10:26 PM

So time for an update..overall very pleasing results...but i am struggling with my technique and making some mistakes based mainly on fatigue and inexperience.

I used citristrip which works pretty well when the white paint is thick but it is unforgiving when it is thin and i have had a bit of white paint loss on the side compared to the front. I did expose what looks like a red diamond on what would be the left side. If you look closely you can see the wrinkled paint which i know will be a loss including the white.

My goal at this point is to switch to acetone and be more patient..use a smaller area and keep it to short shifts so I dont become overly aggressive. I also think i will take this to work where I can make use of my hour lunch break and some bright outdoor light.